A Dangerous Game
The days bled together as Selene walked the line between hunter and prey, each moment spent in Silverfang both a reminder of what she had lost and a chance to unravel the truth.
The Alpha's presence loomed over her like a storm cloud, his eyes always on her, sharp and unyielding.
She could feel his gaze wherever she went, watching, waiting. But he didn't know the half of it. She had returned with a purpose, and nothing—least of all him—would deter her.
"Don't you ever rest?"
Eira's voice startled her as she sat on the edge of the barracks, her legs dangling over the ledge.
The sounds of training echoed behind them, but Selene felt distant, as though she were outside of it all.
"I don't have time to rest."
Selene replied, her voice low and hard.
"Not until I've uncovered what they're hiding."
Riven, who had been keeping watch near the entrance, stepped into the dim light.
"The Alpha's eyes are on you again. He's asking too many questions."
"Good."
She said, standing.
"Let him ask. I'll give him nothing but lies until I'm ready to strike."
Eira frowned.
"You're walking a dangerous line, Selene. Damon's not someone you can play with. His patience runs thin."
"I'm not playing," she replied coldly.
"I'm exposing the truth."
But inside, doubt gnawed at her. Each time she saw Damon, a part of her—the part she had buried beneath anger and vengeance—tensed, longing for the man she had once known.
Longing for the love that had been poisoned by betrayal.
It was a weakness she couldn't afford.
That night, Selene made her way back to the archives, the shadows once again her allies. She knew that if she didn't find something soon, Damon would get closer to uncovering her true identity, and once that happened, there would be no going back.
She slid into the building like a whisper, her senses alert, the air thick with the scent of dust and parchment.
The dim light cast long shadows, and Selene moved swiftly, her fingers tracing over the records, skimming through them with practiced ease. But it wasn't the documents she was looking for this time—it was something else.
A low voice interrupted her thoughts.
"You're becoming a nuisance, Lysandra."
Selene froze.
Damon.
She turned slowly, her pulse quickening despite herself. There he stood, framed in the doorway like a predator, his golden eyes gleaming with quiet menace.
His presence was a tangible weight in the room, and for the briefest moment, Selene felt like prey.
"Do you have a problem with that?"
She asked, forcing her voice to remain steady.
Damon's lips twitched, a hint of amusement flickering in his gaze.
"You don't belong here. I've given you plenty of chances to leave, yet you persist."
"I'm not going anywhere until I have the answers I came for."
She said, her eyes narrowing.
"And trust me, Alpha, I'll find them. Whether you like it or not."
He took a slow step forward, his expression unreadable, but there was something behind his eyes—a quiet fury, as though he were fighting to hold back a storm.
"You're making a mistake."
"Maybe."
Selene said, her heart racing despite her calm demeanor.
"But I'm not the one hiding something, am I?"
Damon's gaze darkened at her words, and he stepped closer. For a moment, the air between them thickened with unspoken tension, as if the distance between them wasn't just physical but something far deeper.
Selene could almost feel the pull of the bond that had once existed between them, a bond that now felt like a ghost in her chest.
She had to remind herself why she was here. She wasn't here for him. She was here for justice—for the truth.
"You're not the woman I once knew."
Damon said quietly, his voice softer than before.
"And you're not the man I thought you were."
She responded, the words tasting bitter on her tongue.
Damon flinched as if her words had struck a chord, but he quickly masked it, his usual cold composure returning.
"I'm giving you one last chance, Lysandra. Leave now, and I won't have to make this more difficult for you."
Selene's breath caught in her throat, but she held her ground.
"I'm not leaving. Not until I've exposed the lies."
"Then you'll regret it," Damon said, his voice laced with warning. "I don't take betrayal lightly."
The words hung in the air like a promise. A threat.
Selene didn't move. She refused to back down. She had died once already because of Damon's betrayal. She would not die again—not like this.
Damon stood there, his gaze unwavering, but something in his eyes shifted, the storm within him swirling dangerously close to the surface. Finally, he spoke again, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Don't make me do this, Lysandra."
He said, his words wrapped in both regret and determination.
Selene met his gaze, her eyes hard and unyielding.
"You don't have a choice."
---
Later that night, as Selene lay in the barracks, her mind raced with what had transpired. Damon's words echoed in her mind, his voice a constant presence in her thoughts.
She had expected anger, but the regret in his eyes… that was something she hadn't anticipated.
Could he still care? Did he even remember the woman she had been? The woman he had betrayed?
She shook her head, pushing the thoughts away. It didn't matter. None of it mattered.
Eira and Riven were already asleep, their breaths steady and calm, but Selene couldn't find peace. Not yet.
As she lay there, the quiet weight of the night pressing down on her, she felt a stir of power beneath her skin. It had been growing ever since her return, the dark energy coiling within her like a serpent, waiting to be unleashed.
The Moon Priestess had warned her—her powers came with a price. If she wasn't careful, she would burn herself out.
But she wasn't afraid. Not anymore.
Tomorrow, she would dig deeper. Tomorrow, she would find the answers.
And Damon?
He was only the beginning.
---