<h4>Chapter 120: Chapter 120: He Is Not Her Mate... Then Why Does Her Heart Flutter?</h4>


    Author’s POV~


    Celeste’s body trembled as she muttered curses under her breath, her eyes still burning with rage as she red at the space where Selene had walked away. Her nails dug into her palms, her lips twisted with a sneer. "How dare she... How dare she mock me like that in front of everyone... She will pay for this, I swear..."


    But before another word could leave her mouth, a hand mped tightly around her wrist. Celeste gasped as her arm was yanked roughly, spinning her around with such force that her breath caught.


    And then...p!


    The sound cracked through the air like thunder. Celeste staggered back with a stinging cheek, her vision blurring in disbelief. The crowd gasped again, but this time not for Selene. This time it was for her.


    Her hand flew to her face, trembling. "W-what—" she choked out, her voice breaking. Her eyes lifted, and then they widened in shock. "M... Mother?"


    Elder Naeris stood before her, her face carved in cold disappointment, her eyes sharp as des.


    Tears welled in Celeste’s eyes. Her voice broke into a small, pitiful whisper. "Why... why did you p me? Here? In front of everyone? How... how will I ever face them again?"


    But Elder Naeris’s voice cut through her like ice. "Shut up. If you do not know how to speak with dignity, then do not speak at all."


    Celeste froze, the weight of her mother’s words striking harder than the p itself.


    And then, before the stunned crowd, Elder Naeris bowed her head low. "My daughter has caused trouble today. I ask for your forgiveness on her behalf. I will discipline her properly."


    Gasps and protests rippled through the witches gathered. "Elder Naeris, please! Do not bow to us..."


    "It is not your fault, Elder!"


    "We don’t me you... It was Celeste who wronged Selene."


    Their voices carried over one another, filled with respect, pleading for Elder Naeris not to lower herself.


    But Elder Naeris did not lift her head. Her voice was steady, unyielding. "No. She has shamed not only herself but me as well. We will go to Selene, and she will beg for forgiveness."


    The crowd murmured in agreement, nodding. Even those who had been angry moments ago softened, their hearts bending in respect for Elder Naeris. If she herself took responsibility, then they could not hold bitterness.


    However, Celeste could barely breathe. Her lips trembled, her voice small and desperate. "Mother... please..."


    But one sharp re from Elder Naeris silenced her instantly. Celeste’s throat closed. She dared not speak another word.


    The people began to disperse, whispering among themselves, their respect for Elder Naeris only deepening. But Selene was already gone, her figure nowhere in sight. So Elder Naeris had not been able to force the apology there in the market, but she would make sure it came soon. Everyone knew it.


    When thest of the crowd thinned away, Elder Naeris’s grip tightened painfully on Celeste’s arm. Without another word, she dragged her daughter forward, pulling her through the streets toward their house.


    Celeste stumbled after her, her cheeks burning with both pain and humiliation. She wanted to scream, to fight back, to curse Selene’s name again. But the strength of her mother’s hold and the anger in her mother’s eyes kept her silent.


    For the first time, Celeste felt small—smaller than she ever had before.


    On the other hand, Selene’s fingers were tight around Kieran’s arm as she pulled him away from the market.


    Her heart pounded with every step, the whispers behind her still clinging to her ears, but she refused to look back. She couldn’t stay there a second longer. Not after everything.


    When they reached her car, she opened the door quickly and almost pushed him inside, her own hands trembling as she climbed in after him. The guilt pressed heavy on her chest, squeezing until she could barely breathe.


    "Kieran..." Her voice came out soft, almost breaking. "Take off your coat."


    He raised a brow but said nothing, only shrugging out of the fabric as she had asked. The moment it was in her hands, she tossed it into the back seat and leaned closer, pulling a tissue. She reached up, brushing at the strands of his hair where Celeste’s bowl had spilled.


    "I’m so sorry," Selene muttered under her breath, dabbing carefully, her movements frantic and gentle all at once. "I should never have taken you there. If I had known she would show up, I... I wouldn’t have let you face that." Her voice wavered, each word sounding more like she was scolding herself than him.


    But Kieran only sat still, his gaze soft and steady as it followed every movement of hers. He didn’t interrupt. He didn’t tell her to stop apologizing. He just let her fuss over him, the corners of his lips barely curved as if the sight of her worrying was something precious to him.


    Selene’s brows furrowed as she continued, her hand moving down to check the cor of his shirt. "At least it didn’t stain through..." she whispered, relieved. She tugged at the fabric lightly. "Turn around, just in case."


    Without hesitation, he shifted in the cramped space of the car, giving her his back. Selene leaned close, her hand brushing over his shoulder as she inspected the fabric. When she saw it was clean, she let out a soft sigh, her breath brushing against the side of his neck.


    That was when she froze.


    Her eyes widened slightly as the awareness struck her—just how close she was. His warmth surrounded her, his scent filling the air.


    The small car seemed even smaller now, every inch of space between them erased by the fact that she was leaning into him, her hand still resting lightly on his shoulder.


    Kieran turned his head slowly, just enough to nce at her from the corner of his eye. His gaze met hers, close, too close, and Selene’s heart tripped over itself.


    She pulled back quickly, her breath unsteady, her cheeks flushing with heat. "I—I think you’re fine now," she muttered, shoving the tissue down into herp as if it had suddenly betrayed her.


    The car was quiet, too quiet. Selene’s hand still rested lightly on Kieran’s shoulder when he turned back to face her. The space between them shrank until their faces were only inches apart. She froze, her breath caught in her throat, her eyes wide.


    If he leaned forward even a little more, their lips would meet.


    Her heart pounded painfully fast. Her gaze slipped down, helplessly, to his mouth. The thought came unbidden, crashing into her like a wave—how would his lips taste? The terrifying part was not the question itself, but the answer she wanted so badly to find out.


    Her chest tightened, her breath shallow. She wanted to kiss him hard and desperately. The realization made her panic, yet her body betrayed her, leaning closer without permission. His scent surrounded her—warm, steady, and consuming. It pulled at her like a tide, sweeping her under, and she had no strength to fight it.


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    What is happening to me? she thought, her heart thundering. Why do I always lose myself around him? Why does my heart act like this whenever he’s close?


    It felt like longing, like a hunger buried too deep to name.


    She knew this feeling. She had felt something simr before, with them. With her mates. But that bond was always overshadowed with hate; she had never fully felt them, but with Kieran, it was different. With him, the feeling came brighter and more powerful—like a me burning her from the inside.


    But why? He was not her mate. He was not tied to her by any fate or bond. So why did her heart always flutter for him? Why did she feel like she was falling every time he was near?


    Her chest rose and fell quickly, her thoughts tangled. Does he feel it too? she wondered. Does his heart beat like mine does right now? Does he want me the way I... the way I want him?


    Her eyes lifted from his lips, slowly, as if dragged by invisible strings. And then they met his.


    The moment their gazes locked, the air seemed to vanish from the car. His eyes swirled with countless emotions—heat, restraint, something raw she couldn’t name.


    Kieran’s gaze burned into her, unflinching, steady, filled with something that made her whole body tremble.


    The fire in them burned straight into her, and Selene felt her heartbeat stumble, skip, and then race even faster.


    Her lips parted slightly, her chest rising and falling in uneven rhythm. If either of them leaned in even a little more, the space would be gone.


    Selene forgot everything—the market, Celeste, even her own fear. There was only him. His breath brushed against her skin, warm, sending shivers down her spine. Her body leaned forward before her mind could stop it, drawn helplessly to him.


    Her heart whispered, Kiss him.