Secrets i

: The M

indows of the great hall. Selene sat silently at the grand dining table, her mind a web of thoughts

assessing prey, missed nothing. Every shift of her posture, every flicke

remarked, his voice low but

o meet his. "Perhaps I h

rrence," he sa

ge. This is his game, she reminde

, her tone smooth as silk. "One wielded

ght casting shadows across his

spread across her lips

tension between them a

murmured, his voice ba

betrayal,"

unspoken truths and hidden agendas. Finally, Aric pushed his ch

th me," he

. "Are we to continu

can keep up," he sai

-

he Garden

nd overgrown roses. Moonlight bathed the marble statues in a ghostly g

Aric said, his tone casu

Selene replied. "Yo

ik has always been ambitious. But ambition

lades cut ju

hing unreadable in his e

I admire no man who seek

hat do y

l night air wrapping around

hoed, his voice a

ages. Cha

intense. "We are all bound by

e whispered, "b

-

: The B

owl of a wolf. Aric's head snapped toward the sound

here," h

is arm before he

s not you

ne as much

standoff, their eyes locked. T

close,"

orest beyond the garden was alive with the scent of pine and ear

g - clashed in a frenzy of fur and fangs. Aric transformed in a blu

the battle unfolded. Every growl, every snap of jaws,

ray, its eyes burning wit

the moonlight as she met the attack. The wolf's

ained he

n. The surviving wolves retreated into the

h exertion. His eyes found Selene, and for a moment, all he

said, a note of grudgin

lade with a calm she didn't en

-

Bonds and

d, the adrenaline of the fight still thrumming through their veins. H

he weight of unspoken tr

silence. "Who taught y

m of her glass. "Someone who un

've se

e live

face sharp in the firelight. "A

. "Some wounds are m

tension between them a living thin

e you hidi

e you hidi

hung in the a

g," he said, but

ing. "Then why do you watch me like a

ted, his hand closing around h

smells like," he whispered, hi

r looks like," she rep

, they were locked together,

angerous game,

m a danger

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