Selene's POV~
They would be smiling right now.
Somewhere far behind me, deep within the grand stone heart of the pack, the hall would be full of noble people. Maybe someone was offering a toast. Maybe the priestess was still reciting sacred lines as those four brothers knelt like loyal sons. Maybe they were already placing those heavy, hollow crowns on their heads.
Maybe he was smiling.
Just like he smiled when he left me on the cold stone floor last night...
And still, I ran.
The forest greeted me like a beast.
Branches clawed at my arms, thorns tore at my legs, and the earth beneath my bare feet was jagged and cruel. Every root felt like a hand reaching up to drag me back. The gown I wore—thin and damp with sweat—offered no protection. Every step I took through the underbrush left blood in my wake.
But the worst pain wasn't on my skin.
