D
Chapter 5
Selene fled to the one place that had once felt like a refuge-the small lodge at the edge of Blackthorn territory, where she and Adrian had once shared quiet mornings beneath the pines. Now every corner cut her like a blade.
“Stop… please stop,” she whispered, pressing her palms against her ears as the memory of their moans echoed in her skull. Her legs buckled, and she stumbled into the washroom to retch, but nothing came. She had not eaten all day-Adrian had forbidden her from arriving late to Cassandra’s welcome-and the shock had hollowed her. For the sake of the pups within her, she forced food into her mouth like medicine, her tears dripping onto the wooden table.
By dawn, a crisp scroll of severance lay at her door. Inked by Mara, marked with the sigil of the Moon Goddess, it declared her bond with Adrian null.
At midday, the door opened. Adrian entered, a bouquet of bone-white snowbells in his hand. He found her eating alone, and his face darkened when she did not look up.
“You disgraced me yesterday,” he said coldly. “You humiliated me before the pack. You will apologize to each of them next moon.” A flicker of something-regret?-passed across his features, but the mask of command returned.
Selene surprised him by answering simply, “I apologize for forgetting my place.”
The scraping of her chair against stone was like a verdict. She rose and set a plate before him- stews and breads she had learned from a healer in the Moon Temple. Broths meant to strengthen a wolf’s body, recipes she had studied during the blood rites when Adrian’s life had once hung on the edge. Even in exhaustion, even when near collapse, she had tended to him.
Adrian watched her limp as she placed the bowl. For a moment, shame flickered in his eyes. They ate in silence, and though neither spoke of it, it felt like a last meal.
When the food was gone, he leaned back and spoke as though addressing a servant. “Apologize to Cassandra, and all will be forgotten. You were raised like a stray-rough and ill-mannered. I do this for your own good.”
His words, once taken as guidance, now branded her as nothing but a project to be corrected. Selene lowered her gaze, but inside, something steeled.
A flutter beneath her ribs steadied her more than any promise. Two small lives kicked gently, a reminder of what truly mattered. She had given Adrian everything-blood, toil, loyalty-and received only scorn.
When he rose and left the lodge, the silence did not feel peaceful. It felt like a door closing.
Selene folded her resolve around the two heartbeats within her. She would not beg. For their sake, she would gather the remnants of her pride and walk away from Blackthorn land, no matter how cold the road.
Chanter A
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Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy DaisyNovel. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.