The moment Damien left with Tobias, a sense of unease settled in Selene's chest. The council wanted to meet with him, and she was sure it was about her.
She needed to know what they were saying.
The Nightshade Pack didn't trust her, and she had no illusions that they would welcome her anytime soon. But if they were planning something, she needed to be ahead of them.
Moving carefully, she approached the door and cracked it open. The village was quiet, most of the pack busy with their nightly duties. The meeting hall wasn't far, a large stone building at the center of the village. She had seen it when they entered the territory.
Heart pounding, she stepped outside, sticking to the shadows as she made her way across the village.
A pair of wolves patrolled nearby, but she used her magic to still the air around her, making her movements soundless. She kept close to the buildings, avoiding the flickering torchlight.
As she neared the council hall, deep voices rumbled from inside. She crept to the side of the building, pressing her back against the rough stone wall. A narrow, open window was just within reach.
Taking a steadying breath, she lifted herself onto her toes and peered inside.
Inside the Council Hall
Damien stood at the center, arms crossed, his gaze sharp as he faced the pack's elders. Around him sat five council members, aged, wise, and hardened by time. Tobias stood by the door, his expression unreadable.
"This is reckless, Alpha," one of the elders, an older woman with silver-streaked hair, said. "Bringing a witch into our territory? She is a danger to us all!"
"She was being hunted," Damien replied coolly. "I was not about to let her die."
A burly man with a scar across his jaw sneered. "Then you should have let the hunters do their job. Witches are deceitful. She could be leading them straight to us!"
Selene clenched her fists, anger rising.
"We cannot risk the safety of our pack," another elder chimed in. "The council demands she be removed. If she does not leave willingly, we will force her out."
Damien's jaw tightened. "No."
The room fell silent.
"No?" the silver-haired elder repeated, narrowing her eyes. "Do you defy the council's ruling?"
"I do," Damien said, voice firm.
The tension in the room thickened.
"Why?" Tobias finally spoke. "Why are you protecting her?"
Damien's next words sent a chill down Selene's spine.
"Because she is my mate."
A stunned silence filled the hall.
Selene's breath caught in her throat. No. That can't be right.
She gripped the window ledge to steady herself, her mind reeling. This was impossible. Witches and werewolves were never mates. Just like a witch and a vampire. They weren't meant to be.
And yet…
The way Damien had looked at her. The way he had protected her. The way his touch had sent warmth through her even when she had been ready to fight him off.
It all made sense now.
A storm of voices erupted inside.
"This is a mistake!"
"A witch as our Alpha's mate? It is unheard of!"
"The Moon Goddess would never allow this!"
Damien held up a hand, silencing them. "I do not need your approval. The bond has already been made."
Selene felt like the air had been knocked out of her. This changes everything. What does he mean the bond has already been made? I never accepted any ritual.
She couldn't stay here.
If the pack despised her now, they would hate her even more as their Alpha's mate. She had to leave before they turned on her.
Decision made, she slipped away from the window, moving back into the shadows.
She didn't have much time. The council would continue their debate, but soon, Damien would come back to find her.
Selene moved swiftly, retracing her path through the village. She stayed close to the darker alleyways, careful to avoid any patrolling wolves.
Reaching the edge of the village, she spotted the main entrance two guards standing at either side. No way to sneak past them unnoticed.
She took a deep breath, focused her energy, and whispered an incantation under her breath. The torches near the gate flickered violently before going out, plunging the area into darkness.
The guards tensed, looking around. "What the-?"
Using the distraction, Selene slipped past them, her movements as silent as the night itself.
She sprinted toward the trees, her breath steady despite the racing of her heart. Once she was deep enough into the forest, she would head west, away from the Nightshade Pack.
Away from Damien.