Adrian's POV
I had spent the entire previous day locked in my chambers.
I told myself it was necessary. That this was the best way to handle the situation. If I didn't leave my room, I wouldn't risk running into Selene.
It was a simple strategy. And it worked.
FLASH BACK
The tension in the room was suffocating.
Hazel stood before me, arms crossed, her gaze sharp enough to cut through steel.
"You have two choices, Adrian." Her voice was steady but cold. "Avoid her. Or ban her."
I clenched my jaw, exhaling slowly. I should have seen this coming. I should have known Hazel wouldn't let this go.
She had tolerated a lot, my excuses, my distractions, my growing attachment to Selene. But now, she was drawing a line.
"You can't be serious," I muttered.
Hazel's eyes darkened. "Oh, I'm very serious."
I ran a hand through my hair, forcing myself to stay calm. "She's harmless."
Hazel laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Harmless? You think that woman is harmless? Adrian, she's playing you, and you're too blind to see it."
I frowned. "Playing me?"
"She's wrapping you around her little finger," Hazel snapped. "Don't pretend you don't feel it. She has you laughing, laughing, Adrian. When was the last time you laughed like that with me?"
I had no answer, because she was somehow right.
Selene had a way of pulling reactions out of me I didn't even realize I had. She irritated me, challenged me, frustrated me but she also made me laugh, made me curious, made me… forget all my troubles and problems.
And maybe that was the real problem.
Hazel took a slow step closer. "You've been distracted since she came here. You barely focus during meetings. You let her get away with everything. You think the pack doesn't notice?"
My hands curled into fists. "This isn't about the pack. This is about you."
Hazel's lips thinned. "Yes, it is. And for the first time, I'm giving you a choice. You either prove where your loyalty lies, or…."
"Or what?" I challenged.
Hazel lifted her chin. "Or I walk away."
I inhaled sharply. "You're threatening me now?"
"I'm warning you." Her voice was quieter this time, but the weight behind it was heavier than before.
I stared at her, searching her face for any hesitation, any sign that this was an empty threat. But there was none.
She meant it, If I didn't make a choice, she would make it for me.
I exhaled, dragging a hand down my face. "Avoid her or ban her. That's what you want?"
Hazel didn't blink. "Yes."
I turned away, pacing. The rational part of me knew the choice was obvious. I had a responsibility to Hazel, to my pack, to everything I had built.
But why did it feel like I was being backed into a corner?
Why did the idea of banning Selene make something in my chest tighten?
"I'll avoid her," I muttered.
Hazel's expression didn't change. "Good."
She moved past me, but just as she reached the door, she hesitated. "And Adrian?"
I turned slightly.
"Don't make me regret believing in you."
With that, she left, closing the door behind her.
FLASH BACK ENDS
I let out a long breath, feeling the weight of my decision settle on my shoulders.
Just avoid Selene, that was the plan.
But frankly and honestly speaking it also drove me insane.
I wasn't used to avoiding people. I wasn't the type to hide away, let alone rearrange my own routine just to keep my distance from someone. Yet, here I was choosing solitude over confrontation.
And the worst part? I kept wondering if she noticed.
Had she even realized I wasn't around? Had she asked about me? Or was she too preoccupied with her usual antics to care?
The thought annoyed me more than it should have.
By nightfall, my patience had been worn thin. I couldn't focus on anything, no training, no meetings, no pack matters. My mind was restless, my body tense with unused energy.
The walls of my room felt suffocating, and every time I closed my eyes, I saw flashes of her, her bright eyes, her teasing smirk, the way she tilted her head when she was about to say something ridiculous.
Damn her.
I had expected this to be easier. To feel some sense of control. Instead, I felt off-balance, like I was fighting against my own instincts.
Now, as the new day begins, I sit on the edge of my bed, rubbing a hand over my face.
I should stay in again. That's the logical thing to do.
But the thought of another day confined in here, pacing like a caged animal, makes my skin itch.
I exhale slowly, running a hand through my hair.
I can do this, I can avoid her.
But can I avoid the way she makes me feel?
That's the real question. And I'm not sure I want to know the answer.