Chapter 24Selene
Chapter
Twenty-Four
SELENE
I wake with a start, my body trembling, the echoes of the nightmare still clinging to my mind like cobwebs. My chest is tight, and for a moment, I can’t tell if it’s the ache from the dream or the lingering aftershocks of last night that make it hard to breathe. The room is still, the faint rustle of the forest outside muted by the weight in my chest.
I press a hand to my heart, as if I can calm the frantic rhythm beneath my palm. It was just a dream. But the sting of it still lingers—the memory of Ryan’s rejection, the shame, the crushing weight of feeling like I wasn’t enough. And now, the fresh wound of Adrian’s choice layers on top of it, sharp and raw.
The pleasure he gave me is still there, humming faintly beneath my skin, but it feels hollow now. Unfinished. I shift under the blankets, trying to chase the sensation, but all I find is frustration. Why didn’t he finish it? Why didn’t he claim me fully? I was so close, desperate for him to take me, to make me feel something real, and instead... instead, he left me aching.
And worse—he drugged me into sleep, like I was some child to be pacified.
The thought twists something inside me, a mix of anger and confusion. Was it me? Did he think I wasn’t worth it? That I couldn’t handle him? The insecurities from my nightmare creep in, the ghost of Ryan’s voice whispering in the back of my mind. I’m just not into that.
I close my eyes, my fists curling in the sheets. For a moment, I let myself spiral, let the echoes of rejection and inadequacy swirl together into a storm that threatens to consume me.
But then, something shifts. A spark flares deep inside me, cutting through the haze of doubt.
I’m not that girl anymore.
The realization is quiet at first, a soft murmur beneath the noise of my insecurities. But it grows, gaining strength, steadying me. I’m not the girl who sat on her bed, begging a boy to stay. I’m not the girl who let herself be defined by someone else’s choices, someone else’s judgment.
I sit up, the luxurious sheets pooling around my waist as I let the events of last night swirl in my mind. Adrian’s command— “You will obey me” —still sends a rush of heat through me, but now it’s mixed with something else: determination. He knew exactly what he was doing. He wanted to leave me wanting, to remind me of his control.
But I won’t beg. Not for him. Not for Ryan. Not for anyone.
I am more than their games. I’ve survived rejection. I’ve survived shame. And now, I’m starting to realize I might be capable of more than I ever imagined. Whatever Adrian’s reasons for holding back, they don’t define me. I define me.
As the first light of dawn creeps through the window, I throw the blankets off and swing my legs over the side of the bed. My body still hums with the remnants of last night, my skin flushed with heat, but my mind is clear now. If Adrian wants to play games, let him.
I’m done waiting for someone else to decide my worth.
I glance out the window and realize it’s twilight. The soft glow of the fading sun filters through the room, casting long shadows across the manor. I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and stand, the cool floor beneath my feet grounding me. My body feels heavy, the weight of frustration and need thick in my chest, and there’s only one way to deal with it.
I’m going to find Adrian.
With purpose, I slip out of my room and pad quietly through the grand hallways of the manor. Every inch of this place feels old, filled with secrets and magic that hums in the air. I pass room after room, each one grander than the last, but my thoughts are solely on him.
It takes me a while, but eventually, I find the room I’m looking for. The door is slightly ajar, and beyond it, I hear the faint sound of movement. I hesitate for just a second, my heart racing with a mix of anger and anticipation, before I push the door open and step inside.
Adrian is there, standing by the window, his back to me as he gazes out at the twilight. His posture is relaxed, his silhouette bathed in the fading light. He doesn’t turn around, but I know he senses me. I can feel it, the tension sparking in the air between us.
“You denied me,” I say, my voice sharper than I intended. It feels strange to confront him so boldly, but the frustration bubbling up inside me refuses to be silenced.
Adrian finally turns, his gaze sliding lazily over me, a slow, dangerous smile curling his lips. "Denied you?" he repeats, his voice smooth, amused. "I gave you exactly what you needed, siren . You slept peacefully, didn’t you?"
I narrow my eyes, stepping closer, my pulse pounding in my ears. "You know that’s not what I’m talking about."
His smile widens, dark amusement flickering in his eyes as he watches me approach. "Is that so?" He tilts his head, the picture of calm control. "You were... overwrought. I simply ensured that you wouldn’t be consumed by your desires too quickly. Wouldn’t want to burn too hot too soon, would we?"
