Chapter 261

Selene

“Damn it,” Violetta muttered, walking toward the door and peering into the hallway to check if anyone was passing by before bolting it from the inside.

She turned back and walked over to me, placing her hands on my shoulders while her eyes widened with shock. “You can’t tell anyone this, Selene.”

“What am I not to tell anyone?” I questioned, my lips trembling slightly. “Did you do it? Are you really responsible for the ravagers being released?”

“I didn’t mean to!” she said, her voice cracking.

“So you really are a hybrid? How come you’re still alive?”

“I don’t know,” she told me, shaking her head. “One of my parents was a Fae, and the other was a hybrid of demon and angel, and then they had me. I have no idea how I survived. If the council finds out, do you realize what will happen? I will be executed, Selene.”

“But how? How have you hidden it for this long?”

She shrugged helplessly. “Some concealment spells my mother placed on me before she died. But you can’t tell anyone. I swear I didn’t mean to let the ravagers loose.”

“Well, you did,” I told her. I was frustrated, but at the same time, I wanted her to know that I would never expose her secret to a single soul. “And look what’s happened.”

“Yeah, well, I did it because you wouldn’t stop obsessing over her!” Violetta snapped, throwing her hands up. “Every single day, you were crying and moping because Lyra was gone! I had to do something to get rid of Gwen so you would stop constantly talking about her! You were so completely obsessed with Lyra, Selene!”

“She’s my best friend! Of course I care about her! I wouldn’t call that an obsession,” I retorted.

“Really? You wouldn’t?” Violetta took a step closer, her gaze burning into mine. “Seems to me like you’re in love with her.”

“Are you even listening to yourself?” I spluttered. “What do you mean? I’m in love with Lyra just because I care for her? She’s my best friend, Violetta! That’s an insane thing to say!”

“I don’t know,” Violetta muttered, crossing her arms. “Best friends cross lines all the time.”

“Where the hell is this coming from? Why would you even think that? And even if I did, why does it matter so much to you?”

“So you do?” she asked, taking a step back.

“No, I don’t! Goddess, Violetta!”

“Are you sure about that? That what you feel for her is purely platonic?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be sure?”

“Good,” she breathed.

Before I could process the words, her hands came up to frame my face, and her mouth crashed against mine.

I froze.

The heat of her lips was electric, catching me so completely off guard that my breath hitched in my throat. Almost as quickly as she had moved, Violetta pulled back, staring at me with wide, panicked eyes while I stood there in total shock.

“Goddess, I’m sorry,” she whispered, stumbling back a step. “I should… do you want me to leave?”

“No,” I managed to say, my voice trembling as my head spun. “This is your room. I can leave if you want.”

I couldn’t process the whirlwind in my chest. A woman had just kissed me—Violetta had kissed me—and the most terrifying part was how desperately I wanted to pull her back and feel it again. My wolf was strangely whining for closeness in a way it never had before, drawn to her scent in a way that defied every sensible thought in my head. It didn't even make any sense at all that my wolf was feeling that way about another woman.

Panic won, and I turned around, unbolting the door and hurrying out into the corridor. I pulled the door shut, sinking against the wall just outside. I lifted my trembling fingers to my lips, still tasting the hers.

You know what? Screw this.

I pushed myself up from the floor, turned the handle, and stepped right back into the room, locking the door behind me.

Violetta whipped around, clearly startled by me coming back in so soon. “Selene, what are you—”

I didn’t let her finish before I walked towards her and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her body against mine, capturing her mouth before she could utter another word.

A muffled gasp broke from her throat, quickly dissolving into a needy sigh as her arms flew around my neck, her tongue slipping into my mouth. She tangled her fingers into my hair, pulling me closer until there wasn’t a sliver of space left between us.

We stumbled backwards until my back hit the wall. Ì let out a breathless whimper from my lips that she drank in hungrily. Violetta pressed her body against mine, her thighs sliding between my legs as a dizzying warmth pooled inside my stomach. This was a lot more than butterflies that I had ever felt before.

“Selene…” she breathed against my lips in a raspy voice. “Are you sure?”

“Stop talking,” I whispered, tilting her chin up and kissing her again, tracing the curve of her lip with my tongue before nipping at it gently.

She let out a soft moan, her hands drifting down from my hair to my dress, tugging at the neckline with urgency. I reached down and caught the hem of her tunic, pulling it up and over her head, tossing it onto the floor.

When my fingers touched her waist, her breath caught in a gasp. I traced the line of her collarbone with my mouth, pressing kisses down her neck until she tilted her head back against my shoulder, arching into my touch.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this,” she whispered, her nails digging gently into my hips as she guided us toward the bed.

We tumbled onto the mattress breathlessly. Violetta climbed over me. She leaned down, capturing my lips once more, her hands sliding under and tracing my thighs.

Every touch sent shivers racing across my skin, melting away every trace of doubt and hesitation.

When her fingers moved higher, brushing my clit, a cry tore from my throat. Violetta swallowed the sound with another kiss.