The forest had never seemed so quiet.
Selene walked beside Damon, her steps slow and careful on the uneven ground. The morning sun barely pierced the dense canopy, leaving the air cold and damp. Every sound, every movement in the shadows, made her flinch. The image of the massive black wolf still haunted her mind. It had been their savior, yet it felt like something more—a warning, perhaps, or a challenge.
"What was that wolf?" she asked, her voice breaking the silence.
"I told you, I don't know," Damon replied, though his tone suggested he had his suspicions. "But it wasn't normal. Whatever it was, it's not part of Cyrus's plans. That's enough for now."
Selene's hands clenched into fists. "That's not enough for me."
Damon stopped and turned to her, his dark eyes sharp. "Do you think I have all the answers? I don't. All I know is that we have to keep moving. Cyrus won't stop."
His words hung heavy in the air, and Selene felt her frustration grow. But she bit back her retort, knowing that arguing wouldn't change anything.
★★★
As they pressed on, the forest began to thin, and a narrow dirt path came into view. Damon slowed, his gaze scanning the surroundings.
"There's a safe house nearby," he said. "It's not much, but it'll give us time to rest and figure out our next move."
Selene nodded, though unease prickled at her. She couldn't shake the feeling that someone—or something—was watching them.
They reached a small, weathered cabin hidden among the trees.The cabin looked abandoned, its wooden walls weathered by time and streaked with moss. The shutters hung crooked, and the door creaked ominously as Damon pushed it open. Inside, the air was stale, carrying the scent of damp wood and dust.
"It's not much," Damon said, stepping aside to let Selene in. "But it's safe."
Selene hesitated before crossing the threshold, her eyes scanning the room. A small table sat in the corner, its surface scarred with knife marks. A single cot rested against the far wall, its blanket thin and frayed. Despite the cabin's worn appearance, it felt oddly secure—like a shield against the chaos outside.
Damon moved to the window, peering through a gap in the shutters. "We'll rest here for a few hours, but we can't stay long. Cyrus will be hunting us."
Selene sank into the chair by the table, exhaustion finally catching up to her. Her body ached from the fight, and her ankle throbbed from the frantic escape through the forest.
"How long do you think we have before they find us?" she asked, her voice quieter now.
Damon glanced back at her, his expression unreadable. "Not long. That wolf may have bought us time, but Cyrus won't give up. He has too much to lose."
Selene frowned. "Why? Why does he hate me so much? What does he want from me?"
Damon hesitated, his jaw tightening. For a moment, she thought he wouldn't answer.
"Your bloodline," he said finally, his voice low. "Your family wasn't just powerful—they were a threat to Cyrus's ambitions. He's convinced the pack that you're cursed, tainted, but the truth is… you're the rightful heir to something he desperately wants to control."
★★★
The weight of Damon's words settled over Selene like a heavy blanket. Her father's disgrace, the pack's hatred, the prophecy—it all started to connect in ways that left her reeling.
"And you knew?" she asked, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and betrayal. "You knew this, and you still rejected me? You still let them treat me like I was nothing?"
Damon's expression darkened, guilt flashing in his eyes. "I thought I was protecting you. Cyrus made it clear that if I claimed you as my mate, he'd destroy you—and the pack wouldn't stop him. Rejecting you was the only way I knew to keep you alive."
Selene stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. "You didn't protect me. You left me to fend for myself while Cyrus turned everyone against me. Do you have any idea what that's been like?"
Damon's shoulders sagged. "I made a mistake. I see that now. But I'm here, Selene. I'm trying to make it right."
★★★
Before Selene could respond, a sound outside the cabin made her freeze. Footsteps.
Damon moved swiftly, signaling for her to stay quiet. He crept to the window, peering out cautiously.
"Someone's out there," he whispered, his hand tightening on the hilt of his blade.
Selene's heart pounded as she reached for the knife she'd tucked into her belt. Every muscle in her body tensed, waiting for the inevitable.
The footsteps grew louder, closer, until a shadow passed by the window.
"Stay behind me," Damon said, positioning himself between Selene and the door.
The door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside. Selene's grip on her knife tightened, but then she stopped, her breath catching in her throat.
The newcomer wasn't a tracker. He was older, his hair streaked with gray, his eyes sharp and assessing. He carried an air of authority, though his clothes were simple and worn.
"Damon Blackwood," the man said, his voice calm but edged with curiosity. "You're far from the pack. And with interesting company, I see."
Damon lowered his blade slightly, though his posture remained guarded. "What are you doing here, Alaric?"
Selene's stomach twisted at the name. Alaric Vale—the cold, calculating Alpha who had allied with Cyrus.
"I could ask you the same," Alaric replied, his gaze shifting to Selene. "But I think I already know. Cyrus's little lies don't fool everyone, you know."
★★★
Selene's pulse raced as Alaric took a step closer. His presence was commanding, almost suffocating.
"What do you want?" she demanded, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her chest.
Alaric smiled faintly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm not here to hurt you, if that's what you're thinking. In fact, I might be the only ally you have left."
Damon scoffed. "Ally? You expect us to believe that after everything you've done?"
Alaric's gaze sharpened. "What I've done doesn't matter right now. What matters is what Cyrus is planning—and how we stop him."
Selene stepped forward, her anger outweighing her fear. "Why would you want to stop him? You're just like him."
"No," Alaric said firmly. "I'm not. Cyrus and I may have worked together, but his ambitions are dangerous, even for me. He's playing a game that could destroy more than just you—it could destroy the entire pack."
★★★
Alaric's words hung heavy in the air, their meaning sinking into Selene's mind. She didn't trust him—she couldn't—but there was something in his tone that made her pause.
"What kind of game?" she asked warily.
