into place. A part of her wanted to lash out, to demand that they explain everything in one coherent breath, but another part of her-t
reaking floors, even the faint scent of something ancient and untouchable in th
gered in her mind: Your bloodline ties you to us, to this land. But how could that be true? She was just a woman with a family
steps behind her. She turned, half-expecting it to be R
and for a moment, n
unusually soft for someone who usually spoke wit
," she said sharply. "I'm just trying to process everything you guys have dumped on me.
"I'm not here to fight, Selene. I get it. This is a lot for
akes sense. You want me to just sit here and play along, like
whether you like it or not. The bloodline you've got runs deep. Your grandmother was
roat tight. "I don't want to be part of wh
"I know this is hard. Trust me, I get it. But you don't have a choice anymore. The rogues know you're h
. She knew he meant it. There was no lying in his voice, no false
pered, almost to herself
ftened, the playful edge to his demeanor now absent. "None of us do. And that's
space, the air around him growing thicker. His gaze immediately went to Selene, a f
his voice neutral, but the undercurrent of t
Selene's shoulder lightly. "Just m
ned as he took a step closer, his energy suddenly far more
tacked again," Selene shot back, her voice laced with f
st, studying her with that unreadable gaze. "But you need to understand that the rogues aren't going to give
n Rowan and Lachlan. "You've barely told me anything. How am I supp
is voice hardening. "You
rds surprising even herself. "You all tell me I'm part of this world,
"That's because it's not something you can understand just yet. It's something you'll have to feel. The land, the
about?" she asked, her
f in your own right, Selene. A protector. The land is calling you. Your instincts will awa
rstand why. She looked at the three brothers, the weight of
eady," she
lute. "We'll help you. Together, we'll make sure y
"And hey, if you want, we can always teach you how to fight
and-strangely enough-something like trust. Her stomach twisted with uncer
e this. And maybe, just maybe, s
d, another thought crept into her mind, one that
they'd told her, the truth was something far darker