Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Mate
Chapter 163: Failed Plan...

Chapter 163: Failed Plan...

A triumphant smirk played on Selene’s lips. "That’s right," she murmured, nipping softly at his skin. "Stop fighting me. You don’t have to pretend anymore."

Then, suddenly—

A strong wind blew through the garden, carrying a new scent. It was intense and reminded me of someone. It reminded him of... Evelina.

The moment her scent reached him, the thick haze clouding his mind shattered—as if a tight string had suddenly been severed.

Reality snapped back into focus.

The unnatural heat in his body disappeared, and the overwhelming pull toward Selene was gone.

What the hell?

Damian jerked back sharply, breathing heavily as clarity returned. His silver eyes widened, suddenly seeing everything as it was—not through the distorted lens of whatever Selene had done to him.

And then, he saw the look on her face.

Panic.

Desperation.

She knew. She knew it had failed.

His hands dropped away from her, his pulse thundering in his ears as the weight of what had just happened settled over him.

But before he could say a word—before he could even begin to comprehend what she had tried to do to him—a quiet sound made his chest tighten.

A soft, sharp inhale.

Damian’s head snapped to the side.

Evelina.

She stood at the edge of the garden, her figure frozen under the glow of the moon.

Her dark eyes locked onto his, then flickered to Selene. To the closeness between them.

To the way their lips had nearly—

A storm of emotions crossed her face all at once.

Shock.

Pain.

And then—

Nothing.

She masked it. Her expression shut down, her shoulders going rigid as if locking her emotions behind an iron door.

But Damian felt it.

He didn’t need to see the devastation in her eyes to know it was there.

His wolf, Storm, growled low in his mind, angry and restless. "She thinks we betrayed her."

Damian took a step forward. "Eve—"

But she was already turning.

Without a word.

Without a single glance back.

And then, she ran.

****************

A few minutes back...

The candle flickered on the stone walls, making long shadows in Evelina’s room. She sat up straight in her chair by the desk, gripping the old paper tightly in her hands.

But she wasn’t reading.

She wasn’t doing anything.

Something was wrong.

A tight feeling wrapped around her chest, making it difficult to breathe. It wasn’t exactly painful, but it was uncomfortable, like something invisible was gripping her ribs.

Her wolf stirred restlessly beneath her skin.

"Something’s not right," Relia murmured in her mind, her voice sounding uncharacteristically serious.

Evelina exhaled sharply, rubbing her temple. "I know."

The uneasy feeling had been creeping up on her for minutes now, but she had tried to ignore it, convincing herself it was just exhaustion.

Except...

It wasn’t going away.

If anything, it was getting worse.

Her pulse quickened as she pushed away from the desk and stood. The room felt suffocating, like the air was too thick.

Go.

The thought shot through her with such force that she moved before questioning it.

She didn’t bother with a cloak. She didn’t stop to think.

She just went.

Her steps were quiet as she slipped through the halls, the cool night air greeting her the second she stepped outside.

The sensation in her chest tightened further, pulling her—guiding her—toward the gardens.

And that’s when she heard it.

A soft, feminine laugh.

Familiar.

Intimate.

Evelina slowed her pace, her breath catching in her throat.

No.

Not possible.

She turned the corner, stepping into the open moonlit garden, and—

She froze.

Her entire world tilted.

Selene.

Standing so close to Damian, with her hands resting lightly on his chest.

Her lips near his.

Their bodies too close—way too close—and for a horrifying moment, Evelina saw only the closeness between them.

Damian hadn’t moved.

He wasn’t pushing her away.

The tightness in Evelina’s chest turned into something else entirely.

Something sharp.

Something unbearable.

The night was still. The garden was bathed in silver moonlight, and the faint rustling of leaves barely broke the silence.

But Evelina didn’t notice any of that.

She stood frozen at the garden’s entrance, her breath caught in her throat, her heart clenching painfully.

Selene.

Selene, with her golden curls cascading over her bare shoulders, was standing so close to Damian. Her hands rested on his chest, her lips dangerously near his, her body pressing into him like she belonged there.

And Damian...

For a horrifying moment, Evelina saw nothing but the closeness between them.

A sharp, unbearable ache twisted in her chest.

Something inside her snapped.

Her wolf growled.

