Selina woke up by the riverside, the sound of water gently flowing past her. She blinked, trying to gather her thoughts. The memories of the night before came flooding back—the attack, the chase, and the crash. She looked down at her shoulder, noticing the makeshift bandage Michael had tied around it. With a careful tug, she removed the cloth, revealing the wound, now completely healed. The silver blade had slowed her natural healing, but she was whole again.
Turning her gaze to the side, Selina saw Michael lying unconscious on the ground. His breathing was steady, but he looked pale and worn out. With a sigh, she gently lifted him into her arms and began the trek back to the castle.
Back at the castle, Selina carefully laid Michael down in one of the rooms, watching over him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. There was something different about him, something she couldn't quite place. She needed answers.
Suddenly, Michael jolted awake, his body reacting as if something had pushed him from a nightmare. "Lay still," Selina said softly, helping him settle back down. "Your skull's taken a good knock. You've been unconscious for a while."
Michael's eyes darted around the room, still disoriented. "Where am I?" he asked, his voice weak.
"You're in my house. You're safe here," Selina reassured him. She hesitated before continuing, "I'm Selina."
But Michael's gaze turned vacant as his body began to tremble. He was slipping into the grip of the moon fever—a violent, uncontrollable reaction that could only mean one thing: his blood was awakening.
Before Selina could react, the door creaked open, and Rigel entered the room. She looked at Selina with a smirk, her eyes briefly lingering on Michael. "So, for once, the rumors were true," Rigel said, her voice laced with sarcasm. "The whole house has been absolutely buzzing about your new pet."
Selina shot her a sharp look. "Are you going to try to turn him into a vampire?" Rigel asked, stepping closer.
"Of course not," Selina replied, her tone firm.
Rigel raised an eyebrow, confused. "So why did you bring him here? I don't get you."
"He saved my life," Selina admitted, her voice softer. "I don't understand who he is. I have a lot to ask him."
Rigel studied her for a moment before responding, "Wait, why are you here?"
"Kahn sent me," Rigel answered, her expression shifting to one of seriousness. "He wants to see you. Now."
Selina nodded, casting one last glance at Michael, who was now sweating and shaking from the feverish dreams gripping him. She needed to speak with Kahn, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Michael's presence here was more dangerous than she had first thought. Without another word, she stood up and headed out of the room, leaving Michael with Rigel.
Selina walked into Kahn's room, her expression steely as she prepared for the confrontation.
"You sent for me," she said, her voice firm as she entered.
Kahn turned to face her, his eyes blazing with anger. "This is completely unacceptable. You go against my orders, skip the party, and even spend the night away from the castle with a human? Have you lost it? And then you bring him into *my* house?"
Selina clenched her fists, but kept her voice steady. "As far as I'm concerned, this is still Ragnarok's house."
Kahn's eyes narrowed. "I don't want to argue. I need you to understand that Michael is somehow important to the werewolves—"
Before she could finish, Kahn cut her off. "So now it's *Michael*?" he sneered, emphasizing the name.
"Would you just hear me out?" Selina pleaded, trying to keep her composure.
Kahn shook his head, frustration evident in his tone. "It's just beyond me why you're so obsessed with this ridiculous theory. We have outnumbered them we killed them centuries age."
"No they are not there are many of them out there," Selina shot back, her voice rising. "I saw it myself."
Kahn's eyes bore into hers, his anger simmering. "I don't care about that. We have an awakening in two days. Emelia will be here soon, and if Lucas were alive, he wouldn't be interested in a human, Michael or otherwise."
Selina's frustration bubbled over. "Wait a minute, you're infatuated with him, aren't you?" Kahn asked, his tone dripping with accusation.
Selina's expression darkened. "Now that's a ridiculous theory."
"Is it?" Kahn challenged, turning on his heel and heading for the door. Selina, seething with anger, followed him, knowing this conversation was far from over.
As Selina left Michael in Rigel's care, Rigel couldn't resist inspecting him more closely. She moved nearer, her gaze lingering on his face.
"He's handsome," she murmured to herself.
As she continued to study him, something caught her eye—a trace of blood on his neck. Curious, she gently pulled back his shirt and gasped in shock.
"Werewolf bites!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with horror.
Michael jolted awake at the sound of her voice, his eyes wide with confusion and fear. Rigel instinctively backed away, her vampire instincts taking over. Her teeth elongated, and her nails grew sharp, ready to strike.
Michael's mind raced, trying to process what he was seeing. Panic set in as he realized the danger he was in. Desperate, he bolted for the window, throwing it open. He looked down—it was a considerable drop, but it was either jump or face the wrath of the creature before him. Without another thought, he leaped from the window, landing hard but unharmed. As he scrambled to his feet, he noticed security dogs charging toward him. He sprinted toward the gate, adrenaline fueling his escape.
Just as Michael was scaling the gate, Kahn entered the room. He saw Rigel standing by the window, her eyes fixed on the fleeing figure. Kahn's eyes followed her gaze, catching sight of Michael as he climbed over the gate, making his escape.
Fury erupted in Kahn's chest. He turned to Rigel, his voice cold and commanding. "Leave us."
Rigel, sensing his wrath, quickly exited the room without a word.
Kahn stormed out in search of Selina, finding her not far away. Without warning, he slapped her across the face, the sound echoing in the hallway.
"Shame on you!" he spat, his eyes filled with betrayal and anger. Without waiting for her response, he turned and left her standing there, stunned and alone, the weight of his words pressing heavily on her.