Chapter 165

Chapter 165
{Selena’s POV}

I was restless.

Bryan’s apartment reeked of beer and dust.

I had been waiting since last night, curled into his worn couch with only the pale light of a lamp to keep me company.

The clock had mocked me with every tick, reminding me how long he had stayed out. By the time the door finally creaked open, I was more exhausted than angry.

He stumbled in, his shirt torn at the sleeve, his knuckles raw as if he had just gotten out of a fist fight. His hair was damp with sweat, his eyes unfocused until they landed on me.

“Where the hell have you been, Bryan?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. My patience had burned away hours ago, leaving only concern buried under irritation.

He dragged himself toward the kitchen counter and dropped his keys with a clatter. “Out,” he muttered.

I thought for a second if he meant I should get out, or if he meant he had been out. Out doing what exactly? So I asked.

“Out? That’s all you’re going to give me?” I stood, crossing the room quickly. “You look like you were in some bar brawl. What happened?”

He turned to me slowly, his expression shifting into something that chilled me. “Lucien gave me an order. He told me to take Lisa’s life.”

He paused for a couple seconds, his gaze intensifying. “Like you had tried… and failed.”

The air left my lungs in a rush. “What?” I stepped back, staring at him as if he had grown another head. “Bryan, are you insane? You actually went through with it?”

His silence was answer enough.

I pressed a hand to my temple, pacing in disbelief. “Do you realize what you’ve done? Even if Lucien promised you the moon, that was reckless. Dangerous. You think Ronan will sit back if Lisa dies mysteriously? He’ll burn down the world looking for whoever touched her.”

“You forget they aren't…” My voice hushed. As if saying what I wanted to would make them spawn to attack us.

“—aren't human.” He completed for me.

He slammed his fist against the counter, his temper flaring. “Don’t act righteous with me, Selena! You’re not a saint. You tried to kill her yourself, remember? Or have you forgotten your little scheme? The same one that got us involved in their affairs.”

The words hit harder than I expected, but I met his glare head-on. “Yes, I tried once. And it was a mistake. I was blinded by anger then. But I’ve learned. I don’t need to kill Lisa to ruin her. I can break her without losing everything in the process.”

Bryan scoffed, running a hand over his bruised jaw. “So now you’re preaching strategy? Spare me.”

I stepped closer, refusing to let his bitterness push me back. “Think, Bryan. Murder draws heat. If you succeed, Ronan will unleash hell. If you fail, you still lose, because Lucien will discard you like trash. But if we play it right, we get to tear Lisa down and still breathe free air afterward. We can pin it on someone else!”

His eyes narrowed. “And what, pray tell, is your grand plan?”

I exhaled slowly, lowering my tone. “Join me and Lena… sure she's a werewolf too. But think about it. Compared to Lucien? She sounds like the better choice. We already have evidence, strong enough to weaken Lisa and Ronan before their Council. But what we lack is a witness. Someone close enough to tip the scales against them. That’s where you come in.”

Bryan tilted his head, suspicion clouding his battered features. “Evidence? What evidence?”

“Lena's mole managed to find out that Lisa and Ronan are married on contract. And with that, she can disqualify Ronan from running. We can help strengthen the case… we know she's a human, not a wolf... And in exchange for confirming this, we get to watch Lisa’s world crumble without having Ronan’s claws at our throat.”

He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. “And Lena? What’s her angle? I get Lucien’s… he wants power, chaos, the throne. But Lena? Why drag herself into this?”

A faint smirk tugged at my lips. “Because Ronan used to be hers. She wants him back, and Lisa is in her way. She’s not just driven by love, but pride. And for her troubles, she’s promised compensation. More than enough to keep her satisfied.”

I smirked. “But she doesn't really care about all that. What she wants is Ronan and Ronan alone… and if she can't have him. No one can.”

Bryan let out a bitter laugh. “So we’re supposed to trust an ex-girlfriend scorned? That’s your grand ally?”

“She’s more useful than you think,” I shot back. “And whether or not you trust her, her goals align with ours. Lucien wants Ronan’s downfall. Lena wants Lisa out of the picture. We want Lisa destroyed. Tell me, where is the harm in joining forces with them both? Either way, we win.”

He studied me for a long moment, his jaw ticking as if he wanted to spit back another argument. Finally, his shoulders sagged. “You really believe this will work?”

“I don’t just believe it,” I said firmly. “I know it.”

The room grew quiet, the tension still thick but less hostile. Bryan sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. “Fine. I’ll play along. But if this blows up—”

“You’ll thank me later,” I cut in, relief hidden behind my calm tone.

A floorboard creaked behind us. Bryan turned sharply, his eyes widening as Lena stepped out from the hallway.

He recoiled. “What the hell is she doing in my house?”

Lena’s heels clicked softly against the floor as she approached, her expression composed, almost smug. “I was waiting for the right time to step in. Consider this it.”

Bryan’s hand clenched into a fist. “You could have announced yourself.”

“And spoil the fun?” she teased, before her smile thinned. “Enough chatter. Are you both ready to hear the plan?”

Bryan sneered. “Plan? I already handled Lisa. Unless you’re plotting sabotage to make Ronan lose, there’s no need for—”

“Handled? Bryan, you don’t know Ronan. He’s not the kind of man to crumble unless he sees a body. If you didn’t watch Lisa’s last breath yourself, then I can assure you she’s still alive. And if she’s alive, then Ronan is already tearing the world apart to find out who tried.”

His face paled slightly, though he tried to mask it.

“So,” Lena continued, folding her arms, “we move to plan B. Sabotage. While this isn't exactly what I had in mind for Lisa. You can be sure this just made things more complicated for us. You have Lucien to thank for that ridiculous plan.”

I met her gaze, nodding. “Lena's right. If we want Ronan to lose, we play the long game.”

Bryan swallowed hard, his bravado faltering. He finally looked between us, his anger dulling into reluctant acceptance.

“Fine,” he muttered. “Plan B it is.”