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Chapter 4 – Bound by Fire 

Selene sat by the fire, her fingers curled into fists, nails pressing into her palms so hard they might draw blood.

She had been in this camp for less than two days, and already, it felt like she was losing pieces of herself.

She wasn't supposed to be here.

She was supposed to be free.

Every muscle in her body ached with frustration, her mind working over every possible way she could escape this place. She had been so close today.

And yet, Ronan had caught her. Again.

Her eyes flickered to the door, half-expecting him to walk in any second. He had been watching her since she arrived, his presence like an iron shackle around her throat. He didn't need to lock her in a cage—his wolves surrounded her, keeping her trapped within the camp.

But there had to be a way out.

She refused to accept this as her fate.

The mate bond may have pulled them together, but it did not make her his prisoner.

She wouldn't let it.

—

The next morning, she was awoken by a knock at the door.

Selene sat up quickly, muscles tensing.

The door swung open, and to her surprise, it wasn't Ronan.

A young woman stood there instead, with auburn hair tied back in a loose braid and sharp green eyes. She wasn't as rugged as the other rogues, but there was a strength in the way she carried herself.

"I'm Rhea," she introduced herself, stepping inside. "Ronan told me to check on you."

Selene narrowed her eyes. "I don't need to be checked on."

Rhea snorted. "Yeah, I figured you'd say that."

Selene crossed her arms. "Then why are you here?"

"Because like it or not, you're part of this camp now," Rhea said bluntly. "And I have a job to do."

Selene's jaw tightened. "I'm not one of you."

Rhea arched a brow. "No, you're not. But you're the mate of our Alpha, which means you're under his protection. And that means you'll need to learn how things work around here."

Selene bit back a sharp reply. She didn't want to be here, didn't want to learn anything about these people.

But information was power.

And she needed power if she was going to escape.

She let out a slow breath. "Fine. Show me."

Rhea smirked, as if she had expected Selene to come around.

"Good choice."

—

The camp was bigger than Selene realized.

Rhea led her through the different areas, explaining how the rogues lived.

They weren't the mindless savages she had been taught to believe.

They had rules. Structure. A hierarchy.

Many of them were warriors, but there were also healers, hunters, and even families with children. It was unsettling, seeing them act so… normal.

Selene couldn't afford to think of them as people.

Not when she was trying to escape.

They passed a large clearing where several wolves were training, sparring with each other in both human and wolf forms.

Ronan was among them.

Selene's breath caught for half a second.

He was shirtless, his body moving with lethal precision as he dodged an attack from one of his warriors. His muscles flexed with every movement, his golden eyes sharp with focus.

She hated that she noticed.

She hated that her traitorous wolf stirred at the sight of him.

Rhea must have caught her staring because she chuckled. "Hard to ignore him, isn't it?"

Selene snapped her gaze away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Rhea smirked but didn't push.

They moved on, but Selene could still feel the weight of Ronan's presence, even from a distance.

It was maddening.

—

That night, Selene made her second escape attempt.

She had spent the entire day memorizing the camp's layout, watching the patrols, looking for weak spots.

There weren't many.

But there was one.

She waited until the camp had quieted, until most of the rogues had settled in for the night. Then, as silently as possible, she slipped out of the cabin.

Her heart pounded as she moved through the shadows, sticking to the edges of the camp where the trees were thicker.

Just a little further.

She could almost taste freedom.

Then, out of nowhere, a low voice rumbled behind her.

"Going somewhere?"

Selene whirled around, her heart slamming against her ribs.

Ronan stood there, arms crossed, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight.

Damn it.

How had he found her so quickly?

She clenched her fists, refusing to back down. "Get out of my way, Ronan."

He didn't move.

"You're persistent," he mused. "I'll give you that."

She scowled. "Let me go."

His jaw tightened. "You know I can't do that."

"Why not?" she snapped. "What do you want from me?"

For the first time, something flickered in his gaze—something raw.

"I want you alive," he said simply.

Selene faltered.

He said it like it was the easiest truth in the world.

Like it wasn't up for debate.

"You don't even know me," she whispered.

Ronan took a slow step closer, his voice low. "Yes, I do."

She swallowed hard.

The mate bond pulsed between them, thick and undeniable.

She hated this.

Hated that she felt drawn to him, despite everything.

She needed to fight it.

She needed to get out of here.

Her nails bit into her palms. "You're wasting your time," she said, voice shaking with defiance. "I will never be yours."

Ronan held her gaze, his expression unreadable.

Then, to her shock, he smiled.

"Good," he murmured.

Selene's breath caught.

"Good?" she echoed, confused.

Ronan reached out, his fingers brushing against her jaw for the briefest second.

"I don't want a queen who kneels," he said softly. "I want a queen who fights."

Selene's stomach twisted.

There was something dangerous about the way he looked at her.

Something that made her pulse race in a way she refused to acknowledge.

"Go back to bed, Selene," he said, stepping away. "You'll need your rest."

And just like that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there

, her heart pounding, her mind spinning.

Damn him.

Damn this bond.

She wouldn't fall for him.

She couldn't.

But a tiny voice in the back of her mind whispered—

What if you already are?