<h4>Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Losing Herself</h4>


    Her heart whispered, Kiss him.


    But just as the world held its breath...


    Ring. Ring.


    The sudden shrill of the phone shattered the moment like ss. Selene jumped, startled so badly that her body jerked, and she almost stumbled off her seat. Panic rushed through, her face burning as if she had been caught doing something forbidden.


    But before she could fall, a strong arm wrapped around her waist. Kieran’s grip steadied her, firm and unyielding. The heat of his touch sank through her. His breath brushed against her ear as he spoke softly with his low voice.


    "Be careful."


    The words sent a different kind of shiver through her. Selene’s throat tightened, her cheeks ming. She could only nod quickly, unable to meet his eyes. Her hands fumbled for the phone, desperate for escape from the weight of what almost happened.


    She pressed it to her ear. "H-hello?"


    "Selene?" It was Sara’s voice. "I won’t be able toe back tomorrow. Something came up. You need to be careful, alright? If you want, I can ask Rael or Aswin toe and stay with you."


    Selene forced her voice steady, though her fingers still trembled. "No... no, it’s fine. Really. I’ll be fine. There’s no need."


    "Are you sure?" Sara pressed gently.


    "Yes." Selene’s eyes flickered toward Kieran, her chest still tight. "I can handle it."


    She ended the call quickly, her heart still thudding from more than just the interruption. The phone rested heavy in herp, but the weight of Kieran’s gaze felt heavier still.


    She couldn’t believe herself. She had almost kissed him. She had lost every bit of sense she thought she had, lost herself in his eyes like a fool.


    The memory of how close they had been made her chest tighten even more. Her lips tingled, her body felt weak, and she wanted to bury her face in her palms. What was I even thinking? She scolded herself. How could I do something so stupid?


    She could not look at him. Not after that. Just the thought of meeting his gaze made her whole body heat up again, shame crawling through her like fire.


    If she dared to see his eyes, what would she find there? Did he know how badly she had wanted it? Did he see how her heart had betrayed her?


    Selene bit her lip, gripping the steering wheel tightly. Without another word, she started the car and pulled away from the coven, her eyes fixed on the road as if it were the only thing keeping her alive. The night air outside was cool, but inside the car her body only grew hotter.


    Kieran remained silent beside her. He didn’t even try to break the silence. But his presence filled the car, heavy and impossible to ignore. And his gaze—oh, his gaze was everywhere.


    She could feel it on her cheek, on her neck, sliding over her hands gripping the wheel, tracing every inch of her as if he were memorizing her. The heat of it wrapped around her like a me, burning her from the inside. The longer it lingered, the harder it became to breathe.


    Selene pressed her foot harder on the pedal, speeding through the roads as though she could run away from it, run away from him, and run away from the shame that wed at her chest.


    I want to disappear, she thought desperately. I want to bury myself somewhere no one will ever find me.


    Finally, after what felt like forever, the car skidded to a stop in front of her house. She jumped out almost instantly, fumbling with the gate and pushing it open with clumsy hands.


    "Kieran," she said quickly, her voice shaky and uneven. She didn’t dare look at him, not even once. "If you want to go back, you can take my car. Or... if you’d rather, you can stay here in the guest room."


    <fn4519> This update is avable on find?novel</fn4519>


    And before he could answer, before he could even react, Selene rushed inside. Her steps were fast, almost frantic, like a demon was chasing her, like the very weight of his gaze was burning her alive.


    Selene did not even look back when she ran inside the house. Her steps were fast, uneven, almost like she was escaping from him. The door shut, leaving only silence behind.


    Kieran sat there for a long moment, his eyes fixed on the space where she had disappeared. His gaze burned hot, heavy, almost too much for him to hold. His chest rose and fell, his breath uneven.


    He could not believe what he had just seen. Even now, it felt unreal. Selene, the same Selene who always kept her distance, who always guarded herself like a fortress, had looked at him like that.


    She had leaned so close he could almost taste her breath. Her eyes had softened, her lips parted, and for a second, it had felt as if she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.


    Kieran’s hand curled into a fist at his side. He closed his eyes tightly, rubbing his hand across his face as if he could wipe away the heat burning in him. "Get a grip," he muttered under his breath.


    Only he knew how hard he had been holding himself back. Only he knew how much restraint it took not to close thatst inch, not to pull her against him and im the kiss that had been hanging in the air.


    Was it real? Or was it only his imagination ying tricks on him?


    His heart pounded so hard it felt like it would break through his chest. He was both excited and disappointed, a storm pulling him in opposite directions.


    Excited because she had looked at him that way. Disappointed because the phone had rung at the worst moment, tearing everything apart.


    If that call hadn’te... if the silence hadsted a little longer... would she have taken the step? Would she have kissed first?


    The questions ate at him, restless and sharp. He pressed his fingers against his temples, trying to breathe. His body felt tight, trembling with something he could not name.


    For a moment, all he wanted was to follow her. To storm into the house, spin her against the wall, and demand the answer from her lips. He could almost feel it—her warmth trapped beneath him, her breath against his skin.


    But no. He stopped himself. He could not. Not yet. He wasn’t sure if he should even take that step. Should he push her closer, or should he stay as her shadow, protecting her from a distance like he always had?


    Yet, her reaction today... it had left something inside him shaking. The look in her eyes when she was close—it would haunt him tonight, maybe forever.


    Kieran exhaled heavily, long and slow, forcing the tension out of his body. He had to leave. If he stayed here, so close to her, he did not know if he could control himself any longer.


    He slipped into the driver’s seat, gripping the wheel with both hands. His jaw was tight, his eyes closed for a second as he gathered himself. And then, with a low hum of the engine, he started the car and pulled away.


    The night swallowed his car as it rolled down the street, the sound fading into the distance.


    But just as he left, another presence entered from the backyard; a wolf crept forward. Its paws touched the grass silently as it sniffed the air cautiously.


    Slowly, its head lifted, and its shining eyes locked on Selene’s house. The light of the moon glimmered in its gaze, unblinking.