Chapter 3 THE EDGE OF TRUTH.

The days following Elias's departure passed in a blur. Selena found herself consumed by a restless energy, a force within her that neither wanted nor allowed her to find peace. Every night, she would stand beneath the moonlight, calling upon the magic that now flowed through her veins, feeling it course through her with a power she could hardly comprehend.

But it wasn't just the magic that plagued her mind-it was Elias. His words echoed in her thoughts, warning her of forces beyond her understanding, enemies lurking in the shadows. She hadn't asked for any of it. She had never wanted this power, nor the responsibility that came with it. But now that it was inside her, there was no turning back.

She had tried to push it all aside, to focus on the life she had before-her work, her small apartment, her solitary existence-but it felt impossible. Each day, the world around her seemed to grow more oppressive. She felt as though something was watching her, always lurking just beyond her vision, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Selena had been to the forest a dozen times since that night with Elias, trying to calm her restless mind. Each time, she had returned with more questions, more uncertainty. Who was Elias, really? And why had he appeared in her life at that precise moment?

Tonight was no different. She stood in the clearing again, eyes closed, letting the cool night air settle around her as she let the power surge through her. But tonight, something felt different. A crackling in the air, an electric hum that she could almost taste.

Suddenly, a voice cut through the silence-low, familiar, and dripping with mockery. "Still playing with fire, I see."

Her eyes snapped open, and she immediately felt the rush of adrenaline surge through her. There, standing at the edge of the clearing, was Damian. His silhouette was sharp against the moonlight, the same coldness in his eyes that she had always feared. But tonight, there was something different. The usual dismissiveness was gone, replaced by something darker. Something almost... predatory.

"Damian," she said, her voice a mixture of disbelief and anger. "What are you doing here?"

Damian took a step forward, his gaze never leaving hers. "I should be asking you the same thing, Selena. You've been hiding out here for days, playing at being a goddess or whatever you've decided to become. But let me make one thing clear: You're still mine. You always will be."

The words hit her like a punch to the gut, but she didn't let him see the effect it had. Instead, she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, calling on the power within her, willing it to rise up and shield her.

"I'm no longer yours, Damian," she replied, her voice steady, the weight of her words like a challenge thrown at him. "I'm not bound to you or anyone else anymore."

Damian smirked, a cruel, almost predatory smile spreading across his face. "You think you're free because you've tapped into some power? That's cute. But I'm afraid you're mistaken."

His eyes glinted in the darkness, the silver hue of his wolfish gaze reflecting the moonlight as if he could sense the surge of magic within her. Selena felt her chest tighten, but she refused to back down. She was done cowering in the shadows. She was done being afraid.

"Leave," she commanded, her voice now imbued with the magic she had only just begun to understand. "You don't belong here anymore."

Damian's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, and for the first time, Selena saw a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced with something far more dangerous-anger. A deep, smoldering rage that had always simmered beneath his surface.

"You think you can just walk away from this? From us?" He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, and the air around them seemed to hum with tension. "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into, Selena. I don't care what power you think you have now. You're nothing without me."

Her hands clenched into fists, her nails biting into her palms as she held herself back from striking him. He wasn't the same man she had once trusted. This version of Damian-this man who had come here to taunt her, to remind her of the past-was a shadow of the person she had once known.

"I never needed you," she said, the words escaping in a rush. "I never needed anyone. But I will need the truth, Damian. Tell me what's really going on. Why are you here?"

Damian's lips curled into a smile that didn't reach his eyes, and for a moment, she felt a shiver run down her spine. She had seen that look before-when he was hiding something, when he was about to manipulate her in ways she hadn't even realized.

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. The air between them crackled with electricity, a silent battle of wills, and yet there was something else there-a lingering connection, something she couldn't quite place.

"I told you," he finally said, his voice quiet, almost too calm. "You'll understand soon enough. You just have to accept what's coming." "What's coming?" Selena repeated, her mind racing. "What are you talking about?"

Damian paused, and the silence stretched between them, heavy and thick with meaning. He leaned in slightly, his breath warm against her ear. "What if I told you that everything you've been told... everything you think you know... is a lie?"

The words sent a shock through her system, the weight of them almost suffocating. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked into his eyes, searching for any hint of truth in his cryptic words.

And then, just as quickly as he had appeared, Damian stepped back, his figure dissolving into the shadows of the forest. The night air seemed to swallow him whole, leaving only the haunting echo of his voice behind.

"You're not ready for the truth, Selena," he called, his voice fading with the wind. "But soon... soon, you will be." And then, he was gone.

Selena stood frozen, her breath coming in shallow gasps, her heart hammering in her chest. His words hung in the air, each syllable a weight she couldn't shake. There were so many questions-too many to count. What had he meant by the lie? What truth was he hiding? And why had he come here, now, of all times?

She stood alone in the clearing, the moonlight still casting its cold glow around her. She didn't know whether to be relieved that he had left or terrified by the uncertainty he had left in his wake. There was one question she couldn't stop asking herself: Was Damian telling the truth?