Selene slammed the door of her small apartment behind her, her chest heaving as she leaned against it. The dim light from her living room lamp spilled across the room, casting long shadows that did nothing to ease the tension twisting in her chest.
"This isn't real," Selene whispered to herself, pressing her palms to her temples. "It's just… a bad dream. A really, really bad dream." She paced the room, her mind racing. "I'm Selene Laurent. An archaeology professor. Not someone's… bride." The word felt absurd on her tongue.
She caught sight of her reflection in the hallway mirror. Her red hair was disheveled, her face pale, and her eyes wild with disbelief. Shaking her head, she muttered, "This is just stress. That's all. Too many late nights researching. Tomorrow, I'll wake up to my normal life. Back to reality."
Selene pulled off her jacket and tossed it over the back of the couch, refusing to give another thought to golden-eyed men or ancient prophecies. She climbed into bed and buried herself under the covers, willing herself to sleep.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through her bedroom window, and the familiar sound of her alarm pulled her from sleep. Selene opened her eyes, blinking against the light. She smiled feeling refreshed and positive about the week ahead.
It was Monday. A fresh start.
She got ready quickly, throwing on a crisp white blouse and navy slacks, her usual teaching attire. Grabbing her bag, she made herself a quick cup of coffee before heading out the door. By the time she arrived on campus, the events of the weekend were already forgotten.
Selene stood at the front of the lecture hall, as she guided her students through the intricacies of ancient civilizations.
"And as you can see," Selene said, pointing to a slide on the projector, "the artifacts found in the region suggest a thriving trade network between the two empires…"
Her words trailed off as her gaze wandered to the back of the room.
There, leaning casually against the wall, was Lykos.
His golden eyes gleamed with amusement, and the corner of his mouth quirked into a smirk as though he found her reaction highly entertaining. He was dressed in modern clothing… a fitted black jacket and dark jeans.
Selene froze, her hand gripping the edge of the podium.
"Professor? Are you okay?" one of her students asked, frowning in concern.
Selene blinked rapidly and forced a smile, trying to ignore the heat rising to her cheeks. "I'm fine," she said. "Just lost my train of thought."
The student nodded, and Selene cleared her throat, doing her best to refocus on the lecture. But her eyes kept darting back to Lykos, who remained rooted in place, watching her with an infuriating mix of amusement and intensity before he disappeared.
When the lecture ended, Selene gathered her things in record time, determined to escape before he had a chance to corner her. She made her way to her office, muttering curses under her breath.
But when she pushed open the door to her office, she stopped dead in her tracks.
Lykos was sitting in her chair, his feet casually propped up on her desk, as though he owned the place.
"Good morning, Selene," he drawled, sounding highly amusement.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded, as she stepped inside and shut the door behind her.
"I came to see my lovely bride," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Was expecting a warmer welcome."
Selene's heart pounded in her chest, but she took a step forward, hands on her hips, trying to muster all the authority she could summon in this maddening situation.
"Get out of my chair and while you're at it get out of my office" she snapped.
Lykos raised an eyebrow, clearly unbothered by her irritation. "You sure about that?" He shifted slightly, making himself more comfortable. "I rather like it here."
She clenched her fists, taking a breath to calm herself. This wasn't real. She had to remember that. None of it was real.
"What do you want?" she demanded, taking a step closer, her voice steadying. "If you think you're going to make some kind of grand gesture or declaration, you can forget it. I'm not interested."
He chuckled softly, clearly entertained by her defiance. "A declaration? No, I've already done that." His gaze slid over her form, the smirk never leaving his face. "But I'd like to think I deserve a little respect. You know, considering I'm your betrothed and all."
She shot him a glare. "Respect? You're sitting in my chair, making yourself at home in my office, and you want respect?"
Lykos leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he regarded her with a mock seriousness. "You wound me, Selene. I'm just here to chat."
"Chat?" she repeated, incredulous. "About what? You and your impossible world where we're somehow supposed to be married?"
"Exactly," he said, smiling as if he'd just won some kind of victory. "You're catching on." He gave a small, satisfied nod. "I'll admit, I thought you'd be a little more… enthusiastic. I mean, we've got all sorts of ancient drama and prophecies working in our favor, but I guess I'm just going to have to earn your affections the old-fashioned way, huh?"
Selene gaped at him, unable to decide whether to slap him or run screaming out of the room. Instead, she settled for crossing her arms and glaring.
"You're insufferable," she muttered, trying to find the calm she'd so desperately sought earlier. "And you're not even real. You're not supposed to be here."
Lykos leaned back in the chair, his smirk widening. "Tell that to the prophecy."
For a moment, they just stared at each other in tense silence, and Selene couldn't tell whether he was genuinely amused or just trying to get under her skin. Either way, she wasn't going to let him win.
"Prophecies, fate, whatever," she said, forcing herself to sound disinterested. "I don't care. My life is my own."
"Is it, though?" Lykos countered, his tone teasing but with an edge she didn't miss. "Funny, because it seems like your life is about to get a lot more interesting whether you like it or not."
Selene gritted her teeth, trying to control the frustration boiling inside her. "I don't have time for this," she said, moving to grab the papers from her desk.
Lykos was on his feet in an instant, a fluid, effortless movement that put her on edge. He was at her side in a flash, leaning in close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off him.
"You might want to make time," he whispered. "Things are changing, Selene. And no matter how hard you try to deny it, you're part of this world now. My world."
She stiffened, her breath hitching, "Not for long," she muttered. "I'll make sure of that."
Lykos chuckled. "We'll see about that, won't we?" His gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he straightened up, giving her space again, much to her relief.
Selene shook her head, frustration bubbling to the surface. "I don't want to be part of this. I just want my normal, boring life back."
"Normal isn't an option anymore," he said softly, his golden eyes locking onto hers. "You freed me, Selene. And that means our fates are tied. Whether you accept it or not, you're the one who holds the key to what happens next."
Selene's heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to back down. "Then find someone else to deal with it. I'm done."
Lykos's gaze hardened, his smirk fading. "It doesn't work that way."
Selene exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "I have papers to grade. If you're not leaving, then at least stay quiet."
Lykos chuckled softly, "You're a stubborn one, Selene. I'll give you that."
She ignored him, sitting down at her desk and determinedly opening her laptop.