(Selene's POV)
The moon had always been my solace. Its light, cold and unwavering, had watched over me since childhood, a constant witness to every secret I dared not speak. But tonight, its light felt different. Thinner. As though the moon itself was watching me with fear.
I sat by the window, breath fogging against the glass, watching the red shimmer pulse faintly beneath my skin. It began days ago, a faint warmth in my veins, like a heartbeat that wasn't mine. But tonight, it throbbed violently, spreading across my arm in threads of crimson light.
I pressed my hand against my chest and felt it, the echo of him.
Lucien.
His name used to sound like temptation. Now it tasted like poison.
The air around me rippled faintly, the candle flames bending toward the center of the room as if drawn by invisible gravity. I whispered, "You're not real."
A low chuckle brushed my ear. Not real? Then why does your pulse answer mine, little star?
