Foxfire and The Demon's Heart

Orion's POV

I had always kept my distance. As a Celestial Protector, it was my duty to remain unseen, to act only in the most subtle of ways, ensuring that the natural flow of fate remained uninterrupted. I had sworn an oath to protect Selene without ever revealing myself to her. I had watched over her for so long, observing her as she lived, loved, and stumbled through the trials of her life. And yet, despite my distance, I couldn't help but feel the pull of her soul—a pull that had grown stronger over time, especially with Zane.

At first, I told myself it was nothing. A simple fascination, maybe. Just a brief curiosity. But now, as the days turned into weeks, I felt something shift. Something dark. Zane's presence around her was more than just a passing attraction. I could feel it—the way he moved, the way he spoke to her, the intensity in his eyes. There was a force behind it, a force that felt wrong. I'd seen his type before, and I knew what it meant. His interest wasn't innocent. It was dangerous.

I had trained for centuries to sense these shifts, to understand the delicate balance of the world. Zane was testing her. Pulling her closer. With every encounter, I saw it more clearly—the way his influence crept into her thoughts, wrapping her in a web she didn't even know existed. It made my blood boil. I wasn't sure yet what he wanted, but I knew it wasn't good.

The first time I saw them together, I stayed hidden, tucked in the shadows, cloaked in my celestial aura. From there, I watched as Zane leaned in close to her, a devilish grin playing at the corners of his lips. I felt it in the air—the electricity between them. It crackled with something dark, something primal. His eyes never left her face, studying every detail with the cold calculation of a predator. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and it was that undeniable force that sent a jolt through me, something I couldn't ignore. It was a warning.

I tightened my grip on the staff I carried, my knuckles white. I wanted to step forward. I wanted to reveal myself to her, tell her to run. But I couldn't. Not yet. The laws of my kind were strict. Interfering directly in the lives of mortals was forbidden unless the balance of fate was already disrupted beyond repair.

But Zane—he was disrupting it. Piece by piece, he was breaking the rules of fate, drawing her toward a future she wasn't ready for. A future she had no idea was being slowly, methodically shaped for her.

"Selene," I whispered to myself, my voice barely a breath carried by the wind. "You're not meant for this."

I wanted to do something, to intervene before she walked too far into his trap. But I couldn't. Not yet. It wasn't my place unless I had the right cause to act. And Zane… he wasn't giving me that cause just yet. But I could feel it. The darkness that surrounded him. The pull he had on her. It was growing stronger with each passing day.

That night, something in me broke. Standing at the edge of a cliff, gazing over the city as the moonlight bathed everything in silver, I felt the weight of the decision press down on me. I couldn't keep watching from the shadows. I had to do something. I had to protect her, even if it meant breaking every rule I had sworn to follow.

Her presence reached me before I even saw her. A faint thread of her essence, so clear to me in the night. I closed my eyes and reached out with my celestial senses, finding her walking alone, lost in thoughts I couldn't touch. She was oblivious to the storm that had begun to swirl around her. Zane was the storm, and she didn't even know it. I could sense the tug of his influence on her heart, the confusion he was stirring inside her. It pained me. She didn't deserve this. She deserved peace, a life free from the darkness that was closing in on her.

I moved toward her, silent as a shadow, my form flickering in and out of view, hidden by the celestial magic I wielded. I stayed just out of her sight, following her every move with the precision of an ancient guardian. I couldn't be seen, not yet. But I could feel her, so alive in this moment, so full of questions I wished I could answer.

"Selene," I murmured, my voice barely a whisper, barely a ripple in the air. "You're walking into the dark, unaware of the shadows that follow."

I didn't want her to feel alone, but I couldn't step forward. Not yet. Instead, I remained hidden in the shadows, feeling the weight of Zane's presence growing nearer. I knew he would approach soon. I knew he was waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And I couldn't allow it. Not while she was so vulnerable.

She paused in front of a bookstore, resting her hand on the glass, her breath fogging in the cold night air. She was unaware of me, of anything but her own thoughts. My heart tightened in my chest, watching her. I wanted to take her hand, to tell her everything, to protect her from what was coming. But I couldn't. I wasn't allowed to interfere directly. The rules of my kind kept me at a distance.

And then I saw him.

Zane.

He appeared out of nowhere, like a shadow rising from the darkness. His tall, imposing figure cut through the night, his movements smooth, too smooth. He was playing his game. I could feel it. His eyes locked on Selene, and I knew, I knew, that something was about to happen. Something that would push her deeper into his grasp.

"Selene," Zane's voice rang out, a silky, dangerous sound that made my blood run cold. "I was hoping I'd run into you again."

The words hit me like a blow, but I couldn't move. I couldn't act. I was too far away, too bound by the rules of my celestial oath. And even though I wanted to rip him away from her, to protect her from the danger he represented, I stayed hidden. I stayed in the shadows, watching as Selene turned toward him, unaware of the threat that was closing in.

I wanted to shout. To break my oath. To reveal myself and protect her.

But I couldn't.

Not yet.

The moment was not right. But I could feel the pressure building inside me, the urge to step forward becoming harder to resist with each passing second.

Zane had her in his sights, and I could feel the darkness growing.