Hyacinth - By Abigail Owen Page 0,4

never thought she was actually real....

Then a dream had led Ellie to the Jenners and the Pierces, and the twins had joined forces with them to kill Gideon, the leader of the Vyusher. And Selene’s brother.

An image of Selene standing in a field in the mountains, regal and gorgeous with her silvery hair floating in the breeze, continued to haunt him. It was the first time he’d seen her in the flesh and realized that she did exist… and not just as a figment of his male fantasies.

But then she’d walked away from him. And he hadn’t seen her since.

Initially, Griffin had convinced himself that he never wanted to see her again. Despite the fact that he was positive she was his te’sorthene, he couldn’t overlook the atrocities her people were responsible for… things she was responsible for.

But he missed her. Despite himself.

He’d believed her to be just a fantasy, and now that she no longer appeared to him at night when he closed his eyes, he missed her. And he hated himself for it.

His dreams lately, however, had featured flashes of a white wolf.

I only know of one white wolf, but there’s got to be more out there… right? Maybe it’s just a coincidence.

But he didn’t really think so. The images that came to him in his sleep were never very clear. Only flickers, like an old-timey movie, but with more time between pictures. And last night…

Last night he’d heard sobbing.

*****

After finally getting approval from the High Council to go to college, it’d taken her nearly a month to get all of her ducks in a row. Now Selene had finally arrived in the mountain town of Estes Park in a state of emotional turmoil. School was starting in just a few weeks. But before she did anything else, she had something important to do first. Today was the day, and she was already dreading it. And yet another horrible vision that’d kept her up half the night hadn’t helped any either.

In addition to those blasted nightmares, Selene was worried about the family she’d left behind and sad at the reasons that had driven her away. But, at the same time, she was also excited for a chance at some independence after living so long under Gideon’s oppressive rule, and this, in turn, made her feel guilty for wanting to leave her family.

Above all these mixed-up feelings was the ever-present anticipation of seeing Griffin again. After so many years with Gideon dictating every single thing about her existence, the thought of being able to make her own choices was overwhelming to Selene. The only thing keeping her from outright panic was the hope of what she could accomplish if she kept moving forward on this path she’d set for herself.

Before Selene did anything else, though, first she had to talk to Ellie. Let her know that she’d be attending the same college and living so close by. Selene debated telling Ellie about the dreams for the thousandth time but rejected the thought just as quickly. She intended to stay away from Ellie and her new family. She didn’t want to put them in danger that way. Those dreams were her problem.

She wondered how Ellie and Griffin would feel about her proximity. Actually, she could hazard a guess at how Griffin would react. Her last impression of him had been one of frustrated anger - with her. So, no. She didn’t think he’d be thrilled, but if Ellie could see her side, then maybe it wouldn’t be a problem. Maybe she could stay. She’d taken a risk applying to Colorado State University and didn’t want to have to leave.

Selene’s hands tightened on the steering wheel as she continued her unending internal debate. She’d battled her conscience when she’d asked one of her pack to locate Ellie for her. She’d asked for Ellie only, to help appease the guilt she felt. She didn’t want to invade the family’s privacy. But she also thought they should know that she was so close. If they put up too much of a fight, she’d just go somewhere else. It would mean delaying college a little longer, but she’d do whatever she had to do.

Selene drove to the address in the Carriage Hills neighborhood. The two-story house was modest but offered gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains. She drove her car up the gravel driveway, parked, and stood for a moment. Heart in her throat, Selene took a second to gather her courage.

All right, girl…