I don’t slam the door.
I rip it open.
The motion is sharp enough that the hinges groan in protest, and the sound snaps through the hallway like a gunshot. Cool air rushes in from outside, carrying the scent of damp earth and grass, but it does nothing to calm the pressure crushing my chest.
I can’t breathe.
Not really.
My lungs are working, but it feels like the air refuses to settle where it’s supposed to, like my body doesn’t know how to be human anymore.
I don’t wait for permission.
I storm out of the house barefoot, ignoring the sting of cold ground beneath my feet, ignoring Lucien calling my name behind me.
“Selene—wait!”
I don’t.
I run.
The field stretches out before me, wide and open, grass brushing against my legs as I break into a sprint. The sky above is washed in pale