"What are you doing just standing here?" Relia hissed in her mind, her tone laced with fury. "Go rip her away from him! Or better yet, challenge her, right here—"

"No." Evelina swallowed hard, pressing a hand to her stomach as if that could ease the tightness there.

"No?" Relia echoed, incredulous. "She’s all over him, and you’re just going to—"

"Well, you don’t see him resisting, so...," Evelina muttered under her breath. "She can have him."

Because what else was she supposed to think? Damian hadn’t pushed Selene away. He hadn’t moved.

He was just standing there.

The weight of that realisation crushed her.

She sucked in a sharp breath, turned on her heel, and ran.

She didn’t care where.

She just needed to get away.

Away from the sight. Away from the feeling threatening to shatter something inside her.

***********

The moment she turned to leave, he felt it deep in his chest, a sharp, gut-wrenching loss.

Damian snapped his head around, silver eyes locking onto her retreating form. "Evelina—"

He moved to chase after her—instinct, instinct drove him to go after her, to explain, to tell her it wasn’t what she thought—

But before he could take a step, Selene’s hand shot out, gripping his wrist.

"You don’t have to go after her," she whispered, pressing herself against him again.

Damian went rigid.

Selene looked up at him, her golden eyes soft, pleading. "You’re a prince, an alpha." She licked her lips, lowering her voice. "Alphas don’t chase after—"

A growl ripped through Damian’s chest.

Selene’s words cut off as Damian grabbed her wrist, wrenching her hand off him.

The anger in his gaze burned like silver fire. "What the hell did you do to me?" he growled.

Selene’s eyes widened. "I—I don’t know what you mean."

Damian snarled. "Don’t lie to me."

Selene hesitated for only a second before lifting her chin. "You’ve been under so much stress, Damian," she murmured, her voice slipping into something soft, coaxing. "I only wanted to help. To ease your burden—"

Damian’s jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.

"Help?" His voice was laced with disbelief. "You tried to seduce me."

Selene flinched at the raw anger in his tone.

"You wanted to trap me," he snarled, stepping closer, towering over her. "You thought if I—" His fists clenched at his sides. "If I lost control, if I—" He cut himself off, sickened by the very thought.

Selene trembled under his gaze. "That’s not—"

"I could have hurt you," Damian snapped, voice shaking with fury.

Selene stilled.

Because she knew. She knew how dangerous an alpha losing control could be. Her silence only enraged him further. "You disgust me," he spat, his wolf baring its fangs behind his silver gaze.

Selene gasped. "Damian, I—"

He turned sharply, rage curling in his chest, boiling through his veins.

He needed to find Evelina.

Damian had barely taken three steps before Selene’s trembling voice reached him.

"I love you," she whispered.

His body went rigid.

He slowly turned to look at her. His intense silver eyes shone brightly in the darkness. "You said?" His voice was dangerously low.

Selene straightened her shoulders, attempting to pull herself together. "I love you," she said again, her golden eyes pleading with desperation.

Damian exhaled slowly, his fingers curling into tight fists. Then, he laughed.

Not out of amusement, but out of sheer exhaustion. "Don’t be pathetic, Selene," he said coldly.

Selene’s breath hitched. "What?"

Damian shook his head, his jaw clenching. "Love?" He scoffed. "That’s not love. That’s obsession. Love isn’t manipulation. It’s not tricking someone into wanting you. And it sure as hell isn’t whatever this was." He gestured sharply between them.

Selene’s face twisted. "I do love you, Damian. You’re the only one worthy of—"

"Enough."

His voice silenced her instantly.

For a long moment, he just stared at her.

At the woman who had spent years trying to mould herself into his queen. The woman who had spent so much energy trying to tear down another instead of building herself up.

"You want my love?" His tone was eerily calm now. "Then stop wasting your time finding unconventional ways to force me into it. Stop trying to sabotage Evelina. Stop waiting for me to look at you the way you want."

Selene flinched as if struck.

He stepped forward, towering over her, his voice unwavering.

"You aren’t my fated mate, Selene." He exhaled sharply. "And even if you were, forcing my hand wouldn’t make me love you. It would make me resent you."

Selene’s lip trembled, but she quickly masked it, tilting her chin defiantly. "I’m not your fated mate, but what if you are my fated mate?" she asked.