Selene POV
The nights had become unbearable.
Not because of fear.
Not because of the nightmares she spoke of.
But because of what followed her into sleep—
And refused to leave.
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Selene jolted awake, her breath uneven, her body tense as if she had been running.
Her fingers clutched the sheets tightly.
For a moment, she couldn’t move.
Couldn’t breathe.
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Then it came back.
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His touch.
Rough.
Claiming.
Unforgiving.
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A wave of disgust rose violently within her.
“No…” she whispered, shaking her head, as if denying the memory itself.
⸻
She pushed herself up, dragging a hand through her hair.
“I did what I had to,” she muttered.
“For my future.”
“For my place.”
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For Kael.
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But the thought didn’t soothe her.
Because lately—
Kael didn’t feel like hers anymore.
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