Chapter 7: Shadowed by Ghosts

Selene’s POV

For the past few days, Lucian had made it a habit to show up at the bar where I worked. Each evening, without fail, he would arrive with his men, and they would clear out the entire bar, leaving only Lucian and me behind. It was unnerving. The bar, which was usually filled with the buzz of conversations and laughter, would fall silent, the air thick with tension and unease.

Lucian would take his usual seat at the bar, his eyes following me as I moved. “Selene,” he’d say, his voice smooth and taunting, “why don’t you mix me something new tonight?”

And every night, I did. I kept my hands steady and my face neutral, refusing to show any emotion or reaction to his presence. But he wasn’t there just for a drink. Each time, he would leisurely sip his cocktail, his voice low and casual, dropping hints about Damien and his new mate, stories that seemed designed to cut me to the bone.

“Did you hear about Damien’s grand proposal to his new mate?” he began one night, his eyes never leaving mine. “It was quite the affair. The entire Southern Pack celebrated with fireworks all night. I hear he even had someone find priceless jewels just to please his new Luna.”

I clenched my jaw, focusing on wiping down the counter to keep my hands busy, trying to drown out his voice. But his words cut through my defenses like a knife, each one a reminder of everything I had lost—everything that had been taken from me.

“And the Silver Pack,” he continued, his tone almost mocking, “they’re bending over backward to please the future Luna. The one who replaced you, Selene.”

That was it. I couldn’t take it anymore. Slamming the cloth down, I glared at him. “You seem to want to provoke my anger, Lucian,” I snapped, my voice tight with barely restrained fury. “Why?”

Lucian leaned back in his chair, a slow, satisfied smile spreading across his face. “I don’t want just your anger,” he said calmly. “I want your hatred.”

I blinked, taken aback by his bluntness. “Why?” I demanded, trying to make sense of his motives. “Why do you care if I hate anyone?”

“Because hatred,” he replied, his voice low and intense, “is a powerful motivator. It gives you strength. It gives you focus. It’s what keeps you alive when everything else is falling apart.”

I shook my head, refusing to accept his logic. “I won’t let myself be consumed by hatred,” I said firmly. “I don’t want to live like that. I refuse to be trapped by it.”

My words seemed to strike a nerve. Lucian’s expression darkened, his calm demeanor shifting into something harsher, more dangerous. He rose from his seat and closed the distance between us in two quick strides. Before I could react, his hand shot out, gripping my chin roughly, forcing me to look up at him.

“Don’t be a fool,” he growled, his eyes blazing with anger. “Do you really think you can survive here in this tiny bar in the middle of the Umbra Pack? Being treated like a common waitress? Or worse…” His grip tightened, his voice dropping to a cold whisper. “Like a prostitute?”

His words were a slap in the face, an insult that cut deeper than anything else he had said. I felt a rush of fury, my blood boiling under my skin. I met his gaze head-on, my eyes blazing with defiance. “Take that back,” I hissed, my voice shaking with rage. “Take it back.”

For a moment, something flickered in Lucian’s eyes—regret, perhaps, or maybe the realization that he’d gone too far. But he didn’t release his grip, his fingers still digging into my skin. “If you don’t harness your hatred to protect yourself,” he continued, his voice softer but no less intense, “then what will you use? How do you plan to survive in a world like this?”

I took a deep, steadying breath, refusing to be intimidated. “Strength doesn’t only come from hatred,” I said quietly but firmly. “It can come from love too. I want to protect this bar, the landlady, and Kate. I care about them. That’s where I draw my strength.”

Lucian stared at me, his eyes searching mine as if trying to decipher some hidden truth in my words. The silence stretched between us, taut and charged with unspoken tension. After what felt like an eternity, he let go of my chin, stepping back, his expression suddenly unreadable.

“You’re just like all the others,” he muttered, his tone laced with disappointment. “Full of big talk, but no real follow-through. You’re wasting your potential, Selene.”

