Chapter 5 THE SHATTERED TRUTH.

Selena couldn't stop replaying Elias's words in her mind. You can't trust anyone, Selena. Not even me. The warning echoed through her thoughts, growing louder with each passing minute. Her heart pounded in her chest as she left the café, the world outside seeming far too bright and overwhelming, as if everything she had known was slipping away.

The weight of his confession pressed down on her, and for a moment, she wondered if she had been a fool to trust anyone at all. The prophecy, the Moonborn bloodline, Damian's obsession-everything had been a lie, or at least, not what she had believed. She had thought she was just a simple woman with a job and a life, but now she realized she was caught in something much bigger, something dangerous, something she couldn't escape. She needed answers. But more than that, she needed control.

Selena's mind kept wandering back to one thought-Damian. His rejection still stung, his cold words burning into her skin, but beneath the pain was something deeper, something far more complex. He hadn't just left her. He had chosen to walk away, despite everything they had shared, and now, she could feel the raw ache of that decision deep within her chest.

Why did he leave me? The question gnawed at her as she stepped out into the crisp evening air. She was no longer the girl she had been before the moonlight had revealed her true power. She wasn't weak. She wasn't helpless. But the lingering feelings for Damian, the connection they had shared, made it impossible to shut everything out. She couldn't just ignore the way her heart had once ached for him, how his touch had once felt like home.

But now, she was beginning to realize that nothing about him had ever been simple. He was more than just a man. He was part of this prophecy, part of the game that was unfolding around her, and she had to find out why.

The moonlight had given her power, yes, but it had also opened her eyes. There was more at play here, and she wasn't going to wait around like some helpless pawn. She wasn't going to let anyone control her-not even Damian.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden vibration of her phone. The number on the screen made her pause. It was an unknown number, but something in her gut told her to answer. She pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" A familiar voice greeted her, sending a chill down her spine. "Selena. I know you've been looking for answers. I have them." It was Damian.

Her pulse quickened as her breath caught in her throat. Damian? Why was he calling her? Hadn't he made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her? What could he possibly want now?

"Damian?" she replied, her voice shaky, but she quickly regained control. "What do you want? After everything, you think I'll just listen to you?"

There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and she could practically hear him weighing his words. "I know you have questions," he said quietly. "And I have answers. But they're not easy to hear. I can't explain everything over the phone, but we need to meet. There's no time left."

Her heart skipped a beat. A part of her wanted to hang up, to sever any remaining connection with him, but another part of her-one she couldn't ignore-needed to hear what he had to say.

"Where?" she asked, her voice flat, betraying none of the emotions swirling within her. "Tonight. 10 p.m. Same place we met before," Damian replied, his voice low, almost urgent.

Selena felt a wave of unease crash over her, but she couldn't let him control her. Not anymore. She had her own power now. She could handle whatever he had to say. "Fine," she said, hanging up the phone before he could say anything else.

She stood there for a moment, her breath coming in shallow bursts as she processed what had just happened. Meeting him was a risk-she knew that. But the fact that he was reaching out meant something. He wanted her to understand. And deep down, despite everything, Selena couldn't deny that a part of her still needed to hear him out.

The clock on the wall ticked slowly as the evening hours stretched on, and soon, it was time to go. She dressed quickly, wearing a simple black leather jacket over a loose blouse and dark jeans. The clothes weren't important, but the image they gave-strong, determined, unbothered-was. She wasn't going to show Damian how much he had affected her. Not anymore.

The same café where she and Elias had met earlier now felt like the place where everything would come to a head. Selena's mind raced with possibilities, each one darker than the last. She had to know what Damian knew, even if it meant facing more painful truths.

As she arrived, she saw Damian standing by the door, his back turned to her as if he had been waiting for hours. The harsh glow of the streetlights made his figure appear like a shadow in the distance, his presence somehow both commanding and distant. His broad shoulders, once familiar and comforting, now seemed cold, unyielding.

He didn't turn as she approached, but his voice-low and full of something she couldn't quite place-spoke to her before she could speak a word.

"I wasn't lying, Selena," he said softly, turning around to face her. "Everything I said before... it was the truth. And the truth is, your destiny is more complicated than you could ever have imagined."

She took a step forward, determined not to let him intimidate her. "Then tell me, Damian. Tell me everything." He hesitated, his eyes meeting hers. For a split second, she saw something-something almost human, almost vulnerable-beneath the cold mask he wore.

"You've always had the power, Selena," he said quietly. "But you've also been a part of something bigger-something that connects us all. And if we're going to survive what's coming, you're going to have to trust me. Trust us."

She looked at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "Trust you? After everything you've done? After everything you've said?" Damian stepped closer, his gaze never wavering from hers. "I'm not asking you to forgive me. I'm asking you to trust the truth. There's no one else who can help you but me."

Selena's stomach twisted, her mind racing. There was something in his words-something that resonated, something that made her hesitate, even as every instinct screamed at her to run.

She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, a loud crashing sound echoed through the night, followed by a strange, unsettling silence. Selena froze, her heart hammering in her chest. Damian's eyes darted around them, his expression hardening instantly.

"What was that?" she whispered, barely able to breathe.

Damian's lips curled into a grim smile. "You have no idea what's coming, Selena. But you will. Soon." As the world around her seemed to darken, one thought burned through Selena's mind: What is Damian hiding from me?

With danger suddenly closing in, can Selena trust Damian's warnings, or is the truth he's hiding far worse than anything she could imagine?