Chapter 2 2

The door creaked shut behind him, the sound final, like the slamming of a cell. Ciaran scanned the room, his sharp gaze taking in every detail. Dried herbs hung from the beams, casting long, eerie shadows in the faint light of a flickering lantern. A cluttered table sat in the corner, covered with books, vials, and strange trinkets. The cabin was small, but it hummed with an energy that prickled against his skin.

"Don't touch anything," Selene said curtly, brushing past him to the table. She moved with a practiced precision, lighting another lantern and sorting through the scattered items. "Some of these are dangerous. Others will just make your insides melt if you're not careful."

Ciaran grunted, keeping his hands firmly at his sides. "Noted."

Selene glanced at him, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Good. I'd hate to have to clean up after you."

He didn't respond, his attention shifting to the faint hum of magic in the air. It was subtle but undeniable, like a second heartbeat. He could feel it pressing against his senses, a reminder that Selene wasn't just a healer-she was something more.

"How long have you been living out here?" he asked, breaking the silence.

She didn't look up from her work. "Long enough."

"That's not an answer."

"And you're not entitled to one," she shot back, pulling a worn leather book from the pile.

Ciaran folded his arms, leaning against the wall. "You've got quite the attitude for someone who's supposed to be helping me."

Selene froze for a moment, then turned to face him, her eyes glinting like green fire. "Let's get one thing straight, Winterbane. I'm not doing this because I care about you. I'm doing this because if your curse turns you into a rabid killing machine, it won't stop with your pack. It'll come for the rest of us too. So, spare me the lectures about my attitude."

Her words hit harder than he expected, but he refused to let it show. "Fair enough," he muttered.

Satisfied, Selene returned to her book, flipping through the pages with practiced ease. The silence stretched between them, broken only by the rustle of paper and the occasional crackle of the lantern.

Finally, she spoke, her tone thoughtful. "This curse... it's not just about you. It's tied to something bigger, something ancient. Curses like this don't just appear out of nowhere."

"I know who's behind it," Ciaran said grimly. "Lucius Thornclaw."

Selene's head snapped up, her expression darkening. "Lucius," she repeated, her voice laced with venom. "That bastard."

"You know him?"

Her jaw tightened. "I know enough. He's a warlock drunk on his own power. If he's the one who cursed you, this isn't going to be easy."

"I didn't come here for easy," Ciaran said, his voice hard. "I came here for results."

Selene let out a humorless laugh. "Results. You alphas are all the same-demanding, arrogant, and blind to the cost of what you're asking for."

He took a step closer, his presence filling the small room. "You think I don't know the cost? I've already lost more than you can imagine. Don't act like you know me, Selene."

Her eyes met his, unflinching. "Then don't act like you can intimidate me. You may be an alpha, but in this cabin, you're just another broken soul looking for a miracle."

The tension between them was electric, the air thick with unspoken words and barely restrained emotion.

"Fine," Ciaran said finally, his voice low and controlled. "What do you need from me?"

Selene studied him for a moment, then turned back to her book. "First, I need to understand the curse. Tell me everything-how it started, what it feels like, what triggers it."

He hesitated, the memories clawing at the edges of his mind. But he forced himself to speak. "It started a year ago, after the war with the Thornclaw Pack. Lucius cursed me as punishment for taking his territory. At first, it was just... nightmares. I thought I could handle it. But then the transformations began."

He paused, his throat tightening. "On the nights of the full moon, I lose control. I can feel the beast taking over, tearing through my mind, my body. I've tried everything to fight it, but nothing works. The longer this goes on, the harder it is to come back."

Selene listened intently, her expression unreadable. "And your pack? How do they deal with it?"

"They don't," he said bitterly. "I lock myself away when the full moon rises. They think I can control it, that I'm strong enough to fight it. But they don't know how close I've come to..."

"To losing yourself," Selene finished softly.

He nodded, unable to meet her gaze.

Selene closed the book, her fingers brushing over the worn cover. "This isn't just a curse, Ciaran. It's a weapon. Lucius designed it to break you, to destroy everything you've built."

"I won't let him win," Ciaran said, his voice a growl.

"Good," Selene said, meeting his eyes. "Because if you want to survive this, you're going to have to fight harder than you ever have before. And you're going to have to trust me."

Ciaran held her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. Trust. It wasn't something he gave easily, but if Selene was his only chance, he had no choice.

"I'll do whatever it takes," he said quietly.

Selene nodded, a flicker of something almost like respect in her eyes. "Then let's get to work."