Chapter 18

A Dangerous Proposition

Selene's heart pounded as she stood between two powerful forces, their energies crackling in the tense air. Alpha Kael's piercing silver eyes locked onto hers with an unreadable intensity, while Alpha Darius smirked, his dark aura radiating smug confidence. The battlefield was no longer just a matter of dominance—it was about her.

She clenched her fists. "I am not some prize to be won."

Darius chuckled darkly. "But, darling, you already are. You just don't realize it yet." His gaze flickered toward Kael. "Isn't that right, Alpha?"

Kael's jaw tightened, his muscles tensed as if barely restraining himself. "You don't get to speak her name, let alone decide her fate."

Darius' expression shifted, amusement laced with something deeper—something more dangerous. "Then let's make this interesting. A duel, right here, right now. The winner claims her."

Selene's blood ran cold. "Absolutely not!"

Kael stepped forward, his body a wall of muscle and fury. "You think I'd let you decide her fate? She belongs to no one."

Darius laughed. "Then fight me, Kael. Or are you afraid?"

Kael's fingers flexed at his sides. Selene could feel the rage vibrating through him. She knew he could win—Kael was stronger, faster. But Darius played dirty. And if she let them fight, someone could die.

"No," she said firmly. "There will be no fight over me."

Kael turned to her, his expression unreadable. "Selene—"

"No," she repeated. "This isn't about dominance or territory. I decide my own fate." She stepped forward, challenging Darius directly. "You want me? Then earn my loyalty."

Darius raised an eyebrow. "And how do you suggest I do that?"

"By proving you have something other than brute force. A leader doesn't win by claiming; he wins by deserving."

For the first time, Darius seemed taken aback. Kael, however, looked at her with a mixture of admiration and frustration.

"This isn't a game, Selene," Kael warned.

"It never was," she whispered.

The Shadows of Betrayal

That night, Selene paced inside Kael's quarters. The tension of the day clung to her like a second skin. Kael had stormed off after Darius finally left, but she knew he wouldn't stay away for long.

The door swung open. Kael stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable, his body taut with restrained fury.

"You could have gotten yourself killed today." His voice was low, dangerous.

Selene crossed her arms. "And you could have, too."

Kael moved fast. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of her, his hands gripping her waist, his breath hot against her skin. "You don't understand," he growled. "Darius doesn't play by the rules. If he can't have you one way, he'll take you another."

Selene's breath hitched. She wasn't afraid of Darius—not in the way Kael thought. But she was afraid of what his presence was doing to Kael, of the darkness stirring within him.

"You can't let him control you like this," she whispered. "If you let him, he wins."

Kael's fingers flexed against her skin, his grip possessive. "I can't lose you."

Something inside her cracked. She had spent so long guarding her heart, but with Kael, the walls were crumbling. "Then don't," she murmured.

His lips crashed against hers. It was a kiss of desperation, of frustration and longing. Fire ignited between them, the tension snapping like a taut rope finally giving way. She responded with equal fervor, her fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer.

But just as quickly as it started, Kael pulled away, his breathing ragged. "We can't."

Selene swallowed hard. "Why?"

"Because if I take you now, I won't stop. And I need you to be sure." His eyes burned with need, but beneath it was something else—something raw and vulnerable.

Selene exhaled. "Then let me decide."

Kael took a step back. "Not tonight." He brushed his fingers along her jaw. "But soon."

She didn't miss the promise in his voice.

Part 3: The Deal with the Devil

Elsewhere, deep in the heart of enemy territory, Darius sat in his grand hall, fingers drumming against the armrest of his throne. Across from him stood his Beta, a cruel smirk playing on his lips.

"She's a firecracker, that one," the Beta mused.

Darius chuckled. "Yes. And she'll be mine."

"But how do you plan to break her?"

Darius' smirk widened. "I don't need to break her. I just need to make her question."

His Beta tilted his head. "Kael is strong, Darius. He won't let her go easily."

Darius leaned forward. "That's the beauty of it. I don't need to take her by force." He smirked. "I just need to make her come to me willingly."

The Beta frowned. "And how do you plan to do that?"

Darius' eyes glowed with wicked amusement. "By showing her a truth Kael has never told her."

His words hung in the air like a sinister promise.

And so, the game began.