Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Selene
I wouldn’t have gotten tangled in the stupid shower curtain if not for the persistent knocking on the door. But of all the things I expected, having Seth barge into my bathroom was not on the list.
And the gall he had to look offended about my not falling all over myself to have him rescue me from the big, evil shower curtain made me want to scream at him even more. It took me ten minutes after he left—and a nasty bump on the head—to escape from the bathroom.
Stupid jerk! Why did he have to break into my quarters? Who does he think he is?
I rub the tender spot on my skull where I knocked it into the towel rack, but honestly? I’m still smiling. Even Seth’s ridiculous intrusion can’t dampen my mood today.
The absence of that constant ache in my chest is like walking on air. I keep waiting for it to return—the pull toward Seth, the desperate longing that made me feel pathetic and small. But there’s nothing. Just blessed, wonderful emptiness where all that pain used to live.
I’m free.
I have three days off to recover from healing the injured man in the forest, and I plan to make the most of them. No dwelling on what happened with Seth or watching him from across rooms. Just me, enjoying the crisp, autumn air and the freedom from wanting someone who despises me.
The palace gardens are perfect this time of year.
Golden leaves drift down from the trees, and the late morning sun feels warm despite the cool breeze.
I find my favorite bench tucked between the herb garden and the rose bushes, a quiet spot where I can sit and simply exist without anyone expecting anything from me.
I close my eyes and tilt my face toward the sun, letting its warmth seep into my skin. Birds chirp in the branches above me, and somewhere in the distance, I can hear the fountain bubbling peacefully. This is exactly what I needed—solitude, quiet, and the simple pleasure of life.
“Well, if it isn’t the little healer who saved me.”
The voice is smooth, cultured, and completely unexpected. A shadow falls across my face, blocking the sunlight. I open my eyes and look up to find a man standing before me.
The moment our gazes meet, electricity shoots through my entire body. My wolf springs to life with a suddenness that steals my breath, recognition flooding through every cell.
Oh, crap. What is he doing here?
Dark, wavy hair. Chocolate brown eyes. Strong jaw and aristocratic features that belong on a painting rather than a person.
He’s tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in luxurious clothes that mark him as nobility.
But it’s not his looks that make my heart slam against my ribs—it’s the way my wolf is practically howling with joy at the sight of him.
“Y–you’ve got the wrong person,” I stammer, already starting to rise from the bench despite my wolf’s protests. “I think you’re confused.”
But the moment I stand up, the man’s hand closes gently around my arm. Not painfully, not restraining me exactly, but firm enough to keep me from fleeing.
“No,” he says, his voice carrying absolute certainty with a hint of amusement. “I know I’ve got the right person because my wolf happens to be getting a little too excited.”
I sink back down onto the bench, my legs suddenly too weak to support me. “Wha–What do you want?”
“Your name, for one,” he asks, taking a seat beside me, close enough that I can smell his cologne—something expensive and masculine that makes my wolf stir restlessly.
“Selene,” I whisper, the word barely audible.
“Selene.” He repeats it like he’s tasting something sweet. “I’m Zane. Zane Radrick.”
He’s handsome. Not like Seth, who has a rugged air to him. This man is good looking in a groomed yet rakish manner.
“I wanted to thank you,” he says simply. “For saving my life.”
His fingers have wrapped around a strand of my hair, and for the life of me, I can’t stop my heart from beating so hard that it feels like it’s about ready to burst out of my chest.
I shake my head, trying to collect myself. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
When I move to leave again, he speaks in a low voice that stops me cold.
“I also wanted to get to know my fated mate.”
I stop halfway to my feet, then slowly turn to look at him over my shoulder. The expression in his dark eyes makes my breath hitch. There’s no disgust there, no anger, no resentment. Just gentle acceptance, as if being here with me is all he wants.
It’s so different from how Seth always looked at me—like I was a burden, a mistake, something to be endured rather than embraced.
“I’m no one remarkable,” I murmur, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.
His hand finds mine, warm and steady. “You’re my fated mate,” he says with a dazzling smile. “You’re the most remarkable woman in the world to me.”
The simple honesty in his voice makes me freeze completely. No one has ever said anything like that to me before.
He pats the spot beside him. “Would you like to sit with me?”
