Chapter 82

Selene

Phoenix and I never returned to the cabin. I couldn't go back, not after what happened there—the violence, the blood, the way I killed Zack so violently. He deserved it, every bit of it, but that doesn't erase the nightmare. I want to move forward, to start healing, but the weight of it still lingers in the back of my mind.

Since I wasn't well enough for the drive home, Phoenix found a hotel room for us in the nearest town that isn't crawling with rogues lusting for blood or any resemblance of territory.

Once we're in the room, everything feels quieter, safer. After the long shower washes away the grime and the blood from my skin, we make love again—slow and tender this time, like we're afraid all of this might slip away again. Phoenix takes his time tasting, savoring every inch of my body. Then, he fucks and makes me orgasm over and over again until we're both happy and satisfied.

Later, as we revel in our afterglow, Phoenix orders soup for me—something like that won't upset my stomach too much. I argued with him, saying I could eat more, but he insisted, and as always, he was right. The moment I swallow the first spoonful, I feel the queasiness twisting in my gut. Even something as simple as soup is a challenge to keep down.

We eat in a comfortable silence, the soft glow of the hotel room lamps casting a gentle warmth over the room. I lean back against Phoenix—soaking in his presence—the solid feel of his chest against my back, his scent wrapping around me like a sweet caress. For a while, I just listen to his heartbeat, steady and sure, grounding me in the here and now.

There's still so much I need to process, like how Phoenix is my second-chance mate. How could I not have known? It makes sense now—why I was always so drawn to him, even when he acted like an asshole just to push me away. There was always something pulling me towards him, but I just thought it was just his badboy persona, or the fact that he was my stepbrother and off-limits, so it just made me want him more.

But he's my true mate.

I just wonder how things will change between us when we get back. I know our relationship will be the same, but what about Phoenix's birthright to his father's pack? Eventually, he'll have to become Alpha and that means I will become his...Luna.

Shit. Do I even want that?

My thoughts are interrupted by Phoenix gently taking my bowl out of my hand and placing it on the nightstand.

"How are you feeling?" His voice is soft, his lips pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

I laugh lightly. "Is there really a point of asking that when you can feel everything I feel?"

"Yes," he murmurs, amusement lacing his voice, "because I still want to hear you say it."

I smile at that, pausing for a moment to really think about how I feel right now. "I feel...alive again," I respond quietly. "I almost gave up hope after he killed Kate. I accepted that I was never going to see you again, and now—being here with you—it doesn't feel real. I keep thinking I'll wake up, and this will all have been a dream."

He pulls me closer, his hand sliding over my arms in a soothing gesture. "I'm here, baby. I'm here, and I'm never letting you go again."

I close my eyes, letting his words wash over me. "Please tell me I'm not going to wake up and find myself still in that fucking cabin with Zack," I whisper, my voice shaking slightly.

He holds me tighter, his lips brushing against the back of my head. "You'll never see him again, Selene. You made sure of that. You're safe with me now."

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I wipe them away quickly. "I gave him an easy death, Phoenix. He didn't deserve that."

"He didn't," Phoenix agrees, his voice low. "But I'm just glad that piece of shit is dead. Yeah, I didn't get to torture him the way I wanted to, but how can I not be proud that my amazing mate killed him herself?"

I can't help but smile, warmth spreading through my chest. He's proud of me.

Later, when we're lying in bed, my heading resting on Phoenix's chest, I absentmindedly run my fingers through his beard. "Does the rest of the pack know?" I ask quietly, not sure if I'm really ready to face them all.

"No," Phoenix replies. "Only a few people—Dad kept it contained. But your mom knows, and your friends. They'll be waiting for us when we get back tomorrow."

The thought of my mom makes my throat tighten. She must have been so worried, especially after everything with Philip and now finding out that her daughter was abducted by her ex-mate. It's a lot for anyone to handle, and I can only imagine what she's been going through.

What all of them have been going through with me missing.

"Is it really safe for my mom to come back?" I ask, glancing up at Phoenix.

His jaw tenses. "Not really, but she insisted. Your aunt couldn't hold her there any longer."

Fuck. What if Philip ends up punishing her for leaving in the first place? Or the Devils try to kill her when they find out she's back? We still don't really know what's going on, or what Philip is capable of. There's already the possibility that he killed Phoenix's mom.

"Shh," Phoenix murmurs, sensing my anxiety. "You need to rest. We'll figure everything else out when the time comes, but for now, my only focus is you. You need to heal for me."

He's right. My body aches, exhaustion pulling at every muscle, every bone. I haven't truly slept in days, and now that I'm finally safe, it's like the weight of everything has crashed down on me all at once. I still have that lingering doubt that this is all a dream, but as my eyes flutter closed, I let myself believe that I'm safe.

"Good night, my little wolf," Phoenix whispers, his voice the last thing I hear before I drift into the darkness of sleep.