Lucian's pov
I froze mid-stride in the darkened hallway as the ripple hit me. I felt a prickly sensation of electricity raise the hairs on my skin, and I knew what it was immediately, especially since it came from the direction of Selene's room.
I grit my teeth. What the hell was she doing? She was supposed to be resting and recovering, not to mention that she was also supposed to be weak because of the sedatives. Why on earth was she stirring up spells?
Probably to break through the wards I put on her door to keep her in her room—the realization made me frown deeper. She was such a foolish girl. In her state, those spells could tear her apart.
I moved swiftly towards her door, the heavy tread of my boots echoing down the hall. From where I was, I could see the faint silvery shimmer of the runes on her door flickering wildly before they dimmed. Whatever she had done was not enough to break through.
A movement caught my eyes from the other end of the hallway, and I shifted into the shadows. I raised an eyebrow as my brother Darius made his way forward. What was he doing here?
My hands curled into fists as he strode down to Selene's door with the easy confidence that I had come to despise. Moving like he owned the place when the one place he was not welcome was in my private wing.
I watched him place a hand on the doorknob, his expression something I couldn't quite place. Curiosity? No. Concern? Definitely not. Amusement—that was it, his usual amusement.
Darius pushed the door and stepped in without hesitation. For a moment, I considered barging in after him. Every fiber of my being screamed for me to assert my authority, to remind Darius and Selene that this was my territory, and to tell Darius to stay away from her since she was now my responsibility.
Wait—where did that sudden possessiveness come from? I shook my head. No, I would not do that. Instead, I came closer, footsteps silent now, to see through the open door.
Selene lay on the floor, her body limp and pale. The sight of her, broken and vulnerable, unable to even stand, sent an unfamiliar twist through my chest.
Darius knelt before her, hand reaching out to help her up. My jaw clenched as he eased her into a sitting position, his voice too low to hear. I didn't want him touching her at all.
She shoved Darius away, her expression fierce despite her obvious weakness. I wished I could hear the words she was saying, but even without that, I felt a sense of pride at her resistance.
But then he touched her again, helping her stay steady when she almost fell. This time, Selene gave in, leaning against him for support, and something clicked inside me.
If I stayed here watching them, I might eventually storm into the room and scream at them both.
Instead, I melted back into the shadows, waiting till Darius came out. I waited a whole ten minutes, and by the end of that time, when Darius finally stepped out of her room, I was furious.
I followed him silently, my anger building with every step until he was a good distance away from Selene's room.
"Are you going to keep following me?" Darius asked.
Of course he knew I was around—he always did. I stopped in my tracks. "Darius."
A glance over his shoulder with a faint smile on his face. "To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting with you?"
"What the hell were you doing in her room?" I demanded.
Darius turned to face me fully, eyebrows raised. "Well, I heard the explosion, and I thought I'd check up on her. Wait—were you going to do that? I'm sorry, I didn't know."
I took a step closer, my voice dropping to a whisper. "It's not your place to do that."
He chuckled lightly. "I didn't realize you cared so much. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were jealous."
The words made me pause. Jealous? Me? Never. But how else could I explain the feeling I felt when he was the one helping her, not me? I brushed that off—Darius was trying to make me annoyed, and I wasn't going to let him think he hit on the right emotion.
"Stay away from her."
He smiled widely. "Why? Are you scared she might prefer my company to yours?"
Those words were the last straw. With a growl, I launched forward, my fist connecting with his jaw, the impact sending him stumbling back against the wall.
Darius wiped blood away from his lips, his smile never fading. "Touchy now, are we? If you're not careful, dear brother, you will lose more than just control over your temper."
I had a feeling he was talking about Selene this time. I grabbed him by the collar and slammed his back against the wall. "Do you think this is a game? That woman is dangerous!"
"you just need to know the right way to tame her," Darius replied, his tone suddenly sharp. "And with the way you're going about it, it won't end well for you. You'll end up losing her."
I growled under my breath. "Don't talk about what you know nothing of."
I released him with a shove. "This is your last warning. Stay away from her."
Darius adjusted his collar, his smile returning. "As you say, Alpha. Your wish is my command."
I watched him walk away, my muscles coiled with tension. I badly wanted to tear that smug look off his face, but I had more important matters to deal with.
I turned on my heel and headed towards Selene's room. I paused when I reached the door, hand hovering over the knob.
My chest tightened at the thought of seeing her the way she was before—vulnerable and weak. I didn't like seeing her that way; it did not sit well with her personality. And I didn't like feeling this way either.
I shook my head and twisted the knob, stepping in quietly.