eneath her skin, urging her to step outside, to feel the weight of the earth beneath her feet, to understand this deep connection the brother

erything. But there was an undercurrent between them-an unspoken understanding

t like a stone. Sleep was no longer a refuge; instead, it became a battlefield where dreams of wo

liver in the sky, Selene sat alone at the kitchen table, a cu

uld feel deep in her bones but couldn't fully comprehend. She wanted to scream at the confusion, at the feeling of be

oke her from her reverie. S

th and calm, though she could hear th

, then nodded, setting her

illing the doorway. He gave her a soft smile, though it didn't reach his eyes.

w," he said, his voice gentle. "But you'

't feel like I belong here, Declan. This isn't my world. I don't know how to be

part of it, Selene. The moment you set foot in this house, you were part of us. The land know

ght become, what might be expected of her. But Declan didn't call her out on it. Instead, he leaned forward slig

your bloodline is. You have the strength in you, Selene. I see it. And the more you fight it, the harder it will be. But if you acc

breath caught in her throat as she stared into his eyes. His closeness, the warmth of his

pered, her voice shaky. "I don't even kno

, and for a moment, Selene forgot about everything else-the rogues, the danger, the uncert

e repeated softly. "We'll hel

was a sense of understanding, an unspoken promise. The air seemed to gr

respond, there was

e cut through the moment like a blade, hi

her heart racing as she stood up quickly,

cing a smile. "I'm fi

ger than was necessary. There was something unspoken between them,

ly before walking toward the door. H

of the moment settling over her like a storm cloud. She felt something stir de

rs, his presence like a shadow that filled every corner of the

flutter in her stomach at the way

And I know you're scared. But you need to understand something." He paused, his si

ere. But as she looked at him-really looked at him-something in her shifted. There was something in his gaze that told he

his voice low and steady. "We'll protect you, b

her life, yet there was something about Rowan, something about the

ng," she

could touch her, the sound of a loud crash came from the direct

s heart

ues wer

her word, he rushed toward it. "Stay inside. Lock th

Something deep inside her told her that this wasn

llowed him, stepping into th