Chapter Two: A Love Unspoken

The torches lining the grand Bloodmoon pack house flickered against the night breeze, casting golden shadows across the towering stone walls. Inside, the air buzzed with excitement—pack members laughed, shared drinks, and whispered of the future. Tomorrow, Kieran Blackwood would officially be named Alpha, and the Bloodmoon Pack would enter a new era under his rule.

But Selene Nightshade stood at the edge of it all, watching from the sidelines, as she always had.

She traced the rim of her untouched glass of wine, feigning interest in the conversation happening around her. Dressed in an elegant black gown that clung to her slender frame, she knew she looked the part of someone who belonged here. And yet, the truth sat like a stone in her chest. She was not Bloodmoon by birth, only by the generosity of the man who raised her.

“You look like you’d rather be anywhere else.”

Selene glanced up, already knowing who it was before she met Kieran’s golden gaze. He stood beside her now, tall and broad-shouldered in his finely tailored black suit. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, exposing a sliver of his tanned skin. He looked every bit the Alpha he was about to become—poised, powerful, and impossibly magnetic.

And yet, here he was, speaking to her instead of basking in the adoration of his future pack.

Selene gave him a half-smile. “I didn’t realize my boredom was so obvious.”

Kieran’s lips curled, his eyes never leaving hers. “To them? No. To me?” He took a slow sip of his drink, voice dropping into something softer. “Always.”

Her breath caught for a moment—just a flicker—before she forced herself to laugh. “You always assume you know what I’m thinking.”

“That’s because I do.”

Her pulse stuttered at the quiet certainty in his tone.

And that was the dangerous thing about Kieran Blackwood.

He had always seen her—not just the girl who had been adopted into his family, not just the future Alpha’s sister in name. He had always seen her.

And some nights, like this one, it felt impossible to pretend that she didn’t see him too.

“Selene.”

His voice wrapped around her like a whisper, sending a shiver down her spine. She knew this dance well—the subtle glances, the stolen moments when the world faded away and it was just the two of them. The way he leaned in closer, as if he was fighting something inside himself.

And yet, neither of them ever crossed the invisible line between them.

Because they couldn’t.

Because they weren’t allowed to.

Before she could respond, Marcus approached, breaking whatever had been settling between them. “Kieran, your father is looking for you. They’re ready to discuss tomorrow’s ceremony.”

Kieran’s jaw tensed. He looked at Selene for a moment longer before nodding. “I’ll be there in a second.”

Marcus hesitated, glancing between them before walking away.

Selene exhaled, tearing her gaze away. “You should go.”

Kieran didn’t move.

For the briefest moment, she thought—hoped—he would say something, acknowledge what was between them, the thing neither of them dared name.

But instead, he just nodded. “Goodnight, Selene.”

And then he was gone.

Like always.

The Moonlit Lake

Later that night, long after the festivities had settled and most of the pack had retired, Selene found herself drawn to the forest, to the place where she could breathe. The trees stretched tall around her as she padded through the familiar path, her long skirts whispering against the earth.

The lake lay before her, bathed in moonlight, the water still and endless. It had always been her sanctuary.

She knelt by the water’s edge, dipping her fingers into the cool liquid, staring at the way the moon reflected against the surface.

“You’re here again.”

Selene didn’t flinch. She knew he would come.

She looked over her shoulder, and sure enough, Kieran stood there, watching her with the same intensity that had always unraveled her.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she murmured.

Kieran stepped closer. “And yet, I am.”

He wasn’t in his suit anymore—he had changed into a loose dark shirt and pants, his usual attire when he wanted to escape the weight of expectations. But the way he carried himself was still unmistakable—powerful, commanding, the very image of the Alpha he was destined to be.

Selene turned back to the lake. “Shouldn’t you be celebrating?”

Kieran moved beside her, crouching near the water, his presence too close, too warm. “Shouldn’t you?”

“I don’t have much to celebrate.”

Kieran’s gaze flickered to her. “Why do you always say things like that?”

Selene sighed, shaking her head. “Because it’s true.”

“No, it’s not.”

His voice was firm, but gentle. She turned to face him, only to realize just how close he was now.

And suddenly, the world shrank to just this moment—just him.

His eyes traced her face, lingering on her lips for just a second too long. “Selene…”

Her breath hitched. She didn’t know what he was about to say, but she knew it would ruin them both.

She forced a laugh, breaking the spell. “You should stop looking at me like that.”

Kieran didn’t move. “Like what?”

She swallowed. “Like you—”

Like you want to kiss me.

But she couldn’t say it. Because if she did, it would become real.

So she said nothing.

Kieran’s jaw clenched, as if he was fighting a war inside himself. Then, after a long, tense moment, he exhaled and pulled away.

“We should go back,” he murmured.

Selene nodded. “Yeah.”

And just like that, the moment was gone.

But the ache of it remained.

Because no matter how much they tried to pretend, there was no denying the truth.

This was more than just a bond of family.

More than just a childhood closeness.

This was something dangerous. Something neither of them could name.

A love unspoken.

But the problem with unspoken things was that they never truly disappeared.

And soon, this love—the one they tried so hard to ignore—would destroy everything.