Chapter 3 The Breaking Point

Selene went to the forest with Alaric's warrior and the stench of blood filled the air. She decided to use her wolf senses to trace the blood smell so she can feed on it with the other warriors

"What's that smell"

Selene stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat, her body trembling as she stared at the gruesome sight before her.

" Beta Nathan"

Her father's lifeless body lay sprawled in the dirt, his throat torn open, his chest caved in as if something had stomped down on it repeatedly. His Beta insignia, once worn with pride, was ripped from his uniform and tossed carelessly beside him, stained with his own blood.

And above it all, carved into his flesh like a twisted message-was a name.

Darius.

Selene's vision blurred, not with tears but with rage.

Darius had done this.

Her mate. The man who had once held her, who had whispered promises of love. The man who had stood by and watched as she was cast out.

He hadn't just abandoned her.

He had destroyed what was left of her family.

A deep, guttural growl built in her chest, her claws digging into her palms as she trembled with the force of her fury. Her breath came in short, rapid bursts, her heart pounding against her ribs like a drum of war.

A trap.

This was meant to send a message.

To the rogues. To her.

Selene knew how it worked-Crescent Moon had always treated rogues as nothing more than animals. And now, Darius had left her father's body here like a piece of rotting meat, expecting them to tear him apart.

Her father was nothing to them.

Nothing but a carcass to be feasted on.

Something inside her snapped.

With a scream that ripped from the depths of her soul, Selene shifted.

Her bones cracked, her body contorting, her muscles stretching as fur sprouted across her skin. Her pain, her grief, her fury-it all fueled the transformation, driving her wolf forward like an unstoppable force.

By the time she landed on all fours, her claws digging into the blood-soaked ground, she was no longer Selene.

She was a beast.

And she was out for blood.

The forest blurred around her as she bolted forward, her vision tunneling, locked onto one thought: kill.

She didn't know where she was running, didn't care who stood in her way.

But then-

A massive force slammed into her side, knocking her off balance.

Selene tumbled, snarling, and skidded to a stop just before she could charge deeper into the trees.

Another wolf stood in front of her, blocking her path.

Alaric.

His dark fur bristled, his massive frame nearly double her size. His golden eyes burned with warning.

But Selene didn't care.

She lunged.

Claws slashed. Teeth snapped. The air was filled with the sounds of growls and the clash of bodies.

Alaric fought to restrain her, but she was relentless. Wild. Uncontrolled.

Selene clawed deep into his side, ripping flesh. Blood sprayed across the ground. Alaric snarled in pain but didn't strike back. He only dodged, countered, and pushed her back with brute force.

"Enough Selene,this is not who you are"

His voice rang through the air, breaking through the haze of her fury.

Selene panted, her wolf form trembling, blood dripping from her claws.

She wanted to run. To find Darius. To rip him apart.

But Alaric stood firm. Unmoving.

His chest heaved from the effort of holding her back, but his eyes remained steady, unwavering.

Selene let out a low, furious growl.

Then, as quickly as it had come, the rage faded.

Her legs buckled, her body shifting painfully back into its human form. The cool night air bit at her skin, her breaths ragged as she collapsed to her knees.

Her father was gone.

Darius had taken everything from her.

And she had been powerless to stop it.

Tears burned in her eyes as she lifted her face to Alaric, shame and grief twisting inside her like a knife. She had injured him already

"Please..." her voice cracked, raw from the shift.

She had attacked him. Wounded him. But still, he had held her back instead of killing her.

Selene dropped her head, pressing her forehead to the dirt.

"I'm sorry."

Silence.

Alaric said nothing.

She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

She had never begged before. Not like this. Not in true surrender.

But Alaric remained silent.

Selene lifted her head, searching his face for something-anger, disappointment, understanding.

But he had already turned away.

" Die here just like your father stupid" he said Before turning away

Selene's breath came in short, ragged gasps. The dirt beneath her knees was damp with blood-some of it Alaric's, most of it her father's. The world around her blurred, the trees swaying, the stars above flickering in and out of focus.

But none of it mattered.

Only him.

Alaric.

The man who had pulled her from the brink of death. The man who had made her strong. The only one who had ever believed she could be more than the broken girl Crescent Moon had cast aside.

And now, he wouldn't even look at her.

"Alaric," her voice cracked as she reached for him, fingers trembling, desperation lacing every syllable.

He didn't stop.

Didn't flinch.

Didn't even turn his head.

"Alaric, please!" she screamed, the sound ripping from her throat with a rawness that burned.

Still, nothing.

Her chest heaved, a sob tearing through her as she crawled forward, dragging herself across the dirt toward him. She barely felt the sting of the rocks scraping against her skin. Barely noticed the blood smearing her hands.

All she could see was his back.

Broad. Unmoving. Cold.

"Say something!" she begged. "Anything! Yell at me! Hurt me! Just... just don't turn away from me!"

But Alaric kept walking.

Selene's nails dug into the earth, her entire body trembling.

She had wounded him. She had lost control. And now... she was losing him, too.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her forehead pressing into the ground.

The silence that followed was worse than any punishment. Worse than any pain.

And then, without a word, Alaric disappeared into the shadows.

Leaving her alone.