Chapter 5

Kyle came back past midnight.

He reeked of Lyra's signature scent — that sickly sweet rosemary perfume.

Completely overpowering his own.

He gave me that same doting smile.

"Waiting up for me to brush out your fur?"

I stared at him. Face completely blank.

I was about to let him have it.

But right then, Lyra's face popped up on my comm crystal. Video call.

She was slurring her words, blowing a sloppy kiss at the screen.

"Selene, you're my bestie, I love you."

"This dagger is so gorgeous," she said, her voice dropping into a pout.

"I just feel so bad. I'm so broke.

I'll never be able to afford something this amazing for your Ascension tomorrow..."

I cut her off. "Right."

She caught the look on my face and froze.

Kyle swooped in without missing a beat.

Wrapped his arms around me from behind, buried his face in my neck.

Just like always, competing with her for my attention.

"Selene, I'm the one who loves you most," he murmured against my cheek.

Through the screen, Lyra let out a sharp, sudden scream.

Then the sound of her comm crystal hitting the floor.

Kyle's head snapped toward the screen.

All the color drained from his face.

The call went dead.

He pulled away and bolted for the door, his voice cracking in a way I'd never heard before —

frantic. Panicked.

"Selene, something's wrong. I have to go check on her!"

The door slammed behind him.

But right before the call disconnected —

I heard it.

A soft little laugh from the other end of the line.

My hands were shaking as I opened The Den again. Straight to her post.

New update.

"She's so dumb it's actually painful.

Couldn't even tell I faked that whole thing just to get her mate to come running."

"Tomorrow at her Ascension?

She won't even know what hit her until it's too late. It's almost too easy. Kinda boring, tbh."

My heart dropped into ice.

A chill crawled through my entire body.