Chapter 5 Claimed In Public
Selene’s POV
They were waiting for me to fail.
Not openly.
Not boldly.
But I could feel it in the way their eyes followed me, in the way their lips curved when they thought I wasn’t looking. Every quiet glance carried expectation. Every silence held judgment.
From the moment the shoot began, no one was truly focused on the work.
They were focused on me.
Waiting.
Watching.
Hoping.
They wanted something to go wrong.
They wanted to see me stumble.
To prove that everything they believed about me was true.
That I didn’t belong here.
That I wasn’t worthy of standing beside Lucian Frostbane.
But none of that happened.
Not even close.
The shoot flowed smoothly, almost effortlessly, and with every passing minute, I could feel their expectations breaking apart.
Aryan Larson stood under the lights, his posture relaxed, his presence commanding attention like always. His fame followed him everywhere, wrapped around him like a shield.
He had always been difficult.
Always demanding.
Always impossible to satisfy.
At least—that was what they believed.
“They’re ugly,” he muttered, adjusting his outfit with a clear look of dissatisfaction.
I didn’t rush to comfort him.
I didn’t argue.
I simply looked at him once.
“They look good.”
That was all.
No pressure.
No force.
Just certainty.
And just like that—
He stopped.
No complaints.
No resistance.
The stylists froze for a second, their hands hovering in midair, as if they couldn’t process what had just happened.
Because this wasn’t normal.
Aryan never accepted things so easily.
He always pushed.
Always resisted.
But not with me.
He tried again later, pointing out small details, questioning angles, and making quiet remarks about the setup.
But every time—
The moment his eyes met mine—
His voice faded.
He stopped.
Three years had passed.
And yet—
Nothing had changed.
He was still that boy.
The one who had once stood behind me, watching in silence, his world shifting in ways he didn’t understand.
I had never needed to control him.
I had never needed to threaten him.
But something in him—
Remembered.
And that was enough.
What should have taken five hours ended in just two.
Two hours of clean execution.
Two hours of quiet control.
Two hours that left no space for failure.
And when it ended—
The silence in the room felt different.
Heavy.
Not with expectation.
But with realization.
They had lost.
The moment the shoot wrapped, Aryan didn’t hesitate.
He walked straight toward me and took my hand, as naturally as if it had always belonged there.
“Sele! Let’s go,” he said, his voice bright, almost excited. “I’m treating you to dinner.”
I didn’t pull away immediately.
But I didn’t accept either.
“No, thank you,” I said calmly. “I still have work to finish.”
His grip loosened slightly.
Just enough.
Around us, the whispers began again.
Soft.
Disbelieving.
“My Moon Goddess… she turned him down?”
“Who is she really?”
“She’s not normal…”
“Are we sure she’s from the countryside?”
“If Aryan asked me, I wouldn’t even think twice…”
Their voices overlapped, filling the air with curiosity and disbelief.
It started to grow louder.
Too loud.
I exhaled slowly and adjusted my senses.
The noise faded instantly.
Peace returned.
Aryan looked at me, his expression shifting into something softer, something almost… confused.
“Sele,” he said quietly, “why are you working at Moonveil Group?”
His brows pulled together slightly.
“Did Bloodfang Pack go bankrupt or something?”
I blinked once.
Then rolled my eyes.
“If it did, you wouldn’t be able to support it,” I replied lightly.
He paused.
Then let out an awkward laugh.
“You wouldn’t understand my world,” I added, cutting him off before he could continue.
Because he wouldn’t.
Not completely.
And I didn’t want to explain.
Not here.
Not like this.
I turned and walked away, leaving him standing there, still trying to catch up with everything he had just seen.
The rest of the day passed quietly.
No drama.
No mistakes.
No more bold whispers.
Just silence and careful glances that quickly looked away when I noticed them.
And when the workday finally came to an end—
I was still at my desk, finishing what needed to be done.
That was when he appeared.
Lucian Frostbane.
He stepped out of his office, his presence as controlled and distant as ever. The air around him felt colder, sharper, as if nothing could reach him unless he allowed it.
His eyes landed on me.
“You’re still here.”
It wasn’t a question.
Just an observation.
I closed the file in front of me.
“Work isn’t done until it’s done.”
He watched me for a moment.
Then spoke again.
“Grandfather booked a table for dinner,” he said. “He wants us there.”
I frowned slightly.
“That was sudden.”
He exhaled, and for the first time, there was something beneath his calm.
