Selene’s POV
Maria’s presence was like a storm cloud rolling into the room, heavy and charged with tension. Her deep burgundy curls framed her face, accentuating the intensity in her eyes, which were fixed squarely on me. She approached, her movements slow, deliberate, predatory.
She stopped just inches from me. Her posture was rigid, and her gaze cold and unyielding. “So you’re the new toy Lucian’s been playing with,” she continued, her voice dripping with disdain. “Let me make one thing clear, Selene. You’re not going to last. You’re just another fleeting distraction to him.”
Her words cut, but I kept my expression neutral, refusing to let her see the sting of her insult. “I’m not trying to be anything to Lucian,” I replied calmly, even though my heart raced at the mention of his name. “I have no illusions about my place here.”