Chapter 179 Through the Fog


    I knew I shouldn’t have hidden so close to Selena. She saw me instantly when she walked out of the


    witch’s hut, and her eyes fixed on me in the darkness like a hawk.


    “Enzo?” she called out, frowning. “Is that you?”


    There was no way that I could have gotten away at that point; even if I did get away, she would have


    only strengthened her security around my father — assuming he was still alive — and I would never be


    able to find him if I didn’t y into her little game. So, with a quiet sigh, I stood and came out from


    behind the bushes.


    “Hello, Selena,” I said. “Didn’t think you’d see me again, huh?”


    Selena’s eyes were wide, but a smile spread across her face in an almost childlike way. “You came


    back for me?” she asked, twirling a bit of hair around her finger. From behind her, the witch peered out


    of her hut at me with a confused expression on her face. I made sure to burn her face into my memory


    so I could find herter when I needed her to lift Nina’s curse.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    “Of course I did,” I said. “I made a promise, didn’t I?”


    “I… I thought you left to go be with her,” she replied, her voice low and almost bitter. “I was so mad at


    you.”


    Of course I left Selena to be with Nina. I would never want to be with Selena; she was batshit crazy.


    But I couldn’t let her know that. I needed her to think that I was madly in love with her so that I could


    find my father and tell the Alpha King about Nina.


    “Selena,” I lied, walking up to her and cupping her cheek with my hand, “I love you. Didn’t I tell you that


    already? I only left because I was worried about my friends.”


    Selena shut her eyes for a moment and leaned her cheek into my hand with a sigh. “Oh, Enzo…” she


    said in a sing-song voice. “I’m so d you came back. We can get married now… But my daddy…”


    “What about him?” I asked, prying for more information.


    “Well… He’s very mad at you. He thinks that you ran away from me because you didn’t want to get


    married to me.”


    “Maybe I can talk to him, then,” I said, wrapping my arm around Selena’s waist and pulling her closer,


    resisting her scent. “Can you bring me to him?”


    Selena nodded vehemently. “Of course I can bring you to him. He’ll be so happy! Come on — let’s go.


    But first…” She paused, biting her lower lip as she looked up at me. I knew what she wanted from me.


    She wanted proof that I “loved” her. Proof that I really came back for her and for no other reason.


    I had no choice.


    I kissed her.


    Only for a moment. It was a brief, deep kiss. She tried to lean in further, but I pulled away and shook


    my head, silently reminding her about what I had said before thest time she tried to seduce me: that I


    was waiting for marriage.


    After I kissed her, a slow smile spread across Selena’s lips. But there was something else behind it:


    something cunning. Somehow, I knew that I had to tread carefully around this Princess.


    …


    When we returned to the mansion, Selena, much to my surprise, marched confidently up to the front


    gates.


    “P-Princess?” the surprised guard said. “Is that you? How did you get out here sote?”


    “I was only going for a walk,” Selena lied, holding my hand. “Didn’t you see me walk past you earlier? I


    even said hello!”


    The guard furrowed his brow. I could tell from the slight swirling in his pupils that Selena was dazing


    him, and it worked. Without another word, the guard nodded and opened the gate, letting us in without


    so much as questioning why I was there. The more time I spent with Selena, the more I came to realize


    that she had quite a few abilities, and all of them were strong. She dazed that guard like it was nothing.


    I would have to keep my wits about me.


    We walked right in through the front doors. The inside of the mansion wasfortably warm after


    being out in the cold all night, I had to admit. A servant came and took my jacket and Selena’s cloak,


    and then Selena led me down a hallway that was lined with shining suits of armor like something out of


    a fairy tale. At the end of the hallway, she pushed a set of doors open…


    And a weight lifted off of my shoulders as I saw not only the Alpha King sitting by the firece, but


    someone else.


    My father.


    “Selena, what are you doing up so—” the Alpha King began, but his voice faltered when he saw me


    and his eyes widened. “Enzo?”


    My father looked up then from his book, his own eyes widening. Without a word, he dropped his book


    and stood. I stormed over to him and pulled him in for a hug.


    “Son, I was so worried about you,” he said, pulling away and holding me by both arms. “Where have


    you been?”


    I furrowed my brow. “Dad— Don’t you—”


    Suddenly, Selena cleared her throat. No more words woulde out of my mouth; no matter how hard


    I tried to get the words out, to ask my father why he seemed so confused, nothing coulde.


    “You must be tired,” my father said, patting me firmly on the shoulder with a clueless smile.


    “Daddy, Enzo decided that he does want to marry me,” Selena said. I looked over to see her grinning at


    me with that same cunningness from before, but still nothing woulde out of my mouth. She must


    have used some sort of spell on me to keep me from speaking, or at least from saying anything about


    Nina or the school. What was going on here?


    “Well, I’m d to hear it,” the Alpha King said, folding his arms across his chest and looking me up and


    down before looking at Selena. “Do you trust him, dear?”


    Selena nodded excitedly. “Yes, Daddy,” she said. “I know he won’t leave again.”


    The Alpha King smiled warmly. For a King, he almost seemed like a fool, being wrapped around his


    daughter’s finger like that. “Well, then I’ll allow it,” he said. “Tomorrow morning, let’s all gather for


    breakfast so we can discuss what’s next. Right, Enzo?”


    Suddenly, I felt my throat open again — but I knew better than to say anything out of turn, because


    Selena would surely only hex me again to keep me from talking.


    “Say yes, sir,” my father whispered, patting me on the shoulder again.


    “Uh… Yes, sir,” I said, bowing slightly to the King as my mind raced.


    “Good.” The Alpha King nodded. “Now… Off to bed, with both of you.”


    Before I could say another word, Selena suddenly grabbed my hand and whisked me away. I was too


    dazed to resist, my mind filled with a million questions. Why was he so clueless? What was she doing


    to him? What was she going to do to me? Was she controlling the Alpha King, too? And, even more


    importantly, what would she do to Nina if I returned to Mountainview?


    But none of those questions would be answered…


    Because as soon as we were alone and out of sight, Selena suddenly whirled around to face me with


    that cunning look on her face. With a grin, she reached up and touched my forehead with her thumb.


    Everything went foggy, and then ck