Aries’ POV
I couldn't breathe. It felt like the world around me had come to a standstill. Sound drained from my ears, and all I could see was her—Selene. The woman I once called mine. The woman who was supposed to be dead.
She looked different—older, a little worn—but undeniably her. Her scent had changed, dulled, like time had buried it. And the bond we once shared, the one that snapped three years ago like a cord yanked too tight, didn’t stir. Nothing in me responded to her the way it once had.
“Selene…” I whispered again, needing to hear the name out loud. I stepped away from Rex unconsciously, not out of choice, but sheer disbelief. This couldn’t be real.
Selene smiled, that same haunting smile that once brought me peace. “I see you still remember my name, Alpha.”
Julian’s voice b
