Chapter 3
1071 Words
A Choice She Never Had
Selene sat in the dimly lit cell, her arms wrapped around her knees as she stared at the cold stone floor.
The walls around her felt like they were closing in, suffocating her under the weight of her own thoughts.
Damian’s words still rang in her ears.
One year as his Luna, or he’d hand her over to Gregor Hale.
The air in the dungeon was thick with the scent of damp earth and iron, but nothing was as suffocating as the noose tightening around her throat.
Gregor.
Even thinking his name made her stomach churn.
She’d spent years running from him. Years looking over her shoulder, sleeping with one eye open, never trusting anyone.
And now, here she was—trapped between two Alphas.
Damian Thorne, the ruthless billionaire Alpha of Bloodmoon Pack.
Gregor Hale, the monster who wanted to own her.
There was no winning this game.
Selene clenched her fists. She should have never come here.
But she had been desperate. Starving. Alone.
And desperation made people reckless.
Now, she was out of options.
Her wolf growled inside her, filled with restless anger. Submit to no one, it whispered. Fight. Run. Do anything but bow.
Selene wished it were that easy.
If Gregor’s men were already on Bloodmoon territory, she was running out of time.
She exhaled slowly, pressing her palms against her temples.
Damian wasn’t a good choice. But at least with him, she had a chance.
A year.
That’s all she had to endure.
She would survive this. She had to.
The Deal is Sealed
Hours passed before the heavy iron door groaned open.
This time, it wasn’t an enforcer.
It was him.
Damian strode into the cell like he owned the world, his sharp golden eyes locking onto hers.
His presence filled the small space effortlessly. Even dressed in a simple black shirt and tailored pants, he looked every bit the powerful Alpha that he was.
Selene’s jaw tightened.
Damn him.
He studied her, his expression unreadable. “Have you made your decision?”
Selene forced herself to meet his gaze. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”
A slow smirk tugged at his lips. “No, you don’t.”
Her fingers curled into fists. Arrogant bastard.
But she swallowed her pride and forced the words out.
“Fine,” she said, voice firm. “I’ll do it.”
Damian didn’t look surprised. If anything, he looked pleased.
Without a word, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a document.
Selene blinked. “You already had a contract ready?”
His smirk deepened. “I like to be prepared.”
She snatched the paper from his hands, scanning it quickly.
One year.
She would act as his Luna, move into his home, attend public events with him, and in return—protection.
No real marriage. No love. Just a business arrangement.
But one line made her stomach drop.
“You expect me to live with you?” she snapped.
Damian arched a brow. “Where else would my Luna stay?”
Selene clenched her jaw. This was going to be a nightmare.
Damian handed her a pen. “Sign it.”
She hesitated.
Her wolf growled, torn between instincts—freedom or survival.
Selene took a shaky breath. Then, she signed.
The moment the ink dried, Damian plucked the contract from her hands, a flicker of satisfaction in his golden eyes.
Then, before she could react, he grabbed her wrist.
Heat shot through her skin, and a faint golden glow surrounded their hands.
Selene’s breath caught.
A blood oath.
Not just a signature, not just ink—but magic.
The contract was sealed in wolf law.
Damian released her, his smirk never fading. “Now, you belong to me.”
Selene’s stomach twisted.
For the first time in years, she wasn’t a rogue.
She wasn’t free.
She was bound to an Alpha.
The New Luna
Selene’s boots barely made a sound against the polished floors as she followed Damian out of the dungeons.
But as soon as they reached the upper floors—the glares started.
Wolves lined the hallways, whispering in hushed voices.
She felt the weight of their judgment.
Their Alpha had just declared a rogue as his Luna. It was unheard of.
A sharp voice sliced through the tension.
“She’s the one?”
Selene turned toward the speaker—a striking red-haired woman with piercing green eyes.
She stood with perfect posture, exuding confidence and authority.
Selene didn’t need to ask to know—she was important.
Damian barely glanced at her. “This is Selene.”
The woman’s lips curled in disdain. “This? This is the rogue you’ve chosen?”
Selene bristled. “Got something to say to my face?”
The redhead let out a quiet laugh. “Oh, she has spirit. How cute.”
Selene took a step forward, but Damian’s voice cut through the air.
“That’s enough, Cassandra.”
Cassandra.
So this was Beta Cassandra Winters.
The second-in-command of the Bloodmoon Pack.
And, judging by the look in her eyes—Selene had just made an enemy.
“Whatever you say, Alpha,” Cassandra said, though her tone was anything but respectful. “I’m just wondering how the pack will react to you tying yourself to a nobody.”
Selene’s nails dug into her palms.
Damian didn’t even blink. “I don’t need your approval. She stays.”
Cassandra’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing.
Selene could feel the tension crackling in the air, but before she could speak, Damian turned to her.
“Come,” he ordered. “You need to be marked.”
Selene’s breath stopped.
Marked?
She froze. “You never said anything about a mark.”
Damian’s expression didn’t change. “I need the pack to believe this is real.”
A slow, creeping chill spread through Selene’s veins.
A mark.
A public display of their bond.
Damian moved closer, his golden eyes locked onto hers. “Don’t fight me on this, Selene.”
Her pulse pounded.
She had agreed to this contract.
But now, as she stood in the heart of the enemy’s den, surrounded by wolves who hated her, her wolf whispered a terrible truth.
This was only the beginning.
And there was no turning back.
Cliffhanger
Damian reached for her, his fingers grazing her wrist—
And Selene?
Selene ran.
- Writer
