Chapter 3 My nightmare

Selena

Sunlight streamed through the curtains, warming my face. I groaned and rolled over, only to have the soft sheets ripped away. A shiver ran through me.

"Wake up, sleeping princess. It's almost noon."

My eyes snapped open. A woman stood at my bedside, dark hair neatly tied back, brown eyes amused.

"Good morning, ma'am," I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.

She laughed. "My name is Elizabeth."

Heat crept into my cheeks. I should've asked sooner.

"What time is it?"

"Late enough for the Alpha to think you're part vampire. It's noon."

Noon? I bolted upright. "Why didn't you wake me earlier?"

"Because Alpha ordered us to let you rest. But now that you're up get dressed. Lunch is waiting." She paused at the door, lowering her voice. "Stephen's already there. If you take your time... he'll be gone."

Relief washed over me. She knew. She knew I was avoiding him.

I lingered in the bathroom, scrubbing too hard, rinsing my hair three times anything to delay. When I finally emerged, a pale blue gown waited on the bed. I slipped it on, but my hands trembled as I reached for my hair.

It was a tangled mess.

Dad used to brush it for me. He'd hum while his fingers gently teased out every knot. My chest tightened. Tears blurred my vision before I could stop them.

"Need help with that?"

The voice froze me.

Slowly, I turned. Stephen leaned in the doorway, arms crossed, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips.

"For a moment," he drawled, "I thought you were dead. When you didn't show all morning, I hoped you'd vanished like your father, after he killed my mother."

My pulse thundered.

"My dad is not a killer!" I shot to my feet.

His smirk sharpened. "Says who? I was there, Selena. I saw him rip her throat out while I begged him to stop." His voice cracked just barely before hardening again. "And now his daughter lives under my roof. Do you think I'll ever let you feel safe here?"

I shook my head, refusing to believe it. Dad would never

Stephen strode forward. Before I could move, his hand clamped my shoulder, pushing me back onto the stool. My breath hitched.

"Relax," he murmured, gathering my hair. His touch was unexpectedly gentle as he wove it into a bun. "I won't hurt you... not yet. But one day, when the time is right, I will." His breath brushed my ear. "When my father isn't here to shield you, I'll tear your throat out-just like your father did to mine."

He stepped back, his boots echoing across the room until the door slammed.

My chest heaved. My heart wouldn't slow.

I had to get stronger. If I didn't, Stephen would kill me.

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

Fifteen years since that threat. Fifteen years since I last saw him.

I wasn't the same girl anymore. The whispers had faded. I had trained harder than anyone, honed my body into a weapon. But still

I had no wolf.

Without her, I was nothing. No match for Stephen.

And he was coming back.

Alpha Kingsley walked beside me through the garden, his presence steady. "Your father was stubborn," he said fondly. "Too proud to admit when he was wrong."

I forced a smile. I'd heard this story a hundred times.

"Sir," I said quietly. "I think I'm ready to leave."

He stopped, turning sharply. "Why?"

"I'm twenty now. I want to see the world."

"Where?"

"The human realm."

His expression darkened. "Absolutely not."

"I've trained, I can fight"

"Fighting isn't enough," he snapped. His grip tightened on my shoulder. "You have no wolf. You'd be defenseless. If you want freedom, prove yourself. Go to the academy. If your wolf awakens there, you can leave."

The words knocked the air from my lungs. "The academy?"

He nodded. "You leave tomorrow."

My blood ran cold. The academy was Stephen's world. His hunting ground. And I was walking straight into it-without a wolf.

No power. No escape.

And Stephen was waiting.