Selena stood at the edge of the clearing, her breath still ragged from the battle with the rogue. Kade's steady presence beside her was a quiet comfort, but the unsettling truth of her past hung heavy in the air.
"Let's move," Kade said, breaking the silence. "There might be more of them, and we need to get back to the pack before they regroup."
Selena nodded, her mind a whirlwind. The rogue had told her the truth—that she wasn't from the Silver Moon Pack, that her parents weren't her real parents, and that her true bloodline had been wiped out. But there was something in his words that continued to haunt her. Something she couldn't quite place.
As they made their way through the dense trees, the world around them seemed unnaturally quiet. Even the wind had ceased, as if holding its breath.
"I still can't wrap my mind around it," Selena said, her voice low. "What do you think the rogue meant when he said my destiny isn't here?"
Kade glanced at her, his golden eyes intense. "It could mean many things. But whatever it is, we can't ignore it."
They walked in silence for a few moments, the distant howls of wolves echoing through the forest. Suddenly, Selena's senses sharpened. She stopped in her tracks, feeling a strange pull—something in the air that wasn't quite right.
"What's wrong?" Kade asked, noticing her sudden hesitation.
"I… I feel like we're being watched," she whispered, her body tensing.
Kade's eyes narrowed, scanning the surrounding trees. "Stay close."
A rustling sound came from the underbrush behind them, followed by a low growl. Selena spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. She saw nothing but shadows in the dense woods.
Then, the growl came again, louder this time. Something—or someone—was moving toward them.
Before Selena could react, a figure burst through the trees, moving with a speed and grace that could only belong to a wolf. But this wasn't just any wolf.
It was a man.
The stranger's features were sharp, his eyes a deep, unsettling shade of amber, and his black hair framed a face that radiated both power and authority. He was dressed in dark, tattered clothes, his presence commanding and dangerous.
Selena's breath caught in her throat. She knew him.
No. It couldn't be.
"Selena Grey," the man said, his voice smooth but with an edge of something familiar. His lips curled into a half-smile, but there was no warmth in his expression. "I never thought I'd find you like this."
Selena's pulse quickened. "Who are you?"
The man took a step forward, and Selena instinctively took a step back. But he didn't approach further—he stopped, standing still like a predator watching its prey.
"I'm your brother," he said, his voice cold and distant.