Chapter 2: The Bonds That Bind
Selene's breath caught as Dax closed the distance between them, his eyes never breaking from hers. Lucien stayed right beside her, the muscles of his body tensed. She could feel it, too-a moment weighing heavily upon them, a danger thickening the air between the three.
What do you mean, 'she's mine'?\" Selene's voice was sharp, but her heart skittered with her pulse as the words were spoken. She had no idea of the relationship between Lucien and Dax, but something about the latter man's confident stance made her wary.
Dax sneered, his eyes flashing with something akin to mirth. "Lucien, you cannot protect her forever. The bond between us alone-it's already starting to pull her in." He took another step closer, and instinctively Selene stepped back, moving closer to Lucien, who immediately placed a protective arm around her shoulders.
Lucien's eyes narrowed, his voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. "You think you can just claim her because of some bond? She isn't a prize to be won.
A chill ran down her spine as he mentioned the bond. Was this the same bond Lucien had spoken of earlier? And if so, what exactly did it mean concerning her? She hadn't asked for any of this, and yet here she was, caught between two powerful men with dangerous secrets.
"I am no prize, nor a possession to either of you," Selene snapped, trying to hold onto her composure. And yet, as the words finally escaped her, she could also feel the situation press in on her from all angles. Powerful men were Lucien and Dax, and against them, she just didn't seem to know into which camp to place herself yet.
Dax chuckled darkly, his lips curling in a smile that never reached his eyes. "That's the thing, sweetheart. The bond doesn't care what you want. It's already started. Lucien's been playing a dangerous game, keeping you close, but you're mine, whether you realize it or not.
Lucien's jaw tightened, the hand on Selene's shoulder seeming to fist. "I'm not going to let you have her, Dax. You can't just claim someone because of some ancient power. She's not bound to either of us yet. And if you try to take her, you'll regret it.
Her emotions jumbled into one tangle inside her chest as Lucien protected her, stood for her tall in front of Dax, yet knowing this, somehow a panic bound already to one man, more so the man not she chose-loomed and overflowed over her.
One more step closes the gap that was between them, taking Dax this time closer, "We shall see, Lucien. Time will show for whom finally the bond would have chosen.
Lucien moved quickly, his arm around Selene tightening as he pulled her behind him. "You're not getting anywhere near her."
For a moment, the clearing was still, the tension palpable. Neither man moved, both seeming to evaluate the other. Finally, Dax spoke again, his voice low but filled with venom. "This isn't over. The bond can't be ignored forever. Sooner or later, you'll have to face the truth."
With that, Dax turned and disappeared into the woods, his silhouette swallowed by the shadows as suddenly as he had appeared.
Lucien exhaled slowly, tension radiating off him as he turned to face Selene. His eyes were dark, filled with something that was hard to place-anger, fear, maybe even regret?
Selene didn't say anything, not for a long time, while she tried to sort through the chaos of what had just happened. Dax's words still echoed in her mind-she was bound to someone. And if what he said was true, it wasn't something she could escape.
"Are you okay?" Lucien's voice cut through her thoughts. He sounded like he was waiting for some sign of reassurance, his brow furrowed in concern.
Selene nodded, though her stomach was still twisted in knots. "I think so. I don't understand any of this, Lucien. This bond. what does it really mean? And why does it involve me?"
Lucien's face hardened, and he looked away for a moment, as if considering how much to tell her. "The bond is a curse and a blessing, depending on how you look at it. It's tied to ancient magic, something that goes beyond both of us. You're connected to both Dax and me, but how that manifests. we don't know yet.
Selene's mind was racing; she didn't know if she felt angry or confused or even afraid-or something else altogether. "So Dax was right. I can't just walk away from this."
Lucien's gaze gentled, though there was a flicker of something dark in his eyes. "No. But that doesn't mean you're powerless. You have a choice, Selene. You always have a choice. We just need to figure out what that is before things get worse.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. The weight of the situation was suffocating, but she couldn't let herself succumb to fear. There was too much at stake, too many unknowns.
She was about to speak when a rustling sound broke the silence again, but this time, it wasn't Dax returning. Instead, it was a new figure-familiar and unsettling.
Isla.
She stepped into the clearing, her eyes locking onto Selene's with an intensity that unsettled even her. "Lucien," she said, her voice soft yet commanding. "I need to speak with you. Alone."
Selene's heart quickened as Isla's gaze remained fixed on Lucien. There was something in the way Isla looked at him-a possessiveness that made Selene uneasy. Was she another threat? And what was it that Isla needed to say that couldn't wait?