Selene's breath remained still, her senses heightened. The rustling in the bushes did not stop—it was slow, as if whoever lurked beyond was waiting for her.
She wiped at her damp cheeks hurriedly, collecting herself.
"Who's there?" she called, voice steady but cautious.
Silence.
Then, the sound of a step. Light but measured. Someone close, yet nowhere to be seen.
Selene stiffened, glancing toward the kittens curled beside their mother. She could not bear leave them—not yet.
Time was ticking, tension thickening—the unknown party still did not make a move. Until the bushes shifted violently, branches snapped under movement.
Her heart jumped, but whoever had been watching was gone now..atleast, for now.
Still, she could not shake the feeling—someone had seen her break.
Why did that person choose to hide themselves?
---
Meanwhile, miles away, beneath dim candlelight and the sickly sweet scent of perfume, Theodore sat rigid in a lounge that reeked of indulgence—and perhaps debauchery
The merchants surrounding him laughed boisterously, their glasses were always full, their pockets spilling coin as women draped themselves over velvet cushions.
"You work too much, Your Grace," one man chuckled, swirling his wine. "Surely you must enjoy yourself while you're away." He was the baron in this part of his territory, bold enough to present himself towards the duke like this.
Theodore barely acknowledged him, his expression unreadable as a woman slithered closer, fingers trailing against his arm and to his chest.
She was skilled—meticulous in her movements. Her touch was as light as a feather, with a voice liquid smooth. "Why don't you let me relieve some of that tension, my Lord?"
He stiffened, repulsed. Disgust was an understatement of what he was feeling. "No." He ordered as he tried to push her away.
The woman hesitated but did not retreat. "You hesitate," she murmured, emboldened. "There's nothing wrong with indulging a little, especially when—"
Her fingers moved toward his collar.
Theodore caught her wrist before she could reach his skin.
His grip was vice-like, suffocating.
The woman's smile faltered, and the room fell silent slightly.
"Leave," he ordered, his voice almost growling, dangerous.
This was the first time someone treated her like this, She thought that all men were the same—and a duke was no different. Yet, she trembled.
With a sharp breath, she tore herself away from him, stumbling slightly before disappearing into the throng of painted faces.
The merchants exchanged glances, whispers murmured between them.
"Looks like our Duke has a weakness," one muttered, amused.
Theodore ignored them.
Weakness? No.. It was utter disgust.
He felt sick—like something had crawled against his skin, staining him. It was more than bugs.
His mind had wandered, for just a second, to Selene. To the way her touch had always felt real—not contrived, not calculated.
With a sharp breath, he rose.
"I'm done here." He declared, not even sparing them a glance nor bid farewell.
Ignoring the protests and drunken laughter, he grabbed his coat, stepped outside into the cold air, and mounted his horse.
"Duke," his aide scurried after him, frantically looking for something–a carriage perhaps.. It appeared to him that his master was ready to bolt out of the place.
The least he could do was make sure the head of the house would be comfortable in his journey. He knew he couldn't convince him in any way either way.
His limbs were heavy, his thoughts murky. He wasn't sober—not entirely—but he was lucid enough to know only one place would calm him.
The annex..
Where Selene was.
---
Selene pressed a hand to her chest, trying to steady her breathing. The lingering presence beyond the bushes had disappeared, but the unease remained.
Had it been mere coincidence? A servant wandering too close?
Or something else?
The cat at her side purred softly, brushing against her arm. "I suppose I'm being paranoid," she murmured, though her body remained tense.
She forced herself to rise, brushing dust from her skirts before casting one final glance toward the forest. The wind rustled the branches, indifferent to her fears.
With a quiet sigh, she stepped away.
The annex had always been a place of solitude, but tonight, solitude felt more like isolation.
----
The night air did little to clear Theodore's intoxicated mind. The weight of the brothel, the suffocating perfume of women who weren't her, had poisoned his thoughts more than the wine.
He barely remembered dismounting his horse, his boots dragging against the dirt path as he approached the annex.
Selene was here. Somewhere behind those doors. Somewhere within reach.
He pushed inside, the candlelight flickering against the walls as he stumbled toward the familiar halls.
The scent was different here—softer, untouched by extravagance. A place that felt isolated from the world of politics, of arranged futures. A place where she still existed in her own quiet way.
He pressed a hand against the nearest wall, steadying himself.
And then he saw her.
Selene stood near the window, bathed in the dim glow of moonlight, her expression unreadable as she turned to see him.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
until Selene took it upon herself and opened her mouth first.
"Theodore?" Her voice filled with surprise.
He exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair. "You're still here." He says, barely holding on to his presence of mind.
She frowned slightly. "I agreed to a month." What on earth does he want again? He comes and goes as he pleases.
He stepped forward, slower like preying predator; like something fragile and dangerous rested between them. "That's more than I expected." He emerged from the shadows, his expressions beyond discernment.
Selene's gaze flickered, scanning him. "You're drunk."
Theodore chuckled dryly. "Not enough to forget why I came."
Selene crossed her arms. "And why did you come?"
A thousand answers formed—none that he could speak.
Instead, he reached for her, fingers barely grazing her wrist before she stepped back.
The distance between them felt wider than ever.
"I should leave you to rest," she said, her voice barely above the sound of the breeze.
Theodore swallowed hard. "Stay.."
She hesitated, but did not reply.
And for the first time, he felt the weight of what he had done—what he had lost.
The battle for her had begun, and he wasn't sure he was winning. What made him think he could win her over with something so simple as a date after everything she's gone through?
He finally realized he was beyond redemption. But hope is a luxury he could afford when his head was filled with only her.