From His Luna to His Rival's Mate

Chapter 9

SELENE

MORNING

I could not stop thinking about that strange rush of feelings when Elara touched my arm. It had felt like someone else's emotions had suddenly poured into my head.

I did not understand what was happening to me, but I knew I needed answers and the only place that might have them was the library.

After my last class, I walked straight there with quick steps. The big building felt quiet and peaceful in the late afternoon. I moved past the normal shelves and headed toward the restricted section at the back.

A tall wooden gate blocked the way. I showed my student card to the old librarian. She looked at me for a long moment before she unlocked the gate.

"Be careful in there," she warned. "Some of those books are very old."

I nodded and stepped inside, the air smelled of dust and old paper. Tall shelves reached up to the ceiling. I ran my fingers along the spines until I found a section about bloodlines.

I pulled out a thick book with a dark red cover and sat down at a small wooden table in the corner, the chair creaked under my weight.

I opened the book and started reading. My eyes moved across the pages as I searched for anything about the Vale bloodline, the words talked about ancient gifts and connections to the Moon Goddess.

Some lines could sense emotions, others had stronger wolves. I kept reading, hoping to find something that explained the strange feelings I had been having.

Time passed quietly. I did not notice how long I had been sitting there until a shadow fell across the table. "You really like making things difficult for yourself," a familiar voice said.

I looked up quickly. Kael stood there with his arms crossed over his chest, his dark eyes watched me with a mix of annoyance and something else I could not name.

He wore a simple black shirt that fit his broad shoulders well, his hair looked a little messy, like he had run his hand through it many times.

"Kael," I said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

He glanced at the book in front of me. "I could ask you the same thing. The restricted section is not for casual reading. What are you looking for?"

I closed the book slowly and looked straight at him. "Answers. Something strange has been happening to me lately. I thought the books might help explain it."

Kael pulled out the chair across from me and sat down. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. His eyes studied my face carefully. "You should not be digging into this alone. It's dangerous."

I felt that familiar pull toward him again and my eyes moved to his lips for a second before I looked away. "Then help me," I said. "You know more about these things than most people. Just for a few minutes. Please."

He let out a long breath and rubbed the back of his neck and for a moment, I thought he would refuse. Then he reached over and took the book from me. His fingers brushed against mine, the touch sent a small warm feeling through my hand.

"Fine," he said. "A few minutes, nothing more."

He opened the book and flipped through the pages with quick, sure movements. I watched his face as he read. His eyebrows pulled together in concentration.

He looked serious and focused. It reminded me of our old days when we competed against each other in class.

"Here," he said, pointing to a page. "The Vale line. It says some members could sense strong emotions in others. Especially during times of stress or full moons, but it was rare."

I leaned closer to see the words and our shoulders almost touched. "Does it say how it starts?" I asked.

Kael turned his head to look at me, our faces were very close now. I could see the small details in his dark eyes and my heart beat faster. For a second, neither of us moved, the air between us felt thick and warm.

"You should be careful," he said softly. "Digging too deep can bring trouble."

I did not pull away. "Maybe I need trouble right now."

Kael's eyes dropped to my lips for a brief moment then he leaned in just a little. I felt my breath catch. His hand rested near mine on the table, the moment felt heavy with possibility.

Then he suddenly pulled back and closed the book with a sharp sound and stood up. His chair scraped against the floor.

"That's enough," he said, his voice rough. "I helped you. Now go back to your dorm and stop looking for answers in dark corners."

I stood up too. "Why do you always do that? Push me away right when things get real?"

Kael's jaw tightened. He looked at me with conflicted eyes. "Because you don't know what you're asking for. Stay away from me, Selene. For both our sakes."

He turned and walked away between the tall shelves. His shoulders looked tense as he disappeared from view. I stood there for a long moment, my heart still racing.

I put the book back on the shelf and left the restricted section. The normal part of the library felt louder now. Students talked in small groups. As I walked toward the exit, I heard two girls whispering near the door.

"Did you hear about Selene Vale?" one of them said. "They say she's unstable. Rejecting Alpha Calder like that. Acting crazy in public."

The other girl laughed softly. "Yeah. Calder's followers are saying she might be losing her mind. Who turns down an Alpha like him?"

I kept walking with my head high, but their words stung. Calder's followers were already spreading rumors. They wanted to make me look weak and unstable. I clenched my hands into fists and pushed the door open.

The evening air felt cool on my face as I stepped outside. I walked back toward the dorm with quick steps. My mind kept returning to Kael in the library, the way he had looked at me, the way he had almost leaned in.

He was fighting something. I could feel it, but I was not going to stop. I needed answers about what was happening to me, and I needed to understand why Kael kept pushing me away even when it seemed like he did not want to.

The rumors about me being unstable would only get worse. But I did not care. I had already died once, words could not hurt me anymore. I had bigger things to worry about.