11

Chapter 11 – The Edge of the Hunt

Ronan's POV

The moment Selene's scent hit him again, Ronan knew she hadn't gone far.

She had run—like he knew she would. She had fought for every inch of her escape, clawed her way through the forest, and thrown herself into the freezing river as if it could truly sever the bond between them.

But she was still within his reach.

And he would not stop until he had her back.

Ronan stood at the river's edge, his sharp gaze scanning the dark forest beyond. The wind howled through the trees, rustling the leaves like whispered taunts. His body was still damp from the chase, his shirt clinging to his skin, but he hardly noticed the cold.

He only noticed her.

Selene.

His little wolf.

A dangerous smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

She thought she had escaped.

She thought she was free.

But this was far from over.

Ronan exhaled slowly, letting the night settle around him. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, inhaling deeply. The scents of the rogue lands filled his senses—damp earth, the lingering metallic tang of blood from past battles, the musk of the wild wolves that roamed these lands.

And then, beneath it all—her.

Faint. Lingering. A ghost of her presence still clinging to the air.

Ronan's eyes snapped open, glowing gold in the darkness.

Selene was moving fast. She had a head start, but he was patient.

And he was faster.

The hunt had only just begun.

---

The Silent Pursuit

Ronan didn't run after her immediately.

Selene expected that. She expected him to come crashing through the forest like an unstoppable force, chasing her down with brute strength.

But he wouldn't give her what she expected.

Instead, he moved like a shadow.

Silent. Calculated.

The rogue lands stretched before him, vast and wild. This was his territory. He had memorized every inch of it, every hidden path, every advantage the land could offer.

Selene was strong. Fierce. Cunning.

But she was unfamiliar with these lands.

And that would be her downfall.

His steps were deliberate as he stalked forward, eyes scanning the terrain. Broken branches. A freshly disturbed patch of soil. The faintest imprint of a footprint, quickly fading.

She was moving east.

Toward the ruins.

Ronan tilted his head slightly.

Interesting choice.

The ruins were dangerous—filled with forgotten traps, unstable ground, and creatures that lurked in the shadows. Even the most hardened rogues avoided them.

But Selene wasn't just running blindly.

She was thinking.

She was trying to lead him somewhere he wouldn't follow.

A slow, dark chuckle rumbled in Ronan's chest.

Clever little wolf.

But not clever enough.

---

Selene's Gamble

Selene's breath burned in her lungs as she forced herself forward.

The night was merciless, the wind biting against her soaked skin, her muscles screaming with exhaustion. But she couldn't stop.

Not yet.

She had one chance.

One gamble.

The ruins.

She had seen them earlier when she first scouted the rogue lands—a vast, crumbling structure swallowed by time and decay. It was dangerous, unpredictable.

But that's exactly why she needed to go there.

Ronan was a predator.

He hunted with patience, tracking her every move with terrifying precision. She had to disrupt that. She had to force his instincts to work against him.

If she could get deep enough into the ruins, she could hide.

Or at the very least, buy herself time.

Her legs ached, her body screaming for rest, but she pushed forward. The jagged remains of stone walls loomed ahead, covered in vines and shadows.

Almost there.

She stumbled slightly as she climbed over a fallen pillar, her fingers scraping against rough stone. The ruins stretched in all directions, the remnants of an ancient world forgotten by time.

She inhaled sharply, her ears straining.

Silence.

No growl.

No footsteps.

No Ronan.

For the first time since the chase began, she allowed herself a single breath of relief.

Maybe she had actually lost him.

Maybe—

A twig snapped.

Selene's stomach dropped.

Then—

A voice, low and smooth, slid through the night.

"Bold move, little wolf."

Selene whirled around, heart hammering.

Ronan stood at the edge of the ruins, bathed in moonlight, his golden eyes locked onto hers.

Unshaken. Unbothered.

Like he had expected this.

Like he had been waiting.

Selene's breath hitched.

No.

How?

She had been careful. She had chosen the most unpredictable path.

And still—he found her.

Ronan stepped forward, slow and deliberate, his powerful frame cutting through the ruins with effortless grace. His presence filled the space, suffocating, inescapable.

Selene took a step back.

Ronan's smirk deepened.

"You led me right where I wanted you."

Selene's blood ran cold.

No.

That wasn't possible.

This was her plan.

This was her choice.

But the way he looked at her—the quiet amusement in his gaze, the slow, confident way he moved—she realized the truth.

Ronan had never lost her.

Not for a second.

Every step she took, every turn she made, he had been guiding her. Herding her. Letting her think she had control.

And now—she was trapped.

Selene's nails dug into her palms.

She would not let him win.

Not without a fight.

"You talk too much," she spat.

Ronan grinned. "You love it."

Selene lunged.

Faster than before. More desperate. More deadly.

But Ronan was ready.

He caught her wrist mid-strike, his grip unyielding. She twisted, trying to break free, but his strength was overwhelming.

She barely had time to gasp before he pulled her forward—slamming her back against a stone wall.

The impact stole her breath.

Ronan's body caged her in, his heat a stark contrast to the cold stone. His grip held her firm, his golden eyes dark with something unreadable.

Something dangerous.

Selene's chest heaved, rage and defiance burning in her veins.

"Why?" she hissed. "Why won't you just let me go?"

Ronan exhaled sharply.

Then—

His hand lifted, fingers grazing the curve of her jaw, his touch almost gentle.

Selene froze.

His voice was lower now, rougher.

"Because you're mine."

Her heart stopped.

The words wrapped around her, binding her tighter than any chains.

Ronan's gaze never wavered.

He meant it.

And that terrified her more than anything.

Selene swallowed hard, her pulse pounding in her ears.

She should fight.

She should push him away.

But her body betrayed her, rooted in place by the weight of his presence, the heat of his touch.

For a brief moment—just a heartbeat—she forgot to breathe.

Ronan's lips parted, as if he was about to say something more—

Then—

A howl split the night.

Sharp. Piercing.

Not his rogues.

Not his wolves.

Something else.

Ronan's eyes darkened.

Selene's stomach twisted.

They were no longer alone.

And this hunt—was far from over.

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