Lord Frederick's POV

"Are you angry?" she asked again.

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly. "I'm angry," I said honestly. "I won't lie about that."

Her face fell, and I reached out, gently lifting her chin so she'd meet my eyes. "But it's okay," I added quietly. "You had your reasons."

Her breath hitched, like she didn't believe me. "You… you mean that?"

"I do." My voice softened. "You were living in a lie. You thought I killed your mother. I can't blame you for hating me when you didn't know the truth."

Her tears started again, and something in my chest tightened. I brushed a thumb across her cheek, wiping one away. "Enough crying for one night, okay?"

She nodded weakly, trying to smile. It broke me even more.

I stood and looked toward the witch. "We're done here." The witch only nodded.

Turning back to Selene, I said, "You're not going home tonight."

She blinked. "What?"

"You need rest," I said firmly. "You've been through enough. I have an apartment nearby, quiet, safe. You can stay there until tomorrow. Then we'll talk."

Her lips parted like she wanted to argue, but she didn't. She just looked tired, soul tired. After a moment, she nodded. "Okay."

I led her out of the cabin into the cool night. The drive was silent. Her head leaned lightly against the window, eyes half closed. Every now and then, I glanced at her.

When we reached the apartment, I parked and turned off the engine. "We're here."

She blinked, looking around the quiet street. The building was small, tucked between old trees and shadows. "This is… yours?"

"Yeah," I said, stepping out and opening her door. "I come here when I need space."

Inside, the place was simple, with dark furniture, clean lines. I locked the door behind us and turned to her. "You can use the room down the hall. Fresh clothes are in the drawer. Bathroom's beside it."

Selene looked at me, her brows drawn together. "We're not sharing the same room?"

I met her eyes. "No. You need to rest, Selene. I need a little time to think."

She stared at me like she didn't understand. Then her eyes dropped, and her shoulders sank. "Right… of course."

Her voice was soft, almost too soft. It made something twist inside me. I wanted to take back the words, but I didn't.

"Goodnight, Frederick," she whispered.

"Goodnight," I said quietly, watching her walk down the hall. She stopped once, like she wanted to say something else, then just sighed and went into the room. The door closed behind her with a small click that felt louder than it should have.

The silence after she left was heavy. I ran a hand through my hair and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Then I went to the other room, strolled to the shelf, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, and poured myself a glass.

I sat on the couch, staring at the amber liquid. The room was dim, lit only by a small lamp in the corner. The shadows moved across the walls as I swirled the drink in my hand.

Selene is my mate.

I never thought I'd ever say those words. In three hundred years, I had never had one. I'd stopped believing the Moon Goddess cared for someone like me. A vampire with too much blood on his hands didn't deserve that kind of gift.

And yet, she was here.

I took a long drink, the burn sliding down my throat. The thought of her being my mate should have made me happy. It didn't. It scared me.

Because now I knew she was my only weakness.

If anyone ever found out, she'd be the first they'd come for. My enemies wouldn't need to hurt me. They'd only need to hurt her.

I gripped the glass tighter, my jaw clenching. "I won't let that happen," I muttered. "Never."

Time passed slowly. The clock ticked on the wall. The whiskey bottle grew lighter. And all I could think of was her, her voice, her scent, her face when she cried.

Then I heard it, a soft creak.

The door to the room opened.

I turned my head slowly.

Selene stepped into the room.

For a moment, I couldn't breathe. She was wearing a thin, light nightdress, almost see-through. Her hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and her eyes met mine.

My heart started to pound. Hard.

"Selene…" I said, my voice low.

She didn't answer right away. She just stood there, the faintest hint of color rising in her cheeks.

The air between us changed, thicker, warmer. Every sound in the world seemed to fade, except for the soft beat of our hearts.

And as she took one slow step toward me, I knew I was in trouble.

"Selene…"

"I… I couldn't sleep," she whispered.

I set my drink aside and looked at her fully. God, she was so tempting.

"I keep hearing her voice," Selene continued, her eyes glimmering with tears. "My mother. What she said… it won't stop replaying in my head."

I stood up slowly, trying to steady my breathing. "Selene, you need rest."

She shook her head. "I tried."

Then she walked closer, and before I could say anything, she stopped right in front of me. Her scent hit me first, soft, warm, alluring, and then her hands gently rested on my chest.

"Selene…" I said, my voice low, warning.

"I just don't want to be alone," she whispered. Her words were shaky, but her eyes didn't move from mine. "Not tonight."

I froze. Every part of me screamed to pull her closer, to hold her, to take away her fear, but I knew how dangerous that was. Not for her safety, but for my control.

"Selene…" I tried to speak, but she pushed me, and I fell back onto the couch. Without a second's hesitation, she climbed on top of me.