登入Haliyah’s POV. The days after Damon left felt oddly hollow. I kept convincing myself that there was nothing unusual about it. People came and went all the time. Alphas had duties in their own territories, and warriors were often sent away for missions assigned by the Elder Council. And yet, every morning when I woke up and did not feel his overwhelming presence somewhere within the pack grounds, I felt restless. I realized another day had started without him here. I hated it. I hated even more that no matter how hard I tried to push him out of my thoughts, he always found his way back in. I was seated by my bedroom window that afternoon, a book resting open on my lap. The sunlight spilled through the curtains and warmed my skin. I had been staring at the same page for almost an hour. Not because the words were difficult to understand, but because I had not actually read a single line. My eyes were on the pages, but my mind kept wandering to Damon. To how he would always avoid m
Haliyah’s POV. I squeezed my eyes shut when the sunlight hit them. The sun was already high in the sky, its bright rays passing through my bedroom window. If I had to guess, it was already close to noon, yet I was still lying in bed. I hadn’t moved from my spot for hours. I hadn’t even gotten up to eat breakfast or do my usual morning routine. I felt weak, as if my body had no strength at all. I slowly opened one eye and raised my hand to block the light. I stared blankly at the ceiling and let out a deep sigh. I couldn’t understand why, but I felt drained ever since Damon left. It was as if my body had gotten used to his presence, and now that he was far from me, all my energy had disappeared. What is happening to me? I was never like this with him before. I never used to look for him. Back then, I wanted nothing more than to never see him again and to get as far away from him as possible. But now, that was no longer what I wanted. I think my mind and my heart have changed. Eve
Damon’s POV. I didn’t intend to return this soon, but things don’t always go as planned, especially when there are still too many unanswered questions and unfinished business. At first, I told myself I came back because I needed to personally deliver the tax investigation results. It was a convenient excuse. It gave me a reason that didn’t require further questioning, and for a time, I allowed it to stand on its own. But even as I crossed back into the territory where Haliyah was, I knew I’d only been half-honest. There was a difference between something you have to do and something you choose to do— and I hadn’t been honest with myself about where one ended and the other began. Being away didn’t make things easier. The absence didn’t erase my feelings. If anything, it had only intensified what I had tried to suppress. Distance was supposed to strip emotion from decision-making and help me think clearly. But instead, it had given those thoughts more room to grow. Haliyah hadn’t b
Haliyah’s POV. Silence was supposed to feel like relief. That was what I used to believe. When something ended, when someone left, when the noise finally stopped, there was supposed to be space left behind that felt manageable and calm. But this silence didn’t feel like that. It didn’t feel like peace or closure. It felt unfinished, like something had been removed too early, leaving behind a shape that no longer had substance but still affected everything around it. Like a sentence had been cut off and the rest of it was still hanging in the air, waiting for continuation that never came. This kind of silence felt worse than conflict. I heard that Damon had left. He was given punishment for breaking a rule during the last council gathering. The last time I saw him was the night I confronted him. He didn’t tell me he was leaving. He didn’t even say goodbye. I had no clue when he would come back— if it would be soon, if it would take a long time, or if he might not come back at all.
Damon’s POV. Departing from the pack for three days was supposed to be just a routine task. I told everyone I needed to check the outer border regions where rogue activity had begun to show irregularities again. It wasn’t anything new. I had dealt with much worse situations before, and I never needed to explain where I was going or why to anyone. I always made decisions based on what needed to be done, not on emotions or attachments. And yet, the moment I crossed beyond the pack perimeter, something felt different. Everything I had left behind was fine. Patrols continued, reports came in, and communications stayed intact. The system didn’t break in my absence, but something in me didn’t feel as steady as I usually did. Haliyah remained behind. That fact wasn’t something I should care about. She wasn’t part of the border operation. Her presence in the pack was unrelated to my work. But I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that she wasn’t there with me. It kept bothering me, eve
Damon’s POV. Leaving was always something I had been good at. Not in the physical sense alone, though that was part of it, but in the way I could detach myself from situations before they became too complicated Distance had always been my preferred method of staying in control. When something became unstable, I removed myself from its influence, allowed time and space to flatten what intensity couldn’t be resolved in the moment, and returned only when things were clear again. It was efficient and clean. It worked. At least, it used to. But standing in front of Haliyah now, I could feel that system failing. She wasn’t something that became easier with distance. If anything, she stayed in my thoughts more the further I tried to step away. That wasn’t the part I was used to dealing with. The persistence of her presence in my awareness even when she wasn’t physically in front of me was beginning to break the control I was used to having for years. She had asked me why I reacted earl
Haliyah’s POV. “Raven!” Cassandra called once more, her voice was filled with distress. Raven’s head turned sharply toward the door. His whole expression changed. Then, he stepped away from me completely and moved toward the door. He strode across the room and pulled the door open. The moment it
Haliyah’s POV.The moment the words left Damon’s mouth, it felt like the entire ballroom held its breath.“May I have this dance?”Me? Dance with him?My thoughts scrambled, struggling to catch up with what was happening. Just moments ago, he had been distant and cold, barely tolerating my presence
Raven’s POV.I did not expect to see her. Out of all the possibilities I had prepared for tonight, Haliyah was the one variable I never considered. Yet there she was, standing at the entrance of the ballroom. And worse… she wasn’t alone.Her hand was resting on Damon’s arm, her body angled toward h
Haliyah’s POV. “Alpha Damon… is this lady with you?” Damon glanced down at me. His gaze stayed on my face. I quietly crossed my fingers behind my back, hoping he would help me. Then, I felt his hand move. He casually covered my hand with his. “Yes,” he said simply. “She’s my date.” My heart nea







