Hope Is Not Optional — Manuel Flores 66
Chapter 66
Chapter 66
Selene
I always told myself that in this lifetime, I would never allow myself to act like the shy, stupid, careless woman I used to be. But clearly the universe found that hilarious, because the moment I stepped into that cave with Alpha Damien, all of my determination to stay calm vanished.
I had been acting like an idiot from the moment our eyes met.
I couldn’t think straight. I couldn’t even lie smoothly, and lying was something I had mastered so well I could do it half- asleep. But around him? My mind felt like it had been tossed in the mud until everything sensible spilled out.
I didn’t understand why.
Maybe it was nerves. Anyone with a brain would be nervous around the Demon Alpha of the West. Or maybe it was because of something else. Because every time he came close to me, every time he spoke, every time his eyes locked onto mine, something in my chest tightened.
My body reacted without my permission, and it was infuriating.
When he walked away and left me in the cave, I pressed a hand hard against my chest, trying to force my heartbeat to calm down. It thudded wildly beneath my palm, refusing to listen. His scent still clung to the air, and when I picked up his shirt, the smell of him flooded around me so strongly that my knees nearly buckled.
I buried my face in the collar and then jerked back, appalled at myself.
“Get it together, Selene,” I muttered, pressing my palm to my forehead. “It’s lust, nothing more. The man is handsome and any normal person with functioning eyes would be affected. That’s all. Don’t forget who he is, and what he’s capable of.”
I peeled off my soaked shirt, the cold fabric touching my skin as I removed it, and folded it tightly before shoving it into my bag. Then I slipped his shirt over my head, and the moment it settled onto my shoulders, I exhaled sharply.
I tightened the fabric around my waist, tucking some of the excess into my pants so I wouldn’t drown in it. Luckily, Evelyn had insisted I bring an extra pair of pants just in case, and for once, I silently thanked her for overthinking. I put the dry pants on, adjusted my bindings.
With everything finally in place, I stole one last look toward the deeper part of the cave where Damien had disappeared.
I didn’t know what he was doing or why he let me go so easily. And I absolutely refused to think about it any longer.
Swinging my bag over my shoulder, I walked away, stepped toward the entrance, and slipped out of the cave before my thoughts could betray me any further.
Damien
I sat on the broad slab of stone near the back of the cave, leaning my shoulders into the cold surface. The cave had already fallen into silence. Which meant she was gone.
Good.
Or at least that was what I told myself.
I tapped my fingers idly against the rock, the soft rhythmic sound echoing across the walls. Thane simmered restlessly beneath my skin, his disapproval humming like a low growl in the back of my mind. He didn’t like that I had let her leave, that I hadn’t followed whatever unreasonable instinct he was tugging me toward.
Chapter 66
He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. I could feel every ounce of his irritation.
“I know you’re there,” I said finally, not bothering to raise my voice. “Come out.”
Nothing happened for a moment before a low amused chuckle rang through, followed by a deep, and far too self-satisfied
voice.
“As expected,” he drawled, stepping into view with a lazy gait. “You’re the only one who can notice me even when I conceal my presence.”
I opened my eyes slowly. The phoenix stood before me with a human form, he clearly hadn’t grown used to yet, his shoulders were relaxed, stance loose, expression dripping with arrogance. His hair, a vivid burning red, glowed brilliantly even in the dark.
I tilted my head slightly.
He lifted an eyebrow and scoffed. “Wait, don’t tell me you don’t recognize me. Is it the human form? Or did you finally forget me after all these years?”
“Phoenix,” I said. “I remember you.”
His smirk sharpened with satisfaction.
“I just don’t know why you took a human form.”
He shrugged. “Something happened, for now, I’ll be staying like this.”
His eyes swept over me before narrowing slightly.
“What I don’t know,” he continued, “is whether I should be more surprised that you were casually talking to another person, or that the woman you were talking to is the one who freed me.”
I said nothing. He clicked his tongue and grinned. “As expected, you’re still cold.”
His smile widened a fraction, a dangerous edge glinting at the corner of his mouth. “Let’s see, then. Are you still as strong as you once were? Or have you grown rusty over the years?”
He didn’t wait for an answer. His shoulders rolled back, muscles shifting beneath the human skin he wore, and enormous wings began to unfurl from his back. But before he could take a single step toward me, my blade was already at his neck.
He froze, eyes flicking down to the blade pressed against his throat. Then, slowly, he lifted his gaze back to mine.
“You know, that blade like that can’t kill me.”
“That’s why I’m still sitting,” I replied calmly. “If I wanted you dead, I would have bothered to stand.”
For a long moment he held my gaze, measuring something behind my eyes. Then he exhaled sharply through his nose, his grin shifting into something more genuine.
“You’re still as strong as ever, Damien.”
Centuries ago, when I wandered too close to phoenix territory, he attacked me without warning. And I subdued him in minutes. He came at me again. I subdued him again. Each time he came at me, he lost every time, but instead of keeping his distance, he began following me, constantly demanding rematches, constantly complaining when he lost, constantly provoking me just to see if I would finally take him seriously.
I didn’t mind him back then. He wasn’t a threat to my pack, and that was the only thing that mattered to me. He was loud, ridiculous, and irritating.
Chapter 66
One day, he was attacked, and I arrived too late. By the time I reached him, he was already sealed and taken away.
I crossed my arms, studying the red-haired form in front of me. “Did she make a deal with you?”
Lucas nodded without hesitation. “She did.”
“Are you going to keep it?”
Another nod, and his mouth curled into that insufferable smirk he always wore whenever he found something amusing. “At least for now. She’s… interesting. More interesting than anyone I’ve met in centuries. And judging from how you treated her, she’s even more interesting than you want to admit.”
The phoenix tilted his head, eyes gleaming. “Who is she to you?”
*
“Well. I’ll eventually find out.”
He turned slightly, as if preparing to leave, then paused mid-step. “Oh, and about her, she said she was…” He trailed off deliberately, watching my expression, before waving a hand dismissively. “Actually, telling you would spoil the fun. You’ll figure it out yourself.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, but he only grinned wider.
“And by the way,” he added, “my name is not Phoenix for now. Call me Lucas.”
田
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12:56 Tue, Dec 23
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