Broken Bonds; Fated Souls

CHAPTER 11: Forbidden Desires

Selene lay on her back, staring at the ceiling of her dimly lit chamber, her breath unsteady. The cool night air drifted in through the open window, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. But it wasn’t the crisp air keeping her awake. It wasn’t even the memories of Killian that still clung to the edges of her mind like stubborn shadows.

It was Xander.

He had invaded her thoughts, her senses, her very soul, and no matter how much she tried to push him away, he remained.

Selene groaned, turning onto her side, gripping the thick blanket between her fingers as if it could ground her. It had been days since that moment by the river— the bond that was growing strong between them,

It was wrong.

It was dangerous.

And yet, every time she closed her eyes, she saw him.

Her fingers curled into the fabric of her nightdress, the frustration mounting inside her. Xander was nothing like Killian. Where Killian had been a promise of security and tradition, Xander was wildfire. He looked at her as if he saw through every wall she tried to build, as if he was waiting for her to stop resisting and just… give in.

A deep sigh escaped her lips as she buried her face in the pillow. Maybe if she just forced herself to sleep, she could escape these thoughts, if only for a little while.

But sleep did not bring peace.

The dream started like all the others—Xander, standing in the shadows, watching her. The moonlight illuminated the sharp edges of his jaw, the hunger in his silver eyes. He stepped closer, his large frame swallowing the distance between them.

"You're running from something you already want," he murmured, his voice deep, rich, and intoxicating.

She tried to step back, but he caught her wrist, his grip firm yet careful. The heat of his touch spread up her arm, sending shivers down her spine.

"I'm not running," she whispered, but even in the dream, the words felt like a lie.

Xander’s lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Then why do you tremble when I touch you?"

Before she could answer, his free hand slid along her waist, pulling her flush against him. Their bodies aligned, and she felt every hard ridge of muscle, every breath he took. His warmth enveloped her, drowning out every thought except one—she wanted more.

Selene’s lips parted as his fingers trailed up her spine, slow and deliberate, igniting a fire beneath her skin. He tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"You think about this, don’t you?" he murmured, his breath fanning across her lips. "You wonder what it would feel like if I kissed you."

Her heart pounded as his mouth hovered just above hers,

"Tell me to stop," Xander whispered. "And I will."

But she didn’t.

Instead, she closed the distance, her lips meeting his in a clash of hunger and desperation. The kiss was fire and ice, soft and brutal, pulling her under so completely that she forgot everything else. His hands roamed her body, possessive, demanding. A moan escaped her lips, swallowed by his mouth as he deepened the kiss, pressing her against the wall.

Selene woke with a gasp.

Her chest rose and fell in rapid succession, her body hot, aching, desperate for something that wasn’t real.

She squeezed her eyes shut, pressing a trembling hand against her lips. The dream felt too real. The way he had touched her, the way her body had responded—it had been unlike anything she had ever experienced, yet unreal as always.

Throwing off the blankets, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and pressed her feet against the cold wooden floor. Maybe some fresh air would clear her head.

Selene wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and stepped outside, her bare feet silent against the stone path. The night was eerily quiet, the forest surrounding Xander’s territory cast in deep shadows.

And yet, she wasn’t alone.

She felt him before she saw him.

Xander stood a few feet away, leaning against a wooden post, his silver eyes locked on her as if he had been waiting.

"You’re awake," he said, his voice low, almost amused.

Selene swallowed hard. "So are you."

He pushed off the post, his movements slow and deliberate as he closed the distance between them. The moonlight illuminated his bare chest, the muscles carved with years of discipline and power. He was every bit the warrior, the Alpha, the predator.

And she? She was prey, caught in his orbit.

"You seem troubled," he mused, his head tilting slightly. "Bad dreams?"

Selene’s breath hitched. She didn’t dare meet his gaze, afraid he would see too much. Afraid he would know.

"Something like that," she muttered.

Xander stepped closer, so close that the space between them felt nonexistent.

"You keep fighting it," he murmured, his fingers grazing the edge of her shawl. "Fighting me."

Selene’s throat tightened. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

He chuckled, the sound deep, vibrating through her.

"Liar."

Her pulse skyrocketed as his hand reached up, his knuckles brushing against her jaw, tilting her face toward him. The touch was barely there, yet it sent shockwaves through her body.

"I feel it too, Selene," he whispered.

"This pull. This fire."

She clenched her fists, forcing herself to breathe. "It doesn’t mean anything."

Xander’s expression darkened. "Doesn’t it?"

His thumb brushed over her lower lip, slow and torturous. Selene’s body betrayed her, leaning into his touch despite every warning in her mind.

"Tell me," he murmured, his voice dangerously soft, "if I kissed you right now, would you stop me?"

Selene should have said yes.

She should have walked away.

But she didn’t.

And Xander knew it.

His fingers slid into her hair, tilting her head back just enough for him to lower his mouth, his breath teasing against hers. But he didn’t kiss her. He lingered, torturing her with the promise of something she wasn’t sure she was ready for.

Her hands curled into the fabric of his pants, steadying herself. Or maybe she was just finding an excuse to touch him.

Xander exhaled sharply, his grip tightening ever so slightly. "You drive me insane," he murmured against her lips.

Selene swallowed hard. "Then maybe you should stop looking at me like that."

His lips quirked upward. "And how exactly am I looking at you, little wolf?"

"Like you want to devour me," she whispered.

Xander’s smirk faded, his jaw tightening. "You have no idea."

That moment everything was good.

But then, just as quickly as the moment came, it shattered.

Xander inhaled sharply and stepped back, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "Go back to bed, Selene," he rasped.

Selene’s heart pounded against her ribs, but she didn’t argue. She turned and walked away, refusing to look back.

Because if she did, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stop herself from running straight into his arms.

And that? That was far too dangerous.

When she was finally starting to piece herself back together, he wanted to pull her back in.

Selene straightened, forcing steel into her voice. “You did hurt me. And I’m not coming back.”

For the first time, Killian looked… afraid.

Xander’s hand brushed against her lower back, a silent reassurance. And in that moment, she made a choice.

The bond might never fully fade. It might always linger, a scar of what once was. But she wasn’t bound by it.

She was free to walk away.

And she did.