I dropped the journal and grabbed a seat beside the center table, where a bag of fruits sat next to the map of the Pack's territory. If I was going to escape, I needed a plan, and the map would be my guide.
After familiarizing myself with the forest and landscapes, the sun had not completely set, so I passed the time by reading the journal.
For at least an hour of reading, all I could recall was Selena endlessly scolding herself on almost every page about the time she spent with Alpha Kade. She lamented how she couldn't bring herself to kiss him, no matter how close they'd gotten. A strange feeling began to overwhelm me. I swear I started hearing voices in my head, and an irresistible urge arose to go see the Alpha and fulfill Selena's wishes.
Then, "Get up!" a voice commanded, breaking through my thoughts. It was strong yet feminine—so unique and frightening.
"Who are you? Where are you?" I asked, turning swiftly to scan the room. There was nobody there with me. I got up and went to the window to verify if I was truly alone, and indeed, I was. Everyone below seemed to be occupied with their routines. Who was it, then?
"I'm your maker," the voice said again. Suddenly, a chill wrapped around me. My eyes shut abruptly, and a bright light burned through my eyelids, pulling me into what looked like a trance. Before me hovered a fog with crescent markings—bright, thick, and approaching me.
I couldn't move. I was stuck. "Nobody disobeys me, not even you, Selena," the voice said again, but through the fog this time.
"I am not—"
"Silence!" it ordered. "I am your benefactor, and you will obey me. Now go do what you must. Serve your purpose, Selena, or else you will deal with me. Leave my presence."
I felt my body slam back against the wooden chair. The fog was gone with the trance, but the voice kept replaying in my head. I recognized those words. It was the Moon Goddess. Those were the same words I had her say to any female who refused to accept their mate. But how could she not recognize that I wasn't Selena?
I slammed the journal shut, my chest tight with panic. I wouldn't let a figment of my imagination control me. I had to run away—not later, but right now.
I folded the map and slipped it into the bag of fruits. The sun was gone, and darkness had already come. Stealthily, I walked out of Selena's chamber, sneaking past a few guards. I hadn't gained my wolf yet, so I didn't need to worry about them catching my scent. I would gain it once the full moon appeared, and I met Alpha Kade, my mate. That's why it was crucial that in this escape attempt, we didn't cross paths.
As I made my way out into the garden, hoping the flowers would shield me from the guards, I recalled the scene I had just forced myself into. This was the same place where Kade would kiss Arianna—the very moment that would ignite Selena's jealousy.
Arianna would come from the eastern side of the garden, summoned by a guard, and Kade was at the west, heading in my direction at this instant. I knew this because I stood in the exact spot where they were supposed to share their first kiss. My heart pounded loudly. As I turned to head south to climb the palace walls, I froze as Alpha Kade appeared behind me. "Selena?" he called. Immediately, I heard a voice within me shout *Mate!* through my lips.
Involuntarily, I rushed toward him, throwing my arms around him and pressing my lips to his. I was going to deepen the kiss when he suddenly pulled away, looking at me in shock. There was a rustle in the flowers behind us, but I was too ashamed to look back.
"Princess Arianna, wait!" Kade called out and ran after her, leaving me behind.
I felt as if my heart had been ripped out when he sped off, his shoulder brushing mine. In frustration, I threw the bag to the ground, scattering the fruits. Why did I feel such pain? I wasn't Selena! Why was I feeling this way? I was supposed to be in control of this stupid body. The Moon Goddess—this damned world I created—was working against me. I could feel it in every breath, in every inch of Selena's body that I was trapped inside. And now I realized that Selena's emotions weren't entirely mine to ignore. The Moon Goddess had control over this body.
I tried to move, tried to force my feet toward the gates so I could leave, but instead, I found myself pausing, my fingers trembling.
A strange warmth filled me instantly, and then I heard another voice—angry and desperate. "He is our mate. We must fight for him." That was Nixi, the wolf I gave Selena. When I wrote about the mating bond, the connection between an Alpha and his destined partner, I intended for it to be a strong bond, but experiencing it firsthand was torture. It was overwhelming. I could feel it tightening around me, pulling me toward Kade like an invisible chain. My thoughts grew blurry, tangled with desires that weren't my own.
The urge to rewrite Selena's fate began to fade, replaced by a soft, unsettling need—a need to see him, to go to Kade, to let him mark me.
No. I couldn't let this happen. I wasn't Selena. This wasn't my life.
But before I could protest further, the wolf forced my body to move, dragging me in the direction Kade had gone. It was as if my soul was caught in the web of a story that no longer cared about my wishes.
By the time I reached Kade's chambers, my hands were trembling, my heart racing for reasons I didn't understand. Kade was just on the other side of that door, and every fiber of my being screamed that I should stay away. But the bond was too strong.
With a deep breath, I pushed the door open. Kade stood by the window, his back to me. His posture was rigid, as if he had been waiting—perhaps for Selena. For me. To execute me, maybe.
"Kade," I whispered, barely recognizing my own voice. The warmth in my chest intensified, and before I could stop myself, I moved toward him. It wasn't me—it was Selena and the damned wolf. Their desires were bleeding into me, taking over, and I couldn't stop it.
He turned at the sound of my voice, his eyes settling on me with confusion. "Selena?" His tone was cautious, wary. He hadn't expected me; perhaps he was waiting for Arianna.
I wanted to explain what was happening, but no words came out. Instead, my body moved on its own, closing the distance until I stood just inches from him. My heart pounded in my ears, and the pull of the bond was so strong I thought I might drown in it.
"Kade," I said again, softer this time, my voice almost pleading.
His expression shifted, his brows furrowing as he watched me. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice cool and guarded. He reached out, gently placing a hand on my shoulder, as if trying to ground me. "You're acting strange."
He didn't understand. To him, I was just Selena, his friend. Nothing more. He couldn't sense the bond pulling at my soul, threatening to tear me apart if he didn't make me his.
But I couldn't stop. My fingers brushed lightly against his chest. His warmth seeped through his shirt, and I felt my heart skip a beat. Every nerve in my body screamed to get closer, to close the distance between us. But this wasn't me. This was Selena, the girl destined for him, the girl who couldn't resist the bond.
"Kade, please," I whispered, my voice barely audible. I wasn't even sure what I was asking for.
He stiffened under my touch, his hand falling from my shoulder as he stepped back, putting distance between us. His face showed a mix of confusion and pity. My stomach twisted painfully.
"Selena, stop," he said firmly. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but this isn't right."
I flinched at his words, the coldness in his tone cutting deep. "I'm sorry, but I have to reject you," he said, holding his breath. "What I want from you is to be the sister I never had. I love Arianna."
"Kade, you just met her. I'm bonded to you," I cried. "Do you think I have a choice?"
"I'm sorry, Selena, but I, Alpha Kade of Crystal, reject you as my mate." He stepped back again. "And stay away from Arianna," he warned, his voice low but serious. "I don't know what's going on with you, but this behavior won't be tolerated. Do you understand?"
I nodded, unable to speak. The rejection, the coldness in his voice—it was too much. I turned and fled the room before the tears could fall, my heart heavy with despair.
But even as I ran, I couldn't escape the truth. Selena's fate was sealed, and so was mine.
And the worst part was, I wasn't sure if I could fight it any longer—the new urge, the urge to get rid of Arianna by any means.