DRAVEN'S POV.
The corridors of the palace were quieter than usual, the kind of quiet that made my instincts itch. Somewhere, deep in the stone, the night hummed…the wind, the whispers of servants, the ever-present murmur of a kingdom that pretended not to fear me.
Zayn walked a few steps behind me, his presence steady as always. Neither of us spoke. The moonlight from the tall arched windows spilled across the hall, tracing silver patterns on the floor. It was late, the kind of hour where decisions felt heavier than they should.
My mother's threat still echoed in my head. 'She's a danger. She doesn't belong here.'
And maybe she was right. Selin didn't belong in my world of wolves and blood and curses. The longer she stayed, the more she'd draw attention from the lords, from the queen, from enemies who'd exploit anything to get to me. She had to go.
We stopped before the guest quarters where she'd been kept. The guards stationed there straightened immediately. I gave them a curt nod before pushing the door open.
The air inside was warm, faintly perfumed with herbs from the nearby fire. She was asleep, curled on one side on the bed, her breathing soft, almost childlike. The moonlight fell over her face, and for a moment I stood there, unmoving.
Zayn glanced at me. "You want me to wake her?"
"No," I said quietly. My voice came out rougher than I intended. "I'll do it."
I stepped closer, each footfall strangely loud against the silence. I didn't reach out, I couldn't, but I spoke softly, careful not to startle her.
"Selin."
She stirred, eyelids fluttering. Then she blinked up at me, confusion hazing her features. "Huh? What—" She sat up abruptly, rubbing her eyes. "Oh. It's you."
"Get up," I said. "You're leaving."
"Leaving?" she repeated, voice still thick with sleep.
I nodded once. "We're taking you back to your village."
For a heartbeat, she just stared, and then her whole face lit up. "Really? You're…you're letting me go?"
Her excitement hit me like a punch I didn't expect. I looked away. "You shouldn't have been here in the first place."
Zayn cleared his throat softly, perhaps trying to ease the awkward air that settled between us. "You'll have food and supplies for the trip. It's safer to travel tonight before dawn."
Selin scrambled off the bed, her bare feet pattering on the cold floor. "Oh my gods, thank you!" she said, her grin wide as her voice trembled with relief. "I thought—honestly, I thought you'd keep me in that cage forever."
I ignored the comment. "Get dressed. We leave now."
She looked around, spotting the folded garments left earlier by the maids. "Right. Of course." She hesitated, then added under her breath, "You could at least turn around, you know. Privacy?"
I arched a brow, not moving. "You think I'm interested?"
She flushed. "No! I just—oh, never mind." She grabbed the clothes and vanished behind a screen, muttering something I didn't quite catch, probably an insult. Zayn smirked, clearly entertained.
When she reemerged, she wore a simple brown cloak and boots slightly too big for her. Her hair was messy, her face pale but cleaner than before. She looked…human. Too human for this place.
"Let's go," I said, turning toward the door.
The three of us walked through the silent corridors. Her steps were quick, trying to keep up with our longer strides. Every once in a while, I caught her glancing around, her expression filled with awe despite everything.
"This place," she murmured. "It's like something out of a dream. Or a nightmare. I can't tell which."
Zayn chuckled quietly. "Depends which side of the walls you're on."
Outside, the air was sharp and cold, carrying the scent of rain and pine. The night stretched vast above us, the moon full and pale. I led them down the stone path toward the stables, where two horses waited.
Selin hesitated. "Wait. I don't know how to—"
I cut her off with a curt gesture. "You'll ride with Zayn."
She frowned but didn't argue. Zayn helped her up, and she clutched his cloak like her life depended on it. I mounted my own horse and urged it forward, taking the lead. The forest loomed around us, tall and ancient. Crickets creeked, and somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled. Selin tensed at the sound, gripping tighter.
"Relax," Zayn said over his shoulder. "They're ours."
"Ours?" she echoed.
He gave her a sly grin but didn't elaborate.
The ride was long, the silence broken only by the rhythm of hooves and the wind brushing through the trees. I kept my gaze fixed ahead, but every now and then I'd hear her soft gasps of wonder as she took in the vast, moonlit woods. When we reached the cliff, dawn had started to stain the horizon. Below, the valley stretched wide, and there it was…her village. Or what was left of it.
Half of it was drowned beneath murky water, the roofs of houses barely peeking out. Smoke rose weakly from a few dry patches where survivors must've gathered.
Selin's voice broke the silence. "Oh."
Her joy melted into something small and quiet. "I didn't…I didn't know it was this bad."
Zayn dismounted first, helping her down gently. She stood at the cliff's edge, staring down at the ruin below.
"Can't go any further by horse," he said softly.
She nodded, her shoulders trembling. "It's okay. I can walk from here."
I dismounted too but stayed a few steps behind. I should've said something — anything, but words felt useless.
Finally, she turned to me. "So this is it, huh?" She tried to smile, but it wavered. "The terrifying King actually kept his word."
"Don't test my patience," I said, though my tone lacked bite.
She tilted her head. "You know…for someone who looks like he eats humans for breakfast, you're not that bad."
Zayn snorted behind her.
I ignored both of them. "There's food and gold in the pack beside you. Take it. Stay away from the forest paths."
She looked at the satchel, then back at me. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because it's the right thing to do," I said flatly.
She studied me for a long moment, as if trying to see through the armor and everything else. "No," she said finally. "It's because you care. You just don't want to admit it."
My jaw clenched. "Go home, Selin."
She gave a faint, wistful smile. "See you around, Your Majesty."
Then she turned and began the long descent toward her broken village, her cloak fluttering behind her like the ghost of a memory I already knew I wouldn't forget. I watched until she vanished from sight. The forest wind howled around me, carrying the scent of rain and distant smoke.
Zayn mounted his horse again. "You did the right thing, Alpha."
"Did I?" I asked, my gaze fixed on the drowned horizon. "Then why does it feel like I just made a mistake I can't undo?"