His words stung, but I held his gaze, refusing to let him see how much they hurt. “Maybe I’m not what you expected, Lucian,” I replied steadily, “but that doesn’t mean I’m weak.”

He studied me for a long moment, his eyes flickering with something I couldn’t quite read. Finally, he shrugged as if dismissing the entire conversation as a waste of time. “We’ll see,” he said coldly.

Lucian guided me into a dimly lit room, where a figure sat bound to a chair, her head hanging low. My heart sank as I recognized Mara, a former packmate I trusted deeply. Lucian's voice broke the heavy silence, laden with gravity. "Mara here betrayed you. She provided the testimony that led to your exile, claiming you were behind the attack on Damien's mate."

I took a step forward, my gaze fixed on Mara. "Is that true, Mara?" I asked, my voice full of disbelief.

Lucian continued, his tone harsh, "She's been envious of you for years, resenting the attention and resources you received. When she saw a chance to bring you down, she didn't hesitate."

Mara avoided my eyes, her silence a piercing confirmation of her betrayal. The coldness of the room seemed to seep deeper into my bones, making the sting of her disloyalty more acute. But there was no time to process or mourn the loss of our friendship before Lucian handed me a knife.

His eyes burned with a dark intensity. "Make her pay," he whispered, pushing the cold metal into my hand.

Mara, tied and helpless in the chair, looked up at me with wide, tearful eyes. "Please, I'm so sorry, Selene," she sobbed, her voice cracking under the weight of her fear and remorse. "I never meant for it to go this far."

I stood there, the knife heavy in my grip, my heart pounding painfully against my ribs. Lucian watched from the shadows, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips, anticipating the revenge he felt was due.

Slowly, I approached Mara. The room was thick with tension, each of her sobs echoing off the stark walls. I could see the fear in her eyes, the realization of what her betrayal might cost her. As I stood before her, memories flooded back—memories of us as kids, running through the woods, the day she'd grabbed my arm, pulling me back from a treacherous cliff's edge.

"You saved my life once," I said quietly, the blade glinting under the dim light. "You pulled me back from the edge, remember?"

Mara nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I remember, Selene. I…I was scared to lose you then. I don't know why I…"

I cut her off, closing my eyes for a moment to gather my strength. When I opened them again, I made my decision. With a swift motion, I sliced through the ropes binding her wrists. "We're even now," I declared, dropping the knife to the floor with a clatter that seemed to echo my resolute heart. "Your debt is paid."

Mara collapsed forward, her sobs deepening, a mix of relief and regret pouring from her. "I'm so sorry, Selene," she cried, over and over, her words a desperate plea for forgiveness.

Lucian's face hardened as he watched me release Mara. "I'm disappointed in you," he said, his voice a chilling blend of disapproval and threat. "You had a chance to prove your loyalty, to make things right."

I met his gaze steadily, my own anger rising. "And become just another one of your pawns? I saw that look in your eyes, Lucian," I shot back, the knife now lying useless between us. "The moment I followed through, you would have disposed of me next. I'm not blind to your games."

His smirk faded, replaced by a tight, contemplative expression. "You think you know so much," he murmured, stepping closer. The air between us crackled with tension, his presence overwhelmingly dominant.

"I know enough," I retorted, my voice firm despite the tremor I felt. "I'm not here to play your twisted games. I just want to live my life, Lucian, without constantly looking over my shoulder."

Lucian's smile then was enigmatic, almost predatory. "Time," he said softly, almost to himself, "is on my side. You'll see, Selene. The more you try to escape, the deeper you'll sink into the very chaos you're trying to avoid."

I swallowed hard, the threat hanging heavy in the air. "Then I'll be ready for it," I declared, even though a part of me recoiled from the certainty in his tone. "I'm not your plaything, Lucian. Remember that."

He chuckled, low and ominous. "We'll see, Selene. We'll see how long your defiance lasts." With that, he turned and left, leaving me standing alone in the cold room, Mara's quiet sobs filling the silence he left behind.