Chapter 162
Lirael
"You know," Selene said from the seat I'd unconsciously assumed he'd occupy, "a proper partnership requires mutual consent. Have you actually asked Sebastian whether he wants to continue this... arrangement?"
I turned to face her, catching the concern flickering behind her careful neutrality. "Of course I plan to ask him. We're equals—I wouldn't presume to make that decision unilaterally."
The words came out sharper than I'd intended, betraying the uncertainty I'd been trying to ignore ever since Selene had started planting doubts back on the island.
Selene's lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Mutual consent. How very modern of you, Your Highness." Her fingers drummed against her thigh in that rhythm she always fell into when choosing words carefully. "But tell me—do you truly believe an Alpha wolf, especially one as powerful as Sebastian Blackwood, operates on such enlightened principles?"
My jaw tightened. "Sebastian has changed. He's proven that he respects my autonomy—"
"More than what?" Selene interrupted gently. "More than the source of Moon Dew that keeps his entropy at bay? More than the exotic trophy that proves his power? Or perhaps you believe he sees you as more than the one person in this world who can touch him without dying from his poisoned blood?"
I looked away, focusing on the ocean below because I couldn't face the uncomfortable truths in her gaze. "He loves me. Whatever else is true, that much I know."
"I don't doubt his obsession," Selene replied, and the pity in her voice made my spine straighten. "But love and obsession aren't the same thing. And even if what he feels is genuine—do you honestly believe that'll be enough when his family demands he choose? When the Council calls for your head?"
"Sebastian has already chosen," I said, meeting her eyes with all the authority I could muster. "When he stood against his father, when he helped us rescue our people—"
"He made tactical decisions that happened to align with keeping you," Selene corrected, her expression hardening. "That's not the same as rejecting his entire world for you. Mark my words—the day will come when those two things aren't compatible anymore."
The helicopter's engine pitch changed as we began descent, and I seized the distraction. "Tell me about the settlement. Where are we taking our people?"
Selene's shoulders relaxed fractionally. "Silver Moon Estate on the outskirts of Ark City—an old elven stronghold. I've cleared out nearby residents and stationed Nocturne operatives around the perimeter."
"Won't that draw attention from law enforcement?"
"Your Highness," Selene said with something almost condescending in her tone, "give humans enough money, and they'll do anything. There's no bottom to their moral flexibility."
I opened my mouth to argue, but she continued before I could. "Do you know what I saw in those cells? Those human guards watched our people scream. They laughed. They placed bets on how long prisoners would last during extraction. These weren't monsters—they were ordinary humans collecting paychecks."
"Not all humans are like that," I protested weakly.
"Aren't they?" Selene leaned forward. "The Genesis Foundation didn't operate in secret. Powerful people knew. They knew, and they either participated or looked the other way because it was profitable, because the victims weren't human enough to matter."
"What would you have me do?" I asked, hating the defeat creeping into my voice. "Condemn an entire species?"
"I would have you lead our people with clear eyes." Selene's hand rested on my arm, surprisingly gentle. "We can't afford naive optimism. Our people need a queen who understands the world as it truly is."
The word 'queen' hung between us like a challenge, and I recoiled even as part of me—the part that had survived three years in the Foundation's cells—recognized the weight it represented.
"I'm not ready to be queen," I said quietly, wrapping my arms around myself. "I'm barely ready to be responsible for the people we just rescued."
"Ready or not, you already are," Selene said with certainty that made my chest constrict. "The moment you walked out of that compound with our people following you—you became exactly what they needed."
I shook my head. "There must be others more qualified—"
"Want has nothing to do with it. Leadership isn't about desire, Your Highness. It's about necessity. And right now, you are necessary in a way no one else can be."
The helicopter began final descent, city lights spreading below us, and I pressed my forehead against the cold window. Somewhere down there, Sebastian was dealing with the aftermath. Somewhere down there, our people waited to be led by a princess who had no idea what she was doing.
"I need to go back," I said suddenly. "I need to help him—"
"No," Selene said flatly. "Sebastian Blackwood has survived thirty years of pack politics and family betrayals. He doesn't need you to rescue him from his own choices."
"But—"
"Do you think he fought to get you off that island safely just so you could throw yourself back into danger?" She reached into a supply bag and pulled out a parachute pack, revealing torn cords. "If you're determined to jump, this is the only chute on board. Funny how it got damaged."
I stared at the ruined parachute, then at her neutral expression, and felt a hysterical laugh bubble up. "You sabotaged it."
"I ensured your safety. And before you get ideas about using magic—you've been casting for hours. Your reserves are dangerously low. Passing out on Black Reef's shores wouldn't help Sebastian much."
The helicopter touched down, and I recognized the trap she'd laid. "Fine. But I'm calling him the moment we land."
"If he doesn't answer, we'll reassess," Selene agreed. "But Lirael—the reason I'm pushing you away from him isn't because I don't believe he cares. It's because I've seen what happens when our kind become too dependent on others. It never ends well."
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