The northern woods were silent except for the crunch of snow underfoot. Wolves of both packs moved in formation, fangs bared and muscles coiled, but Selene felt every eye flick toward her. They weren't just looking at Damon's Alpha—they were looking at her, the human who burned shadow away.
Her heart raced. Each step felt heavier than the last. Not because she feared the Council wolves ahead, but because she felt the weight of expectation pressing on her shoulders.
Beside her, Damon's golden eyes scanned the treeline. "Stay close," he murmured, low and rough. "The Council is more organized than they've ever been."
"I'm ready," Selene said, though even she wasn't sure if she truly was.
They reached a clearing, and there they were: six Council wolves, disciplined, moving as one. Their eyes glowed faintly with the marks of shadow, twisted by the Council's dark magic. Each one snapped its head toward them, growls rolling like thunder.
Selene swallowed. This is it.
Damon lunged first, black fur flashing, fangs slicing through the air. The Council wolves scattered, striking at him with precision, but Selene didn't move immediately. She watched, felt the bond thrumming, the fire inside her waiting to ignite.
Then one of the marked wolves broke from the pack and lunged at Damon. Selene reacted instinctively, placing her hand on the wolf's chest.
Heat surged from her wrist, coursing through her veins. The shadow fought, a cold, suffocating weight that pressed against her mind. It will consume you, the darkness hissed.
Selene gritted her teeth. I am fire, she whispered, and I will not break.
She poured everything she had into the bond—love, courage, fury. The shadow shrieked, twisting and writhing, but it began to crumble, crack, and finally dissipate. The wolf collapsed, trembling, his eyes flickering back to their natural gold.
Damon landed beside her, his claws dripping with blood from a Council wolf he had struck down. His chest heaved, but his gaze never left her. "Again," he said, voice low but filled with awe. "You did it again."
Selene nodded, though her body trembled. "It's not just me," she said. "It's the bond. We do this."
The fight continued, each strike from the Council wolves met with fire, claws, or Selene's blazing touch. Her fear began to fade, replaced by a strange clarity. This fire—the one born of the bond—wasn't just a weapon. It was hope. Every wolf she freed felt it, every strike of the Council faltered before it.
By the time the sun dipped low, the clearing was littered with fallen shadows. The Council wolves fled, leaving only the shattered remnants of their magic behind. Selene sank to her knees, exhausted but exhilarated.
Damon knelt beside her, his hand brushing hair from her sweat-dampened face. "You're incredible," he whispered.
"You're incredible too," she said, breathless. "We did this together."
The wolves of both packs gathered around, murmuring in awe. Selene felt their respect, their hope, and—more frighteningly—their expectation. They weren't just looking at Damon anymore. They were looking at her, the fire in the storm, the human who could burn the Council's shadow away.
Damon's arm wrapped around her waist possessively, but even he seemed aware that her power was bigger than either of them.
"You have to rest," he murmured. "They'll only keep coming if they know you're tired."
Selene shook her head. "I can't rest yet. Not until I understand all of this… until I understand what I am."
Damon sighed, pressing his forehead to hers. "Then we'll face it together."
Later that night, Selene sat outside the tent, staring at the glowing mark on her wrist. Her hands still trembled from the day's battle, and her mind swirled with questions. Every time she freed a wolf, every time the Council's shadow crumbled beneath her fire, the bond felt stronger, hotter, more consuming.
Was it a gift? A weapon? Or a curse?
Damon approached quietly, settling beside her. He said nothing at first, simply wrapping her in his warmth. Then he spoke, voice soft and steady.
"You don't have to carry this alone," he said. "I'll stand beside you, every step. But Selene… you have to let me in. Let me be part of the fire, not just your shadow."
She leaned against him, feeling his heartbeat sync with hers. "I don't know how to stop this," she admitted. "I can't control how the packs see me, or what the Council will throw at us next. All I know is that… I can't do nothing."
"You don't have to," Damon murmured. "You have me. And together, we're unstoppable."
Selene pressed a kiss to his chest, feeling both comfort and fear. He was right—she couldn't do nothing. But she also couldn't ignore the power growing inside her, the way every wolf began to look at her as more than Damon's mate.
The fire wasn't just hers anymore.
And the Council would not survive it.
Author's Note:
🔥❄️ Selene has faced the Council in battle and tested her fire in the wild. Her bond with Damon is stronger than ever, but the pack's eyes on her grow heavier with expectation. Can love and power coexist, or will the fire she carries burn too bright? Comment below and vote with Power Stones to guide Selene's next steps! ❤️