Selene woke to silence.
Not the peaceful kind, but the heavy, suffocating quiet that settled just before something ended.
For a moment she didn't remember where she was. The unfamiliar ceiling above her was dark, the air thick with the scent of smoke, pine, and Alpha power. Heat still lingered beneath her skin, a reminder of everything she wished she could forget.
Then it all came rushing back.
The auction.
The mask.
The bond.
She turned her head slowly.
The Alpha lay beside her, sprawled on his back, one arm flung above his head. Even in sleep, he radiated control. His dark hair fell across his forehead, the sharp line of his jaw visible now that the mask was gone.
He was devastatingly handsome.
Her chest tightened.
Last night should never have happened.
She slipped out of the bed carefully, every muscle aching in protest. She gathered the cloak from the chair and wrapped it around herself, avoiding the mirror. She didn't want to see the marks blooming across her skin—proof of how deeply the night had carved itself into her.
The bond hummed softly, a dangerous, living thing.
She pressed a hand to her chest, fighting the pull.
If she stayed, she would never leave.
Selene moved quietly through the suite, pausing only once to look back at him. His breathing was slow, steady. Peaceful.
This was her chance.
She opened the door and slipped into the corridor.
The halls were nearly empty at this hour. Dawn had not yet broken, but she could feel it approaching, the faint promise of light bleeding into the edges of the darkness.
She walked faster.
Every step away from him felt like tearing something out of her soul.
At the end of the corridor, a guard looked up in surprise. "Miss—"
"My contract is complete," Selene said firmly. "Check the records."
The guard hesitated, then nodded. "You're cleared."
The final door opened.
Cold morning air hit her like a slap as she stepped outside. She didn't stop walking. She didn't look back.
She ran.
By the time the sun rose, Selene was already on a transport heading out of the city, her heart pounding, her wolf howling in grief.
She left behind the Alpha who owned her for one night.
And carried with her a bond that refused to break.
---
Silas woke with a snarl.
The bed was empty.
The scent of her was everywhere, wrapped around him like a taunt. He sat up sharply, silver eyes scanning the room.
Gone.
The bond tugged hard, sharp and furious, stretching toward the city beyond the window.
"Damn it," he growled.
He rose, pulling on his clothes, his control cracking for the first time in years.
She had run.
And no matter how long it took—
No matter where she hid—
Alpha Silas Blackclaw would find her.