Chapter 4 A Luna's Defiance

Selene's heart raced as Kade's hand wrapped around her wrist. His caress scorched-domineering, relentless. A shiver coursed through her, yet she concealed it with defiance. "You do not have the right to keep me this way," she remarked, raising her chin. Kade clenched his jaw. His silver eyes, keen like a wolf's, shone with barely contained wrath. "Not correct?" His voice was quiet, a menacing rumble. "You withheld my son from me, Selene." A new surge of guilt twisted in her gut, yet she confronted his gaze with unwavering determination.

"I took the necessary actions." "You turned me down." His fingers moved restlessly, his hold becoming weaker. "Do you believe that justified your vanishing?" You left me no choice," she countered. "I was nothing to you." A shadowy glimmer appeared in his eyes. He moved nearer, his warmth enveloping her. "You were always something." Selene gulped nervously, her heart revealing her feelings with its fast thumps. She had invested years in persuading herself that she had moved on from him, believing her defenses were sturdy enough. However, now that I was so near to him, those barriers seemed like delicate glass. An unexpected motion at the door relieved the tension. Lucian glanced inside, his messy dark curls a result of just waking up. "Mom?" Selene gasped, glancing toward him. "It's okay, darling." Kade became completely motionless. His eyes moved, focusing on Lucian. The boy paused, grasping the side of the doorframe. His golden eyes, strikingly akin to Kade's, observed the formidable Alpha with clear intrigue. Kade's throat struggled as he attempted to talk, yet no sounds emerged. He moved one step ahead, then another, as though fearing Lucian could disappear like a mirage. Selene's instincts for protection surged. She positioned herself in front of Lucian, obstructing Kade's way. "I won't allow you to have him." Kade's eyes locked onto hers, intense and inscrutable. "Do you believe I would take my own son?" "You could," she murmured, her tone filled with skepticism. Kade breathed out quickly. "Do you have such a low opinion of me?" "I believe you act in a way that benefits you most," she remarked冷ly. A charged silence lingered between them before Kade spoke once more, more softly this time. "Selene, he is my successor." She raised her chin. "He's my child." And I won't allow you to treat him as a piece in your manipulative schemes. Kade's fists tightened at his sides. "This is not what this is." "Is it not?" Before he had a chance to respond, there was a knock at the door. A warrior was present, inclining slightly. "Alpha, the Elder Council demands your immediate attendance." Kade breathed out, his annoyance clear. He looked back at Selene. "This dialogue isn't finished." She locked her eyes on his, steadfast. "It should have never begun." As he departed, Selene knelt next to Lucian, placing a soft kiss on his forehead. "I will not allow him to take you away from me," she murmured. Yet, deep down, she was afraid she might lack a choice.