Anger flares inside me, but it’s tempered by something else. The way he’s looking at me, like I’m a puzzle he’s just waiting to solve, sends a thrill through me. I stop a few feet away from him, my chest heaving with a mix of frustration and need. "You enjoyed denying me," I accuse.
He arches a brow, clearly pleased with himself. "Perhaps. But I told you before, Selene, the game is much sweeter when it’s played slowly. I wasn’t about to let you have everything all at once."
A flush spreads across my cheeks, remembering how desperate I had been for his touch, for him. The memory makes my anger burn hotter, but there’s no denying the other emotion underneath it—desire. It simmers between us, crackling in the air.
"I wasn't asking for it all," I hiss, even though we both know I did. He sees right through the lie, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement.
"No?" Adrian steps toward me, closing the distance between us in a heartbeat. "Then why are you here now, siren ? Still unsatisfied? Still needing more?" His voice drops, becoming a low, sensual murmur. "It will be much sweeter this time, won’t it? Because you came to me, asking for it."
I swallow hard, my body betraying me again as heat rushes through me. I hate how much he affects me, how much I want him even now, but I can’t stop it. Can’t stop the pull between us.
He reaches out, his hand cupping my chin, his thumb brushing over my lower lip in a slow, teasing motion. "Admit it," he whispers, his eyes locked on mine. "You want this. You want me to take you."
My breath hitches, and I know I’m losing this battle. His touch, his voice, everything about him is intoxicating, pulling me under like a tide I can’t escape. I should push him away, I should leave... but I can’t. I don’t want to.
“You were cruel,” I manage to say, my voice trembling as his thumb presses against my lip, just hard enough to make my breath hitch. “Leaving me like that.”
Adrian’s smile darkens, but there’s a flicker of something else in his eyes—something I can’t quite place. He leans in, his lips grazing my ear, his voice a low, seductive whisper. “Perhaps,” he breathes, his words hot against my skin. “But you came back to me, didn’t you? And now, here you are. Begging me again.”
His words send a shiver down my spine, but this time, I don’t let them unravel me. The memory of the nightmare, the shame of rejection, flashes through my mind like a warning. I’ve begged before, and it left me broken. Not this time.
“I’m not begging,” I say, the defiance clear in my voice. I lift my chin, meeting his gaze head-on, the trembling in my body replaced by steady resolve. “I’m here because I want to be. But I won’t beg for you. Not for anyone.”
Adrian freezes, his thumb still against my lip. His dark eyes search mine, and for a moment, the air between us shifts. The smirk fades, replaced by something quieter, deeper. His hand moves to cup my face, his thumb brushing against my cheek with surprising gentleness.
“There’s a pain in your eyes,” he murmurs, his voice softer now, almost reverent. “A pain that wasn’t there before. But I want you to know something.”
I swallow hard, his gaze pinning me in place. “What?”
“Begging doesn’t make you weak,” he says, his thumb stroking the curve of my jaw. “It makes you strong. It means you know what you want, and you’re not afraid to go after it. It means you’ve surrendered to something greater than yourself.”
The words hit me like a jolt, cutting through the barriers I’ve spent so long building. My chest tightens, and I try to look away, but his hand keeps me still, his thumb tilting my chin back so I can’t escape his gaze.
“Let that pain go,” Adrian continues, his voice low but firm. “Surrender to it. Because until you do, you’ll never truly feel what it means to be free.”
For a moment, all I can do is stare at him, my heart pounding so loudly I’m sure he can hear it. His words terrify me, not because they’re cruel, but because they’re true. And somewhere, deep inside, I know he’s right.
I let out a shaky breath, my resistance crumbling like ash. Slowly, I tilt my head back, exposing my neck in a silent invitation. “Adrian...” I whisper, the word barely audible.
A low, satisfied hum escapes his throat as his hand slides to the back of my neck, pulling me closer. “That’s it,” he murmurs, his lips brushing against mine in a teasing, almost cruel way. “Good girl.”
This time, there’s no hesitation, no restraint. His mouth crashes down on mine, claiming me with a hunger that sets my blood on fire. The kiss is all-consuming, a storm that sweeps away everything else, leaving only the raw, unrelenting pull between us.
I feel his control slip, his need matching my own, and for the first time, I don’t fight the surrender. I lean into it, letting the fire consume us both.