I slowly perch on the bench, maintaining a careful distance between us. My wolf is restless now, pacing in my mind with an energy I’m not sure I’m ready to feel.
“You seem troubled,” he observes, studying my face with gentle concern. “What’s wrong?”
Everything, I think. This whole situation is wrong.
Fated mates are supposed to be rare, special, once-in-a-lifetime connections.
You don’t get two of them. It’s impossible.
It’s almost like my connection to Seth has been swapped with this one to Zane.
Has that ever happened before? Wouldn’t Seth have said something about it?
He should have felt it if our connection severed.
My confusion doesn’t bother my wolf. She’s practically purring at Zane’s proximity, responding to him with the same intensity she once felt for Seth. Maybe even more.
His presence washes over me like a warm blanket, erasing every worry that was spinning through my mind just moments ago. My confusion about having two fated mates, the impossibility of it all—none of that seems to matter when I’m looking into his chocolate brown eyes.
“I understand this may be overwhelming,” Zane says softly, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “But I’d very much like to get to know you, if you’ll allow me to.”
The gentleness in his voice is such a stark contrast to Seth’s harsh words in the forest. No one has ever asked for my permission like this, never treated my feelings as something that mattered.
“I…” I start, then find myself nodding. “I’d like that, too.”
His smile is brilliant, transforming his already handsome features into something that makes my insides tingle. “Tell me about yourself. Your family?”
I settle more comfortably on the bench, still maintaining some distance but no longer poised to flee. “I come from a family of healers. My parents, my siblings—they’re all much more talented than I am.”
“I doubt that,” Zane says with conviction that surprises me. “You saved my life with your healing. That was no small feat.”
“I’m really not very skilled,” I protest, but he shakes his head.
“You’re being modest.” His fingers find another strand of my auburn hair and twirl it gently. The gesture should make me feel like he’s being presumptuous, but instead, it sends warmth spreading through my chest. “What else? What do you enjoy doing when you’re not healing people?”
“I like reading. Spending time in the gardens.” I find myself relaxing with his attention, the way he listens as if every word I say matters. “I’m not very interesting, I’m afraid.”
“Reading is a very attractive trait,” he replies, still playing with my hair. “Intelligence is beautiful.”
I can’t help but smile despite the heat creeping up my cheeks. “You’re very good with your words.”
“Only when I’m properly inspired,” he says with a grin that makes my wolf rumble with satisfaction.
The sound of footsteps makes me look up, and irritation flares through me instantly.
Seth is marching toward us across the garden, his face thunderous, green eyes blazing with fury. His jaw is set in that dangerous way that means someone’s about to get hurt, and every line of his body radiates barely controlled rage.
Of course he has to ruin this moment. Can’t I have one peaceful conversation without him showing up to make everything worse?
Zane looks at Seth, too, and there’s something almost predatory in the smile he gives him, despite its charm.
He takes my hand, his fingers intertwining with mine in a gesture that feels both protective and possessive. The contact sends heat shooting up my arm, and my wolf hums with contentment.
Seth reaches us with a low growl emanating from his chest. “What the hell are you doing?” he demands, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that should make the mate bond flare to life.
But it doesn’t.
“Selene…” Seth grabs my wrist and yanks me to my feet, his grip tight enough to bruise.
Before I can even process what’s happening, Zane jumps up and pulls me back against his chest with one arm. I lean into his embrace, my heart hammering as I find myself caught between the two men.
“Commander Rowan,” Zane says, his voice pleasant but with an edge of displeasure. “What exactly do you want?”
“This is a private matter between me and Selene,” Seth snarls, his eyes never leaving my face.
Zane’s arm tightens around my waist, pulling me closer against his side. “There are no private matters between you and Selene, Commander.”
Seth’s eyes narrow dangerously. “And why is that?”
“I’m a jealous man, you see,” Zane says conversationally, though there’s steel beneath the polite words. “I don’t particularly like other men talking to my fated mate.”
Seth goes completely still, his expression shifting from anger to utter bewilderment. “What?” The word comes out strangled, like he can’t quite process what he’s hearing. “Your…what?”
“My fated mate,” Zane repeats calmly, as if he’s discussing the weather. “Selene.”