Chapter 2
1262 Words
Marked by the Enemy
Selene’s POV
"Tell me, Selene," he says, his lips touching my ear. "Do you want me or him?"
Kieran becomes stiff. His wolf on the brink of losing control darkens his gaze.
And as I stand between two strong alphas, my heart thrashing with need and terror.
I saw something horrifying.
Someone is going to suffer whatever my decision is.
And it may just be me.
"Step. Away. From. Her."
My voice is menacing and low. Every syllable spills with a warning.
But Lucian? That scoundrel just smiles, his golden eyes shining with delight. His fingers lay on what is mine, his arm still around Selene's waist.
"Or what, Alpha?" he teases, his hold tightening. "You flung her aside. She is now mine to do as I like.
From my chest, a howl erupts, my wolf clawing to the surface wanting blood.
Between us Selene stiffens, her blue eyes troubled. She wants to relocate, away from both of us—but she doesn't.
Lucian's fingertips lightly, slow, intentional, skim her jaw. Share with him, Selene. Tell him currently who you belong to.
I swear the room moves tilts. My claws grow long, rage pumping in my blood.
"Lucian." My voice is quite dead silent. "I urge you to keep your hands off her if you want to survive. Now is the time.
Lucian only laughs. My vision turns crimson with the loudness.
That's amusing. Last I saw, she was no longer yours. He tilts his head down towards her. Unless, of course, you regret your rejection, Alpha?
My jaw contracts. Regrets?
Knowing I drove her away is misery. I had no option. Her safety could only be maintained by rejecting her.
But today, looking at her with him...
I'm dead from it.
"'Selene.'" My voice is desperate and gruff. come here.
The smile of Lucian quickly disappears. His tight grip on her stiffens.
But, Selene?
She hardly moves.
She simply stands here, her fists clasped and her body stiff between us.
Her quiet is a knife right to my chest.
"Selene.—
"No," she says in a whisper. Her eyes fix on me, burning and agonising. "You don't get to do this, Kieran."
I stopped freezing.
"You don't get to throw me away like I meant nothing, then demand I come back to you!"
Her words .
She still hasn't done it, though.
"You dismissed me." She speaks with shaking. "You made your decision."
Lucian hums in acceptance. "Her right is what you know." His fingers ghost across her shoulder. "Her mine right now is mine. And the following tonight... He slants in, his lips touching her ear. "She'll have my mark to prove it."
My eyesight becomes hazy from anger.
That is exactly.
I go.
Lucian hardly has time to react before my fist crashes into his jaw and sends him flying against the wall.
Selene stumbles backward.
Growling, Lucian pushes to his feet and swipes at his bleeding lip. "Last but not least," he says, smiling. "I asked when you would snap."
I do not squander one more second.
I extend myself.
We tumble across the middle of the room's wooden table with bone-breaking power. Lucian snags, his claws cutting through my blouse, narrowly missing my ribs.
I am faster, though.
My claws at his throat, I bang him on the floor.
"You think you could take something of mine?" I growl, my teeth stretching out. "You thought I would let you touch her?"
Lucian flashes through the blood, his golden eyes shining.
"I already accomplished."
A yell tears from my chest.
I grab harder, almost ready to split him apart—
"Kieran, halt!"
Through my fury, Selene's voice breaks.
I stand stiff.
I turn slowly with my head.
She is standing there shivering, her hands closed into fists.
But I halt right here with her gaze.
They are not bursting with resentment.
They are loaded with suffering.
Panic.
Not of Lucian.
Of my own.
The awareness strikes like a kick to the belly.
My grip on Lucian lets go.
He utilises the time to send me skidding back. He laughs and cleans the blood off his mouth.
That was fun, really.
I go past him. I fix Selene in the eye.
"You get scared of me." My voice comes out as rough.
She steps back and swishes fiercely.
"I avoid—" She freezes and shakes her head. "I basically... I don't know Kieran; you seem different today.
The words pierce more deeply than any harm could possibly do.
Lucian bursts into laughter. "I told you, darling. You do not find the man you believe he is here.
I gaze at him, hate winding in my stomach.
Then you are? I blink.
Lucian leans back with a smile. "I never started to be the hero."
His eyes go back to Selene and he reaches out with a hand.
"Come alongside me."
My heart freezes.
Selene stares between us, her mouth opening and her eyes split.
Next—
She walks.
My breaths stop.
She approaches him.
Not even me.
Lucian grabs her hand and pulls her into his arms, grinning triumphally.
I am not able to move.
I am not able to talk.
I can only watch her pick him.
Lucian tilts his head and broadens his smile. " Better luck next time, Alpha."
And then before I can act.
She is raised into his arms—
and disappears into the darkness.
Stunned, shaking, devastated I stand there.
She is no more here.
Brother.
Dead gone.
taken by the one man I vowed to murder.
Furious and in mourning, my wolf calls inside me.
But this is not done here.
Not quite close.
Lucian believes he's prevailed.
Still, he just made the greatest mistake of his life.
Since I'll be getting her returned.
And this time as well.
I won't allow her to leave.
"Run, young wolf."
Lucian's voice haunts my thoughts like a phantom whisper, his challenge biting into my bones.
"Run as quickly as your ability permits. still be my however."
I rip over the forest, the trees a blur around me, a terrible growl rattling from my breast.
Selene smells everywhere, sweet and seductive, with the tiniest hint of terror.
She is nearby.
I strain more; my breath is raspy and my claws are digging in the ground.
Lucian accepted her.
My friend was stolen by him.
And I'll murder him for it as well.
Ahead I see a clearing, the faint flutter of torchlight across the deep woods.
His secret place.
I stop neither here nor here.
I would not stop.
Not until I pull Selene from his hold and cut limb from limb.
One starts to see the cabin. Old, alone, it is seated on the brink of a frozen river. Like the coward Lucian is, he was always a snake lying in the shadows.
My wolf roaring for blood, I prowl forward with flexible claws.
Following that—
good.
Soft and familiar.
vocals.
Kindly, Lucian. Let me leave.
Semene.
Friends.
My blood becomes boiling.
I slide to the window and stare inside.
She is in front of us.
Face him from the middle of the room. Her attitude is inscrutable, her stance is tight.
Lucian crosses his arms and leans against the wall, amusedly observing her.
He says, "Why would I do that, love?"
Selene groans. "Because this is not you." Not a monster, you are.
Lucian finds himself laughing. "Oh, sweetheart...." His eyes darkened. You truly have no concept who I actually am.
She flinches, but she keeps going.
- Writer
