Lies Wrapped in Silk

The morning sun filtered in through the curtains, soft and golden. Selene had been awake long before it rose.

She never let herself sleep too deeply. That was how agents got killed.

Her ears caught every sound — the faint chirping of birds, the hum of conversation downstairs, the creak of the floorboards outside her room. She was already dressed and ready when the knock came again.

This time, it wasn't Maya.

"Come in," she said, her tone even.

The door opened and Kael stepped inside.

Selene hadn't expected to see him this early, and certainly not like this — wearing a simple black T-shirt, his hair still slightly damp, a clean scent clinging to his skin.

He looked…normal.

But nothing about him was normal.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, voice smooth.

"I slept," she replied.

His gaze swept over her like a scan. Calculating. Curious.

"You're a light sleeper."

She didn't deny it.

Kael walked closer, slow and unthreatening, though there was no hiding the quiet dominance in the way he moved. He was a leader, even in silence.

"I want to show you something," he said. "Will you come with me?"

Selene hesitated for half a second before nodding.

He led her through the halls of the pack house — high ceilings, thick carpets, framed portraits of past alphas. Everything about this place screamed legacy. Power. Control.

They stepped outside into a courtyard where a few young wolves were training. A teenage boy tackled another to the ground, both laughing. A girl no older than fourteen shifted mid-run, her fur sleek and silver, before shifting back just as easily.

Selene's face didn't change, but her heart beat faster.

She hadn't expected to see this kind of peace. Not here.

Kael watched her closely. "This is what I protect. What we fight for."

She crossed her arms. "And what does this have to do with me?"

Kael turned toward her. "I don't know yet. But you're part of this now."

Selene raised an eyebrow. "Because I crossed your border? Or because of the bond?"

His lips curved faintly. "Both."

She looked away. "I didn't ask for either."

"But you're here. And that means something."

Selene hated how her stomach twisted at his words.

"Come," he said again. "There's more."

They walked deeper into the pack lands. Through a narrow path flanked by trees and tall grass. The wind carried the smell of pine and earth, the sound of distant howls blending with the rustling leaves.

He stopped at a cliffside clearing that overlooked the valley below. From here, the BloodMoon territory stretched for miles — rivers, forests, fields glowing under the morning sun.

"It's beautiful," she admitted, unable to help herself.

Kael looked at her, not the view. "So are you."

Her guard shot up instantly.

"Don't do that," she said sharply.

"What?"

"Don't flirt with me. Don't act like we're something we're not."

Kael didn't look offended. He stepped closer.

"You're right. We're not something."

His voice dropped to a near whisper.

"We're everything."

Selene's breath caught in her throat.

He was dangerous. Not just because of his strength, but because of the way he looked at her. Like he saw past the lies.

She turned away, masking the tremble in her hands. "You don't know me."

"Then tell me."

Selene paused.

A skilled spy knew how to balance truth and fiction. Give enough honesty to build trust, but never enough to reveal the mission.

"I've been alone for a long time," she said quietly. "Moving from pack to pack. No one wanted me. No one trusted a rogue."

Kael's expression darkened. "I don't care what they said. You're not just a rogue."

She looked him in the eye. "Then what am I?"

Kael stepped closer, their faces inches apart.

"My mate."

There it was again, that word. That truth she couldn't change.

Selene forced herself to smile. Soft. Timid. The smile of someone beginning to believe.

But inside, she was calculating.

He believed her story — at least enough to keep her close. That was all she needed.

Kael reached out and gently brushed a leaf from her hair. She didn't flinch.

His touch was warm. Gentle.

Disarming.

Too disarming.

He leaned in slightly. "You should come to tonight's gathering. The pack will want to meet you."

She kept her voice steady. "I'll think about it."

Kael gave her one last look, then turned and walked away.

As soon as he was gone, Selene let out a slow breath and pulled the small comm crystal from her pocket. It was barely larger than a coin, hidden in the lining of her cloak.

She whispered into it.

"Phase One complete. He trusts me."

There was a long pause, then a voice crackled softly from the other end.

"Good. Stay close. We need eyes on the Alpha. Do not get distracted."

Selene stared into the valley again. The wind tangled her hair.

Too late for that.

She was already distracted.

But she couldn't afford to be.

Not when BloodMoon's future depended on her failure.