Chapter4
680 Words
Chapter 4
Nightfall came slowly, but Selene had never been more patient.
She sat curled in the farthest corner of the dimly lit chamber, her breath steady, her heart a calculated rhythm. The plan was simple—wait for the servant, strike fast, and disappear into the night before anyone realized she was gone. The ropes around her wrists had loosened just enough from her careful manipulation. Not enough to slip free immediately, but enough to make her next move swift.
The metal door creaked open, and the scent of roasted meat wafted in, making her stomach clench with hunger. A young servant girl stepped inside, carrying a tray, her head lowered in submission.
Selene moved.
Like a coiled snake, she lunged, knocking the tray from the girl's hands. The clatter masked the sharp intake of breath as Selene's fingers locked around the servant's throat, forcing her backward. A quick twist of her body, a well-placed strike to the back of the head, and the girl slumped, unconscious.
Selene didn't waste a second. She yanked off the servant's cloak, draping it over herself, and darted out of the chamber, her bare feet soundless against the stone floors.
The hallways were quiet, the patrols predictable. She slipped past them with the ease of someone who had lived in the shadows, avoiding capture for years. Outside, the night stretched vast and dark, the forest's promise just beyond the towering walls of Killian's estate.
She didn't stop running.
As Selene sprinted away from the building, her breath ragged and her pulse hammering in her ears, a sharp ache rippled through her chest. It wasn't exhaustion—it was something deeper, something primal.
Her wolf whimpered.
No.
Selene clenched her jaw, forcing herself to run faster, pushing through the resistance clawing at her insides. Her wolf's distress bled into her, a deep, mournful pull that made her limbs feel heavier with every step.
We can't leave him.
He's our mate.
Selene snarled under her breath, shaking off the voice. He is a curse!
But her wolf wasn't listening. The farther she ran, the louder the whimpers became, an aching plea in the back of her mind. A desperate longing. Her instincts screamed at her to turn back, to return to the Alpha who bound her fate to his.
She ignored them.
She had spent her whole life fighting for freedom. She wouldn't lose it now—not to him.
And then she reached the wall.
The wind rushed against her face as she vaulted over the outer wall, landing in a crouch on the other side. Her breath was ragged, her muscles burning, but she ignored it.
Selene hit the ground with a soft thud, the cold night air wrapping around her like a chilling embrace. Her heart thundered in her chest, her breath coming fast. She had done it. She was free.
But then—
A low, dark chuckle sliced through the silence.
Her stomach dropped.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze.
Killian stood there, his massive form illuminated by the moonlight, his arms folded across his chest as he leaned casually against the stone wall. He looked utterly unsurprised. Amused, even.
"I was wondering when you'd make your move," he mused, his voice a deep, rich baritone that sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. "You didn't disappoint."
Selene swallowed hard, her pulse racing.
How? How had he known?
As if reading her thoughts, he tilted his head, those piercing silver eyes gleaming. "Did you think I wouldn't anticipate this?" He took a slow step forward, the weight of his presence suffocating. "That I wouldn't be waiting?"
Her wolf whimpered again, but this time, it wasn't from fear.
Selene clenched her fists. No. She wouldn't let herself feel it—wouldn't let herself acknowledge the pull tightening like a noose around her soul.
Killian exhaled, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Run all you want, Rogue." He reached for her, fingers grazing the bare skin of her wrist, sending an unwelcome heat rushing through her veins. "You'll always find me waiting."
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