Selene's POV
~
Tears still clung to my lashes as I sat slumped against the grand door of the Alpha's chamber. I should've stopped crying. I knew that. But once the memories opened their floodgates, they never let me go without dragging me under first.
The prince was coming.
And now... I would have to face him again.
My chest ached at the thought, not just with fear, but with something heavier. A deep-rooted shame that dug claws into my skin and wouldn't let go.
I curled my fingers into my apron and shut my eyes tightly.
It started when I was fifteen. The year everything changed.
That was the year my father stopped using his fists—and began using his words instead.
He told me to make friends with the Lycan prince. Said I had a pretty face and a gentle smile, and if I used them right, I could secure our future. His future.
I didn't want to go. I hated the idea. I knew exactly what he meant. If I couldn't "win over" the prince… if I didn't do enough, he would break my legs.