The slap sent selene stumbling.
She turned, surprised by her father's action. Her eyes were already wet with tears but she refused to show weakness. Her face burned—more from shock than pain.
"How dare you walk out of the council meeting!" His voice came sharp and laced with anger.
"Is it not enough that you embarrassed me! You had the gods to walk out in the presence of the Lycan king." he continued.
Selene scoffed. Looking away "You humiliated me first." her voice came in, low but defiant.
"This is not just about you Selene. The lives of everyone is at stake!" He responded.
"Then who is it about? You? Your pride? Or maybe it's about making me a pawn in whatever twisted game you're playing..." she said eyes turning to him.
"Watch yourself child!" He roared back at her. He wasn't looking at her with rage. He wasn't even looking at her as a father. This was the King staring down his heir.
"I have spent my entire life protecting this kingdom," he said, his voice hitched now, and heavier. "Everything I have done was for the survival of our people. Do you think the Lycans will hesitate to end us if this treaty fails?"
Selene swallowed, but her resolve didn't waver. "You would have found another way if Sebastian were here."
" Well he's not, and duty falls to you. The wedding is tomorrow."
Selene turned, eyes already shivering.
"We need to be done with this."His voice was hollow now. "You will do what is necessary."
And with that, he turned and walked out, leaving the door open behind him.
Selene stood frozen, fists clenched, jaw tight. As she sobbed slowly.
She wasn't sure if she was more furious at him—or at the part of her that knew he wasn't entirely wrong.
*******
The pressure was suffocating. Selene slipped out of the castle, walking miles from Valamir Citadel to Veilwood Hollow—the silent stretch of land dividing Nightfang Vale's wolves from Valemir's vampires.
She sat by the riverbank, staring blankly at the reflection in the water. The cool night air did little to calm the storm inside her.
Her fingers twitched, still feeling the phantom weight of her father's hand on her face.
He had never done that before.
He wasn't affectionate—never had been. But he had never raised a hand against her. Not once. Until tonight.
Her mind replayed the moment—the way his grip had tightened, the unspoken fury in his eyes. The finality in his voice as he left.
It rattled her more than she wanted to admit, but She couldn't afford to break now.
Then—she heard it.
A growl. Low. Deep. Close.
Her entire body locked in place.
Another growl, this time from behind her.
She instantly rose to her feet. The air had changed. The stillness was suffocating.
Then, she saw them.
Four wolves. Their silver eyes gleamed in the moonlight, bodies low, muscles coiled. Watching her. They moved in slow, calculated steps, closing in on her.
Selene's pulse roared in her ears.
They didn't attack. They were warning her, letting out slow terrifying growls with each slow step they took.
The largest of them hopped towards her. She stepped back instinctively, her fist spread as if she wanted to take on the beast herself. she knew she wouldn't outrun them.
Her claws emerged from her fingertips, her fangs bared in an instant.
He stopped in front of her as others stood behind him. All sides just growling at her.
Her heart pounded hardly in her chest.
Before she could brace herself the wolf jumped in towards her. Claws and fangs.
Instantly the air shifted again.
A presence. Powerful. Overwhelming.
From the darkness, he emerged.
The black wolf.
Larger than any wolf she had ever seen, it was as tall and huge as a human standing on their feet. It's fur was thick, pitch black, but at the edges, the tips burned red—like embers flickering in the night.
The sheer weight of his presence gave him away. This was the Lycan king.
He lunged in front of Selene pressing the wolf under his claw.
Then she met his eyes.
Red. Deep, piercing, holding something she couldn't name.
A strange, unearthly fear crawled up her spine. Her knees nearly buckled under the weight of his presence. But she clenched her fists, grounding herself, forcing her feet to stay planted.
The wolf whimpered under his large paw, as it shrieked trying to escape. With a raise of his paw, the wolf disappeared into the night.
The other immediately shrank back. Their ears flattened, their heads lowered as they turned and ran without hesitation, vanishing into the darkness.
Then he stood there. He turned to her, red eyes locking onto hers, an immersive weight pressing into her.
"You tend to be found where you shouldn't be, Princess." The wolf spoke, his voice Deep and relaxing. Unlike in the courthouse. He seemed like a totally different person.
Selene's breath hitched in surprise. She stood though fear still gripped her. How could this be the same creature that looked at her with barely contained rage hours ago? Her thoughts scrambled in her mind.
"And you tend to speak only when being defiant." He spoke again. His words cut through her addressing her present silence.
Selene stood, no words came from her. What was going on? She thought to herself.
"Return to your castle princess, I'm sure you want to be alive till the treaty is solidified. The fate of your people are in your hands.
He turned without another word, stepping into the darkness as if he had never been there at all.
Selene dropped to her knees.
What had just happened? She had nearly died. And the only reason she was still breathing was because of the very monsters that took her brother from her.
But this did not change her mind. Whatever he had expected to get out of saving her, he would not have it. She thought to herself as her fist tightened.