Chapter 85: Changing The Narrative

Selene POV

I’d been indoors too much. Probably why Ms. Ashlyn had been reached out to.

I’d started trying to get over the thought of Lucian. It wasn’t easy, but I was trying.

"You’ve been invited to an innovators event," Ms. Ashlyn said.

A what now? An innovators event.

"Would I be crazy to decline? I’m currently busy reading," I said to her.

"What do you mean? You’ve been here reading for days. You could just as well go out, have some fun, meet new people, and exchange ideas." Ms. Ashlyn scolded me. I knew I was weird. Maybe that’s why I was such a bookworm. Maybe that’s why I was always found in the library.

But I didn’t really care about seeing new people.

"Is it really necessary?" I asked.

"It’s not, but I’m telling you to go. It will cost you nothing."

I sighed.

"They couldn’t invite you directly because they knew you wouldn’t agree, so they came through me," Ms. Ashlyn added.

That was so corny. Yes, I wouldn’t have agreed ... but they should have left me alone.

"I’ll help you get ready. This is your first event in Winterwood, Selene. Come out of these shackles you’ve built around yourself," she said.

That was so kind of her. She really wanted me to go. Out of respect for her, I considered it.

"I’ll go. Because of you, ma’am," I said.

She smiled ... a smile of victory and quiet satisfaction. She was the only one who could get through to me. Smart move by the organisers.

Ms. Ashlyn handed me the proper invitation.

"The event starts at 7:30. I’ll have you ready before then."

"No, ma’am, you don’t have to..."

"Shh. I’ll do whatever I want," she said.

I shut up and smiled. There was no stopping her.

She was experienced. Deeply experienced. The way she parted and pinned my hair spoke of age and expertise. I’d never had the chance to ask her personal questions before, so I decided tonight was the night.

She applied my makeup ... the kind I’d never apply on my own. I always liked to look simple. That was just me.

But she gave me a whole new glow. After the brush and a few careful strokes, even I had to admit it was satisfying. It was enough to make me rethink my whole stance on makeup.

She brought out a dress and some jewellery. The dress was hers, she said ... a flared skirt and sleeveless top.

"Ms. Ashlyn, you must have slayed in your day. You really know how to put these things together," I joked, just to see her reaction.

"Of course I did. Slayed even more than this," she said without missing a beat. "That’s exactly why I won’t watch you waste your chance, Selene. I won’t let that happen."

There was something in her voice just then. Something that sounded like a mother. I felt her love in it ... heard a caretaker in every word. So I decided to pop the question while she was doing the finishing touches on the jewellery.

"Do you have any family?"

She paused.

"You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to," I added quickly.

"I had a family. A husband and a daughter." She slowed down as she knotted the pin of the necklace. "She would’ve been around your age. A bookworm, just like you."

The memory was getting to her. I could feel it.

"They died in a fire," she said.

"Oh, I’m so sorry..."

"It’s fine." She didn’t flinch when she said it, but her hands stilled for just a moment. I reached up and held one of them as she stood behind me.

"I was at the library when it happened. My phone was on silent ... I was deep in the books, completely lost. By the time I got home, the whole house had burned to ash. Their bodies were outside."

"That must have been devastating. I’m so sorry," I whispered. My eyes were already filling up when she noticed and cut me off.

"Don’t you dare mess up this makeup. I’m not doing it again."

I laughed. I couldn’t help it.

She dabbed her eyes.

"I don’t want you to end up like me, Selene. You’re a Destiny Wolf. It’s all in or all out ... and you’re already on the right path." She fastened the last piece of jewellery, then placed both hands on my shoulders and looked at me steadily. "You’re ready."

I stood up from the seat. "Thank you." I pulled her into a hug.

I didn’t want to let go.

"Come on, you’ll be late. Head on," she said into my shoulder.

I let go. "Bye."

She waved me off.

The venue details were on the invitation. I had GPS so I wasn’t going to get lost. They said I was going to meet new people and exchange ideas.

I was actually looking forward to it.

I arrived in no time ... public transport, of course.

It was a big hall. I immediately hoped this wasn’t some elaborate setup to introduce me to someone’s husband.

Damn. Why was Lucian all over my mind? Shut it. Shut it! I snapped at myself internally.

"Welcome, Ms. Selene." The lady at the reception handed me another card.

I smiled. "Thank you."

They had facial recognition on all the invitees. Of course they did. Levels of corny I didn’t even know existed.

They would all know I was Lucian’s breeder. I didn’t want to be misrepresented, so I kept my composure and made a quiet decision not to engage with too many people.

I slipped inside and found a seat without drawing attention to myself.

"Welcome to the Innovators Conference of Winterwood. We’re here to recognise intelligent minds and celebrate the inventors who’ve shaped this territory." The male wolf presenter’s opening speech was beautiful, and I wasn’t expecting it to be.

"Should you seek partnerships tonight, this is the place to find them. We maintain copyright disclaimer protections and keep your inventions confidential at the organisational level ... however, you may exchange information individually at your own discretion. Just be careful not to disclose anything of critical or proprietary value," he added.

The next session began. They celebrated former inventors ... those who had already passed on. This territory really had produced extraordinary minds. Then came the living inventors whose work had already entered the market, and finally, those whose inventions were yet to launch.

People like me.

That acknowledgment was quiet, and we were kept anonymous. But it was there. And it meant something.

The final session before the meet and greet was a sweeping vision address ... a projection spanning the next ten decades, delivered by the head of Winterwood’s manufacturing industry. It was massive. He announced that resources would be distributed to every person in the room following the conference. The standing ovation that followed was earned. I was genuinely impressed. I was also genuinely looking forward to being part of whatever came next.

Then the meet and greet began.

I stood and drifted to the back. Avoiding people, as usual.

I wasn’t doing what Ms. Ashlyn had asked me to do. What if she asked how many people I’d spoken to?

Damn. But I couldn’t just walk up to a stranger and say hi. I wasn’t wired that way.

In that moment I realised exactly how much of a weirdo I was.

Okay. Cloak it a little. Reduce it.

I took off my glasses and dropped them into my bag. I had perfectly good eyes without them. I just didn’t want to look in a mirror or I’d put them straight back on. My hand kept drifting back to my bag, fingers brushing the frame through the fabric. Should I put them back? Should I leave them off? That war ran from my mind all the way down to my hands.

"You look beautiful with your glasses on."

The voice came from behind me. I turned.

A male wolf in a tux stood there with a relaxed kind of confidence that felt entirely unforced.

"You’re an inventor too? Wow. You already radiate creativity," he said.

I smiled. "You can’t be serious."

He was flattering me. But I wasn’t going to lose my composure over it.

"I am serious. By the way ... Aiden Coleridge. Upcoming innovator. I’m genuinely open to learning from someone with your presence."

There was the flattery again.

"Selene Ironheart," I said. "Upcoming innovator. Same as you."

"Hmm." He smiled like I’d said something interesting. "I’d like to hear more."

And surprisingly ... embarrassingly, almost ... I found that I was enjoying the conversation.