Chapter 14: The Moon Between Them

The night was still when Lena found herself walking along the edge of the training field. The scent of pine lingered in the cool air, and the soft rustle of the trees reminded her how fragile peace could be. The battle had ended days ago, but the echoes of it still lived in her bones. Every shout, every strike, every life lost—they replayed in her mind like a haunting song.

She had not spoken much to Damian since that day. They had both been busy rebuilding what had been broken. The warriors needed rest and direction, and the scouts were stretched thin, searching for signs of another attack. Yet even as she worked beside them, Lena felt the distance growing between her and the Alpha.

It was not anger that separated them. It was something heavier, more complicated. There were questions she wanted to ask, truths she feared to uncover. Every time she looked at Damian, she remembered Kieran’s words. Her brother’s voice still echoed inside