Chapter 8. Before The Sun Rises
904 Words
Selene
I ran.
Before the sun broke across the sky, before the world could remind me who I really was, I ran.
I left the garden, left him, and left the warmth of his breath still ghosting across my skin. I didn’t look back. I didn’t let myself think. I didn’t even change out of the ridiculous silver dress. I just shoved my heels into my hand and let my bare feet slap against cold marble until I was outside.
Until it felt like it never happened.
Who had I done?
The moment the gates of the estate came into view, my lungs started burning. I didn’t stop. Not until I was deep in the woods behind the mansion, clutching the nearest tree. Gasping like I’d just torn out a piece of my own chest.
It wasn’t supposed to go that far.
A kiss, fine.
A little tension is fine.
But that connection? That wild, terrifying honesty that passed between us like, like fever? That wasn’t part of the plan.
I slid to the forest floor, knees bruising against roots and dirt. The leaves above me barely stirred. The world felt too still, like it was waiting for me to admit what I’d done.
I kissed Dominic, I sexed Dominic, the Alpha heir, the prince of wolves. The last person I should ever let close.
And I let him in. I let him see me, not just the surface but something real. Something I’d buried so deep, I forgot it could still bleed.
A wave of shame curled through my chest, leaving a sting in its wake. How stupid could I be? I didn’t even know what this was to him. A game? A spark in the moment? Pity?
I wrapped my arms around my knees and dropped my forehead against them, letting the cold earth chill my skin.
I’d never let anyone that close.
Not since—
I pushed the thought away before it dragged me under. That wasn’t the point. The point was what I had done. What we had done.
That night was a mistake.
Wasn’t it?
Yes, it had to be. Because the alternative—believing it meant something—was dangerous. Believing in anything real between us was the kind of fantasy I used to read under the covers as a kid.
I couldn’t afford that now. Not when my life already danced on a wire thin enough to snap.
And Dominic? He wasn’t someone you feel for.
He was fired. Power. A risk I couldn’t survive.
I stood up slowly, brushing the dirt from my legs, steadying my breath. Whatever happened that night stayed in the night.
No one would know; no one could know.
I’ll bury it.
Just like everything else.
I started walking towards the estate; my dress clung to my skin, wrinkled and torn at the hem. My hair was a mess; my heart was worse.
By the time I reached the back of the cottage, the sky had turned pale with the first hint of dawn. I slipped in through the door.
Eric wasn’t awake.
Good.
I didn’t want to answer questions. I didn’t want her teasing or curious eyes. I just wanted the night to disappear.
I crawled into the sheets and curled beneath them, still in the dress, my skin still humming with the ghost of his touch.
I shut my eyes.
But sleep didn’t come.
Only the memory of his voice—low, cracked, almost reverent—when he whispered.
“I don’t want to fix you.”
And the worst part? I believed him.
The morning dragged me out of my restless haze. When Meala finally appeared, blinking into the soft light of the small cottage kitchen, her eyes immediately landed on me with a mixture of relief and mischief.
“Where were you?” She asked, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow. “You vanished from the party right after I practically dragged you there.”
“I mean, you practically left me too right after we reached the party.” I said.
“And I still came back to look for you.”
I forced a weak smile and reached for a cup of tea. “I wasn’t feeling well; you know how I get sometimes.”
Meala smirked, “Uh huh. Or did you find some handsome stranger and decide to enjoy a wolf night without me?”
I flushed but tried to hide it. “You’re terrible at guessing.”
She laughed, leaning in like she was about to spill a secret. “Selene, if you disappeared because of some mysterious guy, you owe me the story.”
I shook my head, brushing a loose strand of my hair. “There is no story; I just needed some fresh air.”
Meala narrowed her eyes playfully. “Sure, just fresh air. And here I thought the great Selene was having a secret affair with the Alpha heir.”
I choked on my tea.
Relax, she grinned. I’m teasing you. But seriously, don’t vanish on me like that again. We’ve got enough chaos ahead without you adding mystery to the mix.”
I smiled despite myself. “Deal.”
She winked and left the room, but I could still feel her eyes on me even as she disappeared down the hall.
The night lingered in my skin, and the truth stayed buried, at least for now.
- Writer
