The days after Damon's vow blurred into one another. For Selene, every heartbeat felt heavier, like she was walking on the edge of a cliff with the wind trying to push her over.
Her classes became background noise. Clara's chatter barely registered. Even the professors noticed her distraction, though they assumed it was the usual stress of exams. Only Selene knew the truth: she was caught between two worlds.
And both wanted a piece of her.
One evening, she found herself staring at the faint glow of the mark on her wrist under the desk lamp. It pulsed faintly, in rhythm with her heartbeat. She traced it with her finger, shivering.
How could something so small chain her so completely?
Her phone buzzed, startling her. Clara's name lit up the screen. "Selene, come on! We're going to the pub. You can't keep hiding in your cave."
"I—uh, I have homework," Selene lied, though her desk was bare.
Clara groaned. "One drink. That's all I'm asking. Besides, maybe you'll meet someone who isn't a book or your laptop."
Selene almost laughed at the irony. If only Clara knew. If only she could tell her. But Damon's warning echoed in her mind: The fewer who know, the safer you are.
"I'll think about it," Selene said quickly, hanging up before her friend could argue.
But later that night, the restless pull of the mark drove her back to the forest.
Damon was waiting again. This time, he didn't look like the untouchable Alpha. He was pacing, his jaw tight, golden eyes burning with frustration.
"What's wrong?" Selene asked softly.
He stilled, then gave a humorless laugh. "Everything. Word spreads faster than fire. The Council suspects something. And Kieran…" His lip curled. "Kieran is circling like a vulture."
Selene's stomach twisted. "What does he want from me?"
"You," Damon said bluntly. "Not for who you are. For what you mean to me. To him, you're leverage. A way to weaken me."
Her chest squeezed painfully. "So I'm… bait?"
Damon's eyes softened, though his voice remained firm. "Not bait. A reason. The bond makes you my strength. But to others, that makes you my weakness. And wolves exploit weakness."
Selene turned away, hugging herself. "I never asked for this."
"I know," he said quietly. "Neither did I."
The honesty in his voice startled her. She faced him again, and for a fleeting second, she glimpsed not the Alpha, not the wolf—but the man. Strong yet weary, fierce yet uncertain.
And her heart ached.
They walked deeper into the woods, silence stretching between them. Selene should have been afraid, but with Damon beside her, the shadows seemed less threatening.
Until they weren't.
From the underbrush, a wolf darted out—massive, gray-furred, teeth bared. Selene screamed, stumbling back.
But Damon was faster. His shift was instantaneous, his body rippling with power as the beast within exploded free. In a blur of fur and fangs, he met the attacker head-on.
The clash was brutal. Snarls and the crack of bone filled the night. Selene pressed against a tree, heart pounding as Damon slammed the wolf into the ground. Blood sprayed, the air thick with violence.
When Damon finally stood victorious, his golden eyes locked on her through the darkness. For a moment, she couldn't move.
He shifted back, panting, streaked with blood that wasn't his. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head, though her hands trembled uncontrollably. "That… that was…"
"An ambush," he finished grimly. "Kieran is testing me. Testing us."
Selene's knees buckled, and Damon caught her before she hit the ground. His grip was strong, grounding, even as his chest rose and fell with ragged breaths.
"You can't keep saving me like this," she whispered. "It'll destroy you."
His eyes blazed. "Then let it. I told you, Selene—I won't let them touch you. Not while I breathe."
Something inside her broke. All the fear, confusion, and denial she'd clung to melted under the weight of his vow. Against every instinct screaming at her to run, she leaned into him, burying her face against his chest.
For once, Damon didn't pull away. His arms wrapped around her, protective, unyielding. His scent—earth and storm—enveloped her, and she realized with a jolt how much she craved it.
But this closeness was dangerous. More dangerous than wolves, than Kieran, than the Council. Because it wasn't just her body Damon had claimed.
It was her heart.
The next morning, whispers spread across the pack like wildfire. Selene didn't hear them, but Damon did.
"She's human."
"She'll be our ruin."
"The Alpha has lost his mind."
Every word was a knife. Yet Damon ignored them all, standing taller, fiercer, his dominance unshaken.
If they wanted a game of power, he would play it.
And he would win.
Author's Note:
🔥 Selene is no longer just a girl caught in the middle—she's become the heart of a dangerous game between Damon, his enemies, and even his own pack. Do you think she'll survive the pressure, or will Damon's vow shatter under the weight of the Council? Don't forget to vote with Power Stones if you're enjoying their journey! ❤️