The great hall of the pack house was suffocating with the weight of his presence.
The Alpha King had come inside, and every elder, warrior, and servant knelt low to the ground. The echo of silence was broken only by the sound of his boots striking the marble floor.
I should have been kneeling too.
I should have lowered my head like the rest.
But I couldn't.
My body was frozen, my gaze locked on his. That face—cold, carved like stone, eyes like molten gold. The same man who had once called me "Luna" with a voice like silk… before he let me die without lifting a finger.
"Everyone rise," he commanded. His voice was deep, commanding, heavy with dominance. Even the walls seemed to bow.
Chairs scraped, footsteps shuffled. The crowd dispersed but the weight of his gaze lingered… on me.
"You," he said suddenly. His voice cut through the hall like a blade.
My heart stumbled in my chest.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" My words came out calm, but inside I trembled with memories of fire and blood.
He tilted his head, eyes narrowing, as if trying to read me. "Why did you not kneel?"
A hush fell over the hall. Whispers rose like hissing snakes. I felt my cousin tense beside me, silently pleading for me to bow now and beg forgiveness.
But I didn't.
Instead, I lifted my chin, forcing strength into my voice. "Because respect is not given by force, Your Majesty. It is earned."
Gasps erupted around me. Someone dropped a tray. My cousin tugged at my sleeve in horror.
The Alpha King's lips curved—not into anger, but into a faint, dangerous smile. The kind that promised storms.
"You're bold," he said slowly. "What is your name?"
For a moment, I considered lying. But no—he would know sooner or later. Better to face the fire head on.
"Selene," I answered. My voice did not waver.
His golden eyes flickered, as though the name triggered something deep inside him. For a fleeting heartbeat, I thought I saw curiosity—no, recognition—stir behind that stoic mask.
Then it was gone.
"Selene…" he repeated, testing the sound of it. "I'll remember that."
He turned, dismissing the crowd with a single wave. But before he left the hall, he glanced back at me, his gaze lingering like a warning—and a promise.
I clenched my fists. My wolf stirred restlessly inside me, drawn to him against my will. The mate bond was cruel, unyielding. But this time, I would not let it destroy me.
If fate wanted me bound to my enemy, then fate would have to bleed.