Alaric met her gaze, his expression grim. "He's not just after your inheritance, Selene. He's after something far older, far more powerful. And if he gets it, there won't be a pack left to fight over."
Selene's stomach turned. She thought she had been running from revenge, from a man hungry for control. But this… this was something else entirely.
Selene's fists clenched as Alaric's words lingered in the air. He wasn't just describing a power grab—he was describing something far worse. Her chest tightened, a storm of emotions raging inside her: disbelief, anger, and a hint of fear she couldn't shake.
"What does he want?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Alaric's sharp gaze met hers. "He wants the legacy your bloodline protects. Something ancient, powerful, and dangerous. And if he unlocks it, he'll have more than control over the pack—he'll have control over everything."
★★★
The weight of his words hit Selene like a blow. Her bloodline? Her father had never spoken of anything like this. He'd only ever told her to hold her head high, to endure the shame with grace. Now she wondered if that silence had been deliberate, a way to protect her from truths she wasn't ready to face.
Damon's voice broke through her thoughts. "Why should we believe you? You've done nothing but help Cyrus until now."
Alaric's expression hardened. "Believe me or don't—it doesn't change the truth. Cyrus doesn't need my help anymore. He's already gathered what he needs. Now, he's hunting Selene because she's the key to unlocking it."
Selene swallowed hard, the pieces starting to fall into place. "That's why Morgana called me tainted. She wanted to turn the pack against me so no one would protect me."
Alaric nodded. "Precisely. If the pack sees you as unworthy, they won't question Cyrus when he uses you. Or when he… sacrifices you."
The room seemed to close in around her. The idea of being used, of being nothing more than a pawn in Cyrus's plans, made her blood boil.
★★★
A sudden thud outside the cabin snapped Selene's attention to the door. Damon was already moving, his blade in hand as he positioned himself in front of her.
"Stay behind me," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Alaric drew a weapon of his own, a short blade with a wicked curve. "Seems like your friend didn't cover his tracks well enough," he said dryly.
Damon shot him a glare. "You think this is a game? If they've found us—"
"They have," Alaric interrupted, his voice calm but tense.
Another sound—closer this time—sent Selene's heart racing. Footsteps, slow and deliberate, circled the cabin. She gripped her knife, her palms slick with sweat.
The door rattled, then fell silent.
"Get ready," Damon muttered, his eyes fixed on the entrance.
★★★
The door burst open, and a tracker charged inside, his movements swift and predatory. Damon met him head-on, their blades clashing in a shower of sparks.
Selene scrambled back as another tracker lunged for her, his hand outstretched. She slashed at him with her knife, but he dodged, grabbing her wrist and twisting it painfully.
"Not so fast, little wolf," he snarled, his grip tightening.
Selene cried out, her other hand fumbling for anything she could use as a weapon. Her fingers found the edge of the scarred table, and with a surge of adrenaline, she shoved it into the tracker's chest. He stumbled back, giving her just enough time to free herself.
Alaric moved with a cold precision, his blade finding its mark with deadly accuracy. Another tracker fell, but more were pouring in through the open door.
"We can't hold them off forever!" Selene shouted, her voice trembling.
"We don't have to," Damon replied, his tone strained as he parried another strike. "We just need an opening to escape."
---
The cabin was chaos, the air thick with the clash of steel and the snarls of wolves. Selene's mind raced, searching for a way out. The window—if they could get through it, they might have a chance.
"Damon, the window!" she called out, pointing to the far side of the room.
Damon glanced at it, then nodded. "Go! I'll cover you!"
Selene hesitated, her gut twisting at the thought of leaving him behind. But Damon's fierce glare left no room for argument.
"Now, Selene!"
She darted toward the window, Alaric close behind her. He smashed the glass with the hilt of his blade, clearing the shards as quickly as he could.
"Go!" Alaric urged, shoving her through the opening.
★★★
Selene hit the ground outside, the cold earth biting into her palms. She scrambled to her feet, turning to see Damon and Alaric following close behind.
But as they fled into the forest, the trackers weren't far behind. Their shouts and howls filled the air, a chilling reminder that they were still prey.
"Keep moving!" Damon barked, his voice sharp and commanding.
Selene's lungs burned as they ran, her legs screaming in protest. The forest was a blur, the trees rushing past in a haze of green and brown.
Then, out of nowhere, a dark figure stepped into their path.
Selene skidded to a stop, her heart leaping into her throat. The figure was massive, its fur black as night, its glowing eyes piercing through the shadows.
The wolf.
★★★
The trackers closed in behind them, their snarls growing louder. Selene's mind spun. Was the wolf there to protect them again—or to finish what the trackers couldn't?
Damon raised his blade, his stance cautious. "Stay back," he warned, though his voice lacked its usual confidence.
The wolf didn't move. It simply stared at them, its gaze shifting between Selene and the approaching trackers.
"What's it doing?" Selene whispered, her voice trembling.
Before anyone could answer, the wolf let out a thunderous roar, charging straight at the trackers. The sudden attack sent their pursuers scattering, their confidence crumbling under the wolf's relentless power.
"Go!" Damon shouted, grabbing Selene's arm and pulling her forward.
★★★
As they ran, Selene glanced back one last time. The wolf stood among the chaos, its presence commanding, almost regal. For a moment, its glowing eyes met hers, and a strange feeling coursed through her—something primal and inexplicable.
By the time they reached a small clearing, the sounds of the fight had faded. Damon collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving.
Alaric leaned against a tree, his expression unreadable. "Looks like your mysterious friend isn't done with you yet."
Selene didn't respond. She couldn't shake the feeling that the wolf wasn't just a protector—it was connected to her somehow.
"What now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Damon's gaze met hers, determination burning in his eyes. "Now, we find out the truth."