Chapter 10 — The Last Request
The rain fell throughout the night.
Heavy drops beat against the windows of Ferrum's fortress, turning the sky into a gray blanket that seemed never to end.
Selene watched the storm from the balcony of her chambers.
She couldn't sleep.
Lately, sleep had become a stranger.
Whenever she closed her eyes, she felt something moving inside her.
Something ancient.
Something powerful.
Something that wanted to awaken.
And her body seemed to be fighting it.
The exhaustion remained.
The fevers returned.
The tremors appeared without warning.
But the worst part wasn't the physical pain.
It was the loneliness.
Liam still shared the same bed.
He still said he loved her.
He still held her whenever he could.
But he no longer seemed to truly be by her side.
And Selene was beginning to accept a painful truth.
Love and trust weren't the same thing.
The next morning, Ferrum received troubling news.
Two more outposts had been attacked by warriors from Falgor.
The fortress went on alert.
Messengers rushed through the corridors.
Guards ran back and forth.
And the council called an emergency meeting.
Another one.
Selene already knew how it would end.
Hours of arguments.
Hours of praise for Ravenna.
Hours of Liam's silence.
Even so, she attended.
Because she was still Ferrum's Luna.
Or at least she tried to believe she was.
The central hall was packed.
Elders.
Commanders.
Betas.
Representatives of the allied packs.
Liam occupied the central seat.
Ravenna was on his left.
Selene on his right.
The meeting began with talk of war.
But it didn't take long for it to veer in another direction.
“We need to strengthen our alliances,” one of the elders said.
“I agree.”
“Ferrum needs to project stability.”
Another councilor nodded.
“Especially now.”
The gazes around the table began to shift.
Selene felt her stomach tighten.
She already knew what was coming next.
And she was right.
“A strong pack needs strong leadership.”
“And heirs.”
“And a Luna capable of inspiring confidence.”
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Awkward.
Cruel.
Ravenna remained quiet.
As always.
Letting everyone else do the work for her.
Selene turned to Liam.
Waiting.
For just one word.
A defense.
A show of support.
Anything.
But Liam continued studying the maps on the table.
As if he hadn't heard.
Or worse.
As if he had heard and chosen to ignore it.
Something inside her broke.
Once again.
The meeting ended around dusk.
Selene left without saying a word.
Without looking at anyone.
Without waiting for Liam.
She needed to breathe.
She needed to escape that place.
She went to the gardens.
The same gardens where she had once found peace.
The same gardens where everything had seemed simpler.
But now, even that place carried painful memories.
“Running away again?”
Ravenna's voice came from behind her.
Selene closed her eyes.
She didn't have the strength for this.
Not that day.
“What do you want?”
“Just a conversation.”
“You never want just a conversation.”
Ravenna approached slowly.
A satisfied smile played on her lips.
“Do you know what I admire most about you?”
Selene didn't answer.
“Your persistence.”
Because any other woman would have given up by now.
Selene turned around.
“And any other woman would have been thrown out for acting the way you do.”
Ravenna laughed.
“But I'm not just any woman.”
“That’s true.”
The smile vanished.
“Be careful.”
“Or what?”
“You still think you can win.”
Selene watched her in silence.
“No.”
Ravenna arched an eyebrow.
“No?”
“I’m not competing with you.”
The answer seemed to irritate her.
For the first time.
“Then why are you still here?”
Selene took a few seconds to answer.
When she spoke, her voice was low.
Painful.
Honest.
“Because I love my mate.”
Something flickered in Ravenna's eyes.
Something resembling envy.
But it disappeared quickly.
“Then you're trapped in a useless hope.”
That night, Liam finally returned to their chambers early.
He found Selene sitting near the fireplace.
The fire softly illuminated her face.
She looked tired.
More than ever.
And that worried him.
“We need to talk.”
Selene let out a small laugh.
“Finally.”
Liam sat down across from her.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then he took a deep breath.
“Things are difficult.”
“I noticed.”
“Selene...”
“No.”
“Now you're going to listen to me.”
Liam fell silent.
And she continued.
“I spent two years believing that we would face anything together.”
Her voice trembled.
But she didn't look away.
“I left everything behind for you.”
“My pack.”
“My life.”
“Everything.”
Liam lowered his head.
“I know.”
“No.”
“You don't know.”
“Because if you did, you wouldn't stay silent every time someone humiliates me.”
Those words struck him.
Hard.
Directly.
“I’m trying to protect Ferrum.”
“And who's protecting me?”
The silence answered for him.
Selene felt tears gather in her eyes.
But she continued.
“I don't need you to fight the council.”
“I don't need you to stand against all of them.”
“I just need you to stand by my side.”
Liam closed his eyes.
Because he knew.
He knew exactly where he had failed.
“Selene...”
“I just needed you to believe in me.”
The pain in her voice was worse than any scream.
Much worse.
Because it was real.
Because it was sincere.
Because he had no answer.
Later, after Liam fell asleep, Selene remained awake.
Sitting by the window.
Watching the moon.
Her hands trembled.
Her heart did too.
Then Ailyn appeared.
Closer than ever.
Stronger.
More alive.
“You're suffering.”
“I know.”
“They're breaking you.”
“I know.”
Ailyn remained silent for a few moments.
Then she spoke:
“You don't belong to this suffering.”
Selene closed her eyes.
“I belong to Liam.”
The presence seemed to hesitate.
“You love Liam.”
“But you don't belong to his pain.”
The words echoed.
Deeply.
Painfully.
“I don't want to lose him.”
“Then fight.”
“I'm tired of fighting alone.”
Ailyn didn't answer.
Because there was no answer to that.
The next morning, Selene woke before dawn.
The room was still dark.
Liam slept beside her.
For the first time in a long while, she watched him without anger.
Without resentment.
Only with sadness.
Because she still loved him.
Maybe she always would.
But a truth was beginning to take shape inside her.
A truth that was impossible to ignore.
If everything continued that way...
If Liam continued choosing silence...
If Ravenna continued winning...
She wouldn't be able to remain in Ferrum.
And for the first time, the idea of leaving no longer seemed impossible.
It began to seem necessary.