I trust her
1012 Words
Chapter 5: Boundaries and Breaking Points
The grand halls of Blackthorne Manor were colder than Selene expected.
Not in temperature—the walls were lined with torches, casting flickering golden light over the polished stone floors. No, this cold came from something else.
The wolves.
As Lucian led her through the corridors, their stares followed. Silent. Judging. Some filled with barely concealed hatred, others with wary curiosity.
Selene thrived under their scrutiny.
She smirked at a particularly young wolf who had stopped mid-step to gawk at her. The boy flinched, nearly dropping the bundle of firewood he was carrying before scurrying off down the hall.
Pathetic.
Lucian didn’t comment on it, but she could feel his irritation. It pulsed from him in waves.
Good.
“Afraid they might riot, Alpha?” she teased, watching his broad back as he walked ahead of her.
Lucian didn’t break stride. “They won’t.”
She arched a brow. “Confident, aren’t you?”
Lucian finally glanced at her over his shoulder, his golden gaze steady. “You’re still breathing, aren’t you?”
Selene’s smirk widened. “For now.”
They turned a corner, and suddenly the space around them was empty. No wolves lingering. No whispers.
Just them.
Selene slowed her steps. “Where exactly are you taking me?”
Lucian stopped in front of a large wooden door, pushing it open without answering.
She stepped inside and froze.
The room was… not what she expected.
It wasn’t a dungeon.
It wasn’t a cell.
It was—
“A bedroom?” she asked, incredulous.
Lucian leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “Would you rather a cage?”
Selene scoffed, walking further inside. The space was simple, yet large. A four-poster bed, dark wooden furniture, a fireplace that crackled with low embers. The far wall had a balcony with open doors, allowing the cool night air to slip inside.
Selene turned to face him. “What’s the game here, Alpha? You really expect me to believe I’m just a prisoner?”
Lucian’s eyes darkened slightly. “You are.”
“Then why this?” She gestured to the lavish space. “Trying to impress me?”
A muscle in his jaw ticked. “I don’t care if you’re impressed.”
Selene took a slow step forward, tilting her head. “No? Then what do you care about?”
Lucian didn’t answer.
Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.
Selene took another step, closing the space between them, watching as his shoulders tensed.
For a man who had offered his blood to her only hours ago, he seemed awfully on edge.
Her voice dropped to a murmur. “Tell me, Alpha. Are you afraid of me?”
Lucian’s golden gaze locked onto hers, and suddenly, she was the one who felt the shift in power.
The air between them tightened.
Slowly, deliberately, Lucian reached out.
Before she could react, his fingers wrapped around her wrist, over the silver chains.
Selene sucked in a sharp breath.
The metal burned her skin, but it wasn’t just the pain—it was him. The heat of his touch. The way his grip was firm, unyielding.
“I don’t fear you,” Lucian said, voice quiet, deadly. “But you, Selene? You should fear me.”
Selene’s breath hitched.
She hated the way her body reacted to him. The way her pulse kicked up, betraying her.
His grip didn’t tighten, but it didn’t loosen either.
Selene swallowed, forcing herself to smirk despite the warmth curling in her stomach. “Careful, Alpha,” she murmured. “I might start thinking you enjoy touching me.”
Lucian’s eyes darkened.
And then, just as quickly as he had grabbed her, he let go.
Selene exhaled shakily, though she masked it well.
Lucian stepped back, his expression unreadable. “Get some rest,” he said, voice clipped.
She arched a brow. “And if I don’t?”
His golden gaze flickered to the chains on her wrists. “You will.”
The warning in his voice sent a thrill down her spine.
Lucian turned and walked out, the door clicking shut behind him.
Selene stared after him for a long moment.
Her skin still burned where he had touched her.
Damn him.
---
Meanwhile…
Lucian stormed down the hallway, his mind a battlefield.
She’s dangerous.
She’s a prisoner.
She’s a vampire.
And yet—
His jaw clenched.
He could still smell her. The lingering scent of blood and something else—something infuriatingly tempting.
Ryker’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
“You’re losing it, Lucian.”
Lucian turned the corner to see his Beta leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
“I don’t have time for this,” Lucian muttered.
Ryker didn’t move. “You need to send her away.”
Lucian exhaled sharply. “Not happening.”
Ryker pushed off the wall. “Then tell me what the hell is going on. First, you bring a vampire into our pack—now you give her a damn bedroom?”
Lucian shot him a glare. “She’s not our enemy.”
Ryker scoffed. “She’s a leech, Lucian. I don’t care what your instincts are telling you—”
“My instincts are telling me to trust her.”
Ryker froze. “You’re serious?”
Lucian ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know why, Ryker. I just—” He exhaled sharply. “I know she’s important.”
Ryker studied him for a long moment. “You sound like you’re claiming her.”
Lucian’s entire body stiffened.
Silence.
A long, unbearable silence.
Then—
“I’m not.”
The words tasted like a lie.
Ryker sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “Lucian, listen to me—”
“I’ve made my decision,” Lucian interrupted. “Selene stays.”
Ryker’s jaw tensed. But he didn’t argue.
Instead, he muttered, “Then let’s hope you don’t regret it.”
Lucian didn’t respond.
He already knew the answer.
Because deep down, something told him—
He already would.
---
- Writer
