Chapter 6 When Refusal Becomes a Luxury

Selene

I stumbled back into Café like a ghost, my skin crawling with ice. What a fucking joke—thinking I could stay hidden when the universe seemed determined to expose me at every turn.

My vision blurred around the edges. I gripped the counter, knuckles turning white as I fought to stay upright. I needed to get back to our rented cabin. Now.

"Taking off early," I muttered to Martha, not waiting for her response.

The drive home stretched into eternity, each mile marked by the thundering of my heart. Dread coiled around my spine like a serpent, squeezing tighter with every breath. By the time I crashed through the front door, my hands shook violently—betraying the chaos within.

"Mom?" My voice cracked, thin as ice over a deep lake. I leaned against the doorframe, gravity suddenly my enemy.

Mom looked up from the design sketches sprawled across our small dining table—her makeshift office since landing the creative director position at the local design studio. The temperature plummeted as soon as I entered—my emotions manifesting in frost patterns along the baseboards. Her eyes immediately sharpened with concern.

"Selene? What happened?" She jumped to her feet.

I shook my head silently and dragged myself to my bedroom. The familiar depression in my mattress offered zero comfort as I collapsed onto its edge. Mom appeared beside me moments later, her presence the only anchor in my storm.

"Vortend is coming to the Winter Moon Ball," I whispered, the words burning like acid on my tongue.

Mom's sharp intake of breath shattered the silence. "Impossible. He would never step foot on Mist Mountain Pack territory. Our packs have been enemies for generations."

"Alpha Archer confirmed it himself." I rubbed my arms, trying to dispel the chill that had seeped into my marrow. Useless. "Black Pine Pack has accepted the invitation."

"Honey." Mom took my ice-cold hands between her warm ones, the contrast jarring. "You need to keep your distance from Alpha Archer. He's... calculating. His friendliness might just be a façade."

I sighed. "Everything we know about him comes from old pack rumors. He offered us sanctuary when we had nowhere else to go."

"Be careful," she insisted, eyes flashing with worry. "Whatever happens, you cannot interact with Vortend. In your condition..."

The unspoken words hung heavy in the air. The severed mate bond was an open, festering wound, and facing Vortend again might tear it wide open—especially now, when pregnancy made me more vulnerable than ever.

"Vivian told me something else," I admitted, meeting Mom's concerned gaze. "Vortend knows I'm pregnant."

Mom's expression hardened. "You think he's looking for you?"

"I don't know," I confessed, remembering the unsettling sensation of being watched that had plagued me since we'd considered fleeing the country. "But it's possible."

"Your ice abilities are a double-edged sword," Mom mused. "When you're emotional, the frost masks your Alpha Female scent."

I nodded, but kept my darkest fear buried inside. My health was deteriorating at an alarming rate, a fact I'd been desperately trying to hide. The hollow coldness that took root when Vortend severed our bond had been steadily growing, spreading like a shadow with each passing day of my pregnancy.

Later that afternoon, I sent Vivian an encrypted message, urging her to call when she could speak freely. When my phone finally vibrated, I snatched it up immediately.

"Tell me everything," I demanded, skipping pleasantries.

Vivian's voice came through clear and steady. "I'm as confused as you are. Why would Vortend suddenly agree to attend a formal event at Mist Mountain? The hostility between the packs has lasted decades."

"If Vortend is going," Vivian continued, "I can come with Jason. We can finally see each other in person."

"That's too risky," Mom interjected, having silently entered the room.

"I'll be careful," Vivian promised. "I miss you, Selene. I need to see with my own eyes that you're okay."

As twilight painted the valley in shadow, I headed to the local market, hoping the mundane task of grocery shopping would distract me. Between stalls, a winter apple with striking silver-red gradient caught my eye. Memories of Vortend rushed in unbidden. I could almost see him after his morning run, dark hair disheveled, sweat glistening on his skin as he bit into an apple just like this one. His deep amber eyes would be alive with energy...

"We meet again, Selene."

The mist around me suddenly thickened as Alpha Archer materialized from the fog. "Join me for dinner?" he asked, his hand landing on my arm. Mist swirled around us, creating an otherworldly ambiance.

I couldn't refuse without drawing unwanted attention. In his car, a soft, ethereal mist permeated the entire space. When he started the engine and asked what music I preferred, I answered "Classical" out of habit—a taste I once shared with Vortend.

He selected Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. As he leaned over to help with my seatbelt, his arm brushed against my chest. We both froze, and for a moment, his eyes flashed a misty white before returning to gray. I could hear his heartbeat accelerate, unspoken tension filling the air.

"Which pack did you come from originally?" he asked while driving. "Melanie said you're from a small northern pack, but you carry yourself differently."

"I studied in the city. Harvard and the social circles there influenced me." I lied.

He nodded, but the question left me unsettled. He was testing me!

"You're safe here," Archer said softly, covering my hand with his. His misty tendrils wrapped around my wrist. "I know you're running from your past. With the Mist Mountain Pack, you'll be protected."

Just when I thought I might relax marginally, he said, "My mother has fallen ill recently. I need help with decorations for the Winter Moon Ball. With so many Alphas attending, everything must be perfect. You understand the stakes, don't you?"

It wasn't a request. I gritted my teeth. "...Fine."

I sat there, knowing I was stepping into a dangerous game. With Vortend's arrival growing closer and Archer's interest intensifying, I needed to be more careful than ever. For my unborn child, I couldn't afford a single misstep.

Something feels wrong about all of this, my wolf Seraphina whispered in my mind. We need to be ready to run.

I silently agreed. The cold in my chest expanded, and I felt my baby shift restlessly within me. Time was running out.