The tension in the air was so thick, Selene could almost taste it. Every breath felt heavier, like the very act of inhaling might pull her deeper into the darkness swirling around her. Her heart pounded erratically in her chest, a frantic beat against the rising tide of chaos.
Alaric's presence loomed over her, almost suffocating. She couldn't move away from him, couldn't tear her eyes from the abyss that had opened between them. It was as if they were both caught in the same twisted gravity, unable to break free.
"I warned you, Selene," his voice was calm, almost affectionate, but there was no mistaking the cold edge beneath it. "You never really had a choice in the matter."
His words landed with the force of a thousand knives, slicing through her resolve. She opened her mouth to argue, to deny it, but nothing came out. It was as though his presence had stolen her voice, left her with nothing but a rising sense of desperation.