Fatigue.
“His condition hasn’t been stable,” Lucian said. “He’s recovering, but he insisted.”
A brief pause.
“If we don’t go, he said he’ll refuse treatment.”
I couldn’t help it.
A soft laugh escaped me.
“That sounds familiar.”
Old men and their stubborn ways.
They always knew exactly how to get what they wanted.
“Your grandfather and mine would get along,” I added.
Lucian didn’t respond.
But for a second—
Something shifted in his eyes.
Then it was gone.
And just like that—
The door opened again.
Aryan walked in.
Like he had never left.
“Sele! You’re done, right?” he said quickly. “Can we go for dinner now?”
I stared at him.
“You were still here?”
He shrugged.
“Of course.”
Five hours.
He had waited outside.
For me.
Lucian’s gaze moved between us, sharp and assessing.
“Aryan?”
“Lucian?”
Then silence.
Heavy.
Awkward.
Lucian looked at me.
Then back at Aryan.
“Sele?”
I sighed quietly.
This situation had become more complicated than I intended.
“Since we’re all going for dinner anyway,” I said calmly, “why don’t you join us?”
Lucian didn’t argue.
But his eyes stayed on me a second longer than necessary.
In the end—
Aryan joined us.
The moment the car started moving, his voice filled the space.
He talked endlessly.
Stories.
Questions.
Random thoughts.
Everything came out in a steady flow.
I responded occasionally.
Just enough.
Lucian remained silent.
Watching.
Listening.
Taking everything in without saying a word.
By the time we reached the restaurant, Aryan’s energy had only grown stronger.
He rushed ahead, pulling out a chair for me before I could even move.
“Sit here.”
I raised a brow but sat down.
He poured water.
Served food.
Adjusted everything in front of me with careful attention.
His focus never left me.
Lucian noticed.
Of course he did.
His expression didn’t change much.
But the air around him did.
Sharper.
Heavier.
Like something was slowly building beneath the surface.
Aryan leaned forward slightly.
“So,” he said, looking between Lucian and me, “why are you here?”
“And what exactly is going on between you two?”
I glanced at Lucian.
Then, I answered simply.
“My grandfather asked me to come.”
A pause.
“Lucian and I are engaged.”
The words landed calmly.
But their impact—
Was anything but calm.
Aryan choked on his drink immediately.
“What?!” he coughed, grabbing a napkin. “Lucian’s fiancée… is you?”
I nodded.
His eyes widened even more.
“You? From the countryside?”
I looked at him.
Just one look.
And that was enough.
He stopped talking.
Because he remembered.
He remembered what that place really was.
Not weakness.
Not poverty.
Something far beyond that.
“Yes,” I said quietly. “I’m from there.”
I didn’t explain further.
I didn’t need to.
“The engagement is temporary,” I added. “Three months.”
I met Lucian’s gaze briefly.
“If nothing changes, it will end.”
Aryan blinked.
Then, without thinking—
“Well, that’s good,” he said. “Lucian doesn’t deserve you.”
Silence.
Cold.
Immediate.
“He’s too cold,” Aryan continued. “Too boring. Not even close to me.”
Lucian’s hand stopped.
Slowly—
He looked up.
His eyes darkened.
The shift was subtle.
But dangerous.
I could already tell—
Aryan had gone too far.
“About that car you wanted,” Lucian said calmly.
Aryan froze.
“…your brother asked me to help you get it.”
A pause.
“I think I’ll reconsider.”
“No—wait!” Aryan leaned forward immediately. “I didn’t mean it like that!”
His voice turned hurried.
“I was joking!”
Lucian said nothing.
He simply took a sip of his drink.
And that was enough.
Aryan went quiet.
Completely.
The rest of the dinner passed in silence.
Peaceful.
Undisturbed.
And for the first time—
Aryan didn’t say a word.
When it ended, we stepped outside.
The night air felt cool against my skin.
Aryan turned to me, reluctant.
“Goodbye, Sele. I’ll come find you again.”
I smiled faintly and patted his head.
“Be careful on your way home.”
He nodded.
Then walked away.
Looking back once.
Then again.
Until he disappeared.
I watched him leave.
Calm.
Still.
And then—
Lucian spoke.
His voice was older than before.
“So.”
I turned to him.
His gaze locked onto mine.
Sharp.
Unreadable.
“You’re sure you won’t like me,” he said slowly, “because you already have someone you like… right?”
