CHAPTER 6: Pack Business

Damien’s POV

I stared at the security report on my desk and tossed the manila folder back at Marcus. The head of Ashford security shifted his weight and avoided my gaze.

“Two men down and one unconscious,” I said. “You sent three trained enforcers to track a suspected rogue and they end up in the emergency room. Explain this failure to me.”

“They tracked the target to a motel on the edge of town,” Marcus replied. “They waited for him to isolate himself in the alley. The operation went sideways before they could even draw their weapons. The man engaged them and took all three down in under a minute.”

“Enforcers do not lose fistfights to random drifters,” I pointed out. “I pay you to train soldiers.”

“He is not a drifter,” Marcus said. “He fights like specialized military. And he was not alone. The woman from your penthouse was with him.”

“My wife,” I corrected. “Do not call her the woman from the penthouse.”

“My apologies,” Marcus said. “It was Amelia. And the man who put your team in the hospital matches the physical description of your brother.”

I leaned back in my chair and stared at him. “Lucas is gone. He left this territory a decade ago.”

“The men insist it was him,” Marcus argued. “He broke Miller’s arm in two places and shattered Vance’s jaw. They said he did not even break a sweat.”

“Get out,” I ordered.

Marcus nodded and left the office. I bypassed the elevator and took the stairs down to Victor’s study on the ground floor. I pushed the heavy door open and found my father sitting behind his mahogany desk. He did not look up from his reading glasses.

“Is Lucas back in Silverpine?” I asked.

Victor turned a page in his book and took a sip of his tea. His pulse remained steady and his posture did not change. “Why would you ask a question like that?”

“Because three of my men are bleeding in the pack clinic,” I stated. “And my head of security tells me the man who put them there fights like a trained killer and looks exactly like the son you exiled.”

“If Lucas were back in our territory, I would be the first to know,” Victor said.

“You do know,” I realized. “You are not surprised. You are not calling the guards. You already knew he was here.”

“Sit down, Damien,” Victor commanded.

“I will stand,” I countered. “Did you bring him back?”

“I did no such thing,” Victor stated. He closed his book and removed his glasses. “If Lucas has returned, he has done so against my orders. He is a liability we cannot afford right now. He brings chaos wherever he goes.”

“He put three enforcers in the hospital and walked away with my wife,” I said. “That goes beyond chaos. That is a direct challenge to my authority as Alpha.”

“Then handle it like an Alpha,” Victor said coldly. “Find him and remind him why he left.”

The study doors opened and Elena glided into the room. My mother carried a silver tray with a fresh pot of coffee and a smile that never reached her eyes.

“Arguing this early in the morning creates wrinkles,” Elena noted. She set the tray on a side table and poured a cup for herself. “I heard the news about your runaway bride.”

“This is pack business, mother,” I said.

“Amelia is pack business,” she replied. “Or rather, she is a public relations problem. Half the household staff saw her pack a bag and hand you legal papers last night. The rumors are already spreading to the lower ranks.”

“She will be back when she runs out of money,” I stated. I adjusted my cuffs and stared out the window. My jaw tightened at the memory of her defiance. Amelia had always been quiet and agreeable. The woman who walked out last night possessed a spine I had never seen before.

“Let her stay gone,” Elena suggested. She took a delicate sip of her coffee. “She was never fit to be Luna. She lacks the pedigree and the temperament. She comes from a fractured human family and brings nothing to our table. This little stunt is a blessing in disguise.”

“A divorce brings unwanted attention from the elders,” Victor warned.

“The elders respect power,” Elena argued. “They respect a strong bloodline and proven loyalty. Gabriella possesses both. She is the hero who saved Damien’s life during the border wars. The pack already adores her. Elevating her to Luna would solidify your position and erase the embarrassment of a human wife running away.”

I listened to her pitch and said nothing. A part of me wanted to reject the idea and drag Amelia back just to prove a point. She belonged to me. Walking away damaged my reputation and bruised my pride.

But another part of me considered Elena’s words. Gabriella understood the politics of our world. She knew how to play the game and she never questioned my decisions. I let the silence stretch, neither confirming nor denying the suggestion.

I left my parents in the study and walked out to the estate gardens to clear my head. Gabriella waited for me near the stone fountain. She wore a soft sundress and a concerned expression that smoothed away as I approached.

“I heard what happened,” Gabriella said. She reached out and rested her hand on my forearm. “Are you alright?”

“I am fine,” I answered. “It is just a headache.”

“Amelia is being ridiculous,” she murmured. She stepped closer and let her fingers trace the fabric of my sleeve. “She does not understand the pressure you face every day. She never appreciated you.”

“She handed me divorce papers,” I stated.

“Because she is weak,” Gabriella said. Her voice dropped to a soothing register. “She cannot handle the reality of who you are and what you do. But I can. I have always stood by you, Damien. I saved you once and I will keep protecting you.”

I looked down at her face. Her voice offered comfort and her touch promised loyalty. For years, I had accepted this routine without question. She was my savior and my confidante. But as I stared into her green eyes, Amelia’s words echoed in my head.

'She understands your bank account. She is a gold-digging bitch and you are too blind to see it.'

I studied Gabriella’s expression. Beneath the mask of concern, a flicker of raw calculation passed through her eyes. She was analyzing my reaction and measuring her next move. She was assessing how much ground she had gained with Amelia gone. I had never noticed the opportunistic gleam in her gaze before today.

I pulled my arm away and stepped back. “I need to get back to work.”

Gabriella faltered, her smile dropping for a fraction of a second. “Of course. Let me know if you need anything.”

I turned and walked back into the estate. I pushed the unsettling realization away. I did not have time to dissect Gabriella’s motives or question the past. I needed to find my wife and punish the man who assaulted my guards.

I stepped into my private office and closed the door. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and tapped the screen. The private investigator I hired earlier this morning sent a secure message.

I opened the text and read the brief report. The investigator confirmed the security team’s claim. Amelia had spent the night at the motel with a man matching Lucas’s exact profile.

The message included a secondary attachment. The investigator had tracked their vehicle leaving the city limits an hour ago and managed to secure their final destination.

I tapped the attachment and an address loaded on my screen. It was a remote property miles outside of Silverpine territory. A property I did not recognize. I stared at the location on the map and my grip tightened on the phone.

Lucas had her!