The air was heavy with the scent of pine and earth, mingling with the sharp tang of betrayal. Selene leaned against the ancient oak, her fingers digging into the coarse bark as she caught her breath. The forest whispered around her, leaves rustling like mocking laughter. A strange sensation tugged at her chest—half panic, half fury—as Rowan's final words echoed in her mind.
"You were never the real heir. You were never meant to survive."
The truth stung sharper than the knife wound in her side. She had been nothing but a pawn, a disposable piece in a game she hadn't even realized she was playing. The raw memory of his smirk, his cold eyes as he walked away, felt like a brand burned into her soul. Yet, she wasn't dead. Not yet.
The dim light of the crescent moon filtered through the canopy above, casting jagged shadows across the forest floor. Selene pushed herself upright, her legs trembling with the effort. Her thoughts raced, trying to make sense of the impossible: she was alive, reliving events she had already experienced, but the timeline twisted just enough to throw her off balance.
The first time she had fled to these woods, desperation had led her to Rowan's trap. But this time, she hadn't run blindly. Her fingers brushed over the scrap of parchment hidden in her sleeve—the map she'd stolen from Lucian's study before the chaos began.
It wasn't just any map. It was old, the ink faded and the edges torn, showing landmarks she'd never seen before. A blood-red X marked a location deep in the wilderness, far from any pack's territory. Something about it pulled at her, a silent call echoing in her veins.
Was this what Rowan wanted? The thought made her shiver. If the X held answers, it also meant danger. And Selene was in no shape to face it alone.
The Stranger in the Shadows
A branch snapped behind her. The sound jolted Selene into motion, her instincts roaring to life. She spun, her senses on high alert, and scanned the underbrush. The scent hit her before she saw him—a blend of smoke and cedar, sharp and wild.
A figure stepped into the moonlight, his movements deliberate, each step slow and calculated.
"Lost, little wolf?" The voice was a low rumble, laced with both menace and curiosity.
Selene's heart thudded against her ribs as she took in the man before her. He was tall, his shoulders broad beneath a weathered leather jacket. His hair, dark as a starless night, fell in disarray over piercing silver eyes that seemed to cut through her like a blade.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice stronger than she felt.
The stranger tilted his head, studying her as though she were some intriguing puzzle. "The better question," he said, "is why you're bleeding out in the middle of nowhere."
Selene's hand instinctively went to her side, where her makeshift bandage had already soaked through. She clenched her jaw, refusing to show weakness. "I didn't ask for your help."
"No," he said, stepping closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "But you're going to need it."
Selene's wolf stirred uneasily within her, growling a warning. Something about him felt... different. He wasn't pack, that much was clear. The way he moved, the way the shadows seemed to cling to him—it was almost predatory, but not in the way she knew.
"I'll be fine," she bit out, taking a step back.
The man stopped, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Suit yourself. But if you're heading toward the X, you won't get far alone."
Her breath caught. The map. How did he know about it?
"Who are you?" she asked again, her tone more forceful this time.
He shrugged, his smirk fading. "Let's just say... I know things you don't. Like the fact that this little game you're caught in? It's bigger than you think."
Selene's pulse quickened. She didn't trust him, but something in his words struck a chord. "And what do you want?"
His eyes darkened, and for a moment, she thought she saw something flicker in them—something ancient, almost feral. "To survive. Same as you."
The Path Forward
The stranger, who reluctantly introduced himself as Kian, wasn't one for pleasantries. He walked ahead of her now, his movements silent as they followed the faint trail through the woods. Selene's exhaustion warred with her wariness, but she kept moving, determined not to fall behind.
"Why are you helping me?" she asked after a long stretch of silence.
Kian glanced back over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. "I'm not. I'm helping myself. You just happen to be going in the same direction."
"Convenient," Selene muttered.
Kian chuckled, the sound low and rough. "You think this is coincidence? Sweetheart, you've got a lot to learn."
They reached a clearing just as the first hints of dawn touched the horizon. The red X on Selene's map aligned perfectly with the towering stone structure before them—a ruined temple, its walls cracked and overgrown with ivy. Strange carvings adorned the stone, glyphs that seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light.
Selene's breath hitched. She'd seen these symbols before—in dreams, in flashes of memory she couldn't explain.
"What is this place?" she whispered.
Kian's gaze was fixed on the temple, his jaw tight. "The beginning," he said. "And maybe the end."
A Taste of the Truth
As they stepped inside, the air grew colder, carrying an almost tangible weight. The chamber was vast, its ceiling lost in shadow. At its center stood an ornate pedestal, and on it rested a small, glowing orb.
Selene felt drawn to it, her steps hesitant but determined. She could feel Kian watching her, but he didn't stop her.
The moment her fingers brushed the orb, a surge of energy shot through her, and her vision blurred. She saw flashes—Rowan's betrayal, Lucian's haunted gaze, a monstrous wolf with eyes like fire. And then, a voice, deep and echoing, filled her mind:
"You cannot escape the loop, child. But you can choose how it ends."
The vision shattered, and Selene stumbled back, gasping for air.
"What did you see?" Kian's voice was sharp, his usual calm replaced by urgency.
Selene's lips trembled as she forced the words out. "A choice. And a warning."
Before Kian could respond, the ground beneath them trembled. The orb's glow intensified, and from the shadows emerged a figure—a hulking, wolf-like creature with blazing red eyes.
Selene's heart stopped.
"It's him," she whispered.
Kian stepped in front of her, his stance protective. "Who?"
Her voice barely rose above a breath. "Fenrir."
The creature let out a guttural growl, its eyes locking onto Selene.
"You have something that belongs to me," it rumbled, its voice like thunder.
And with that, it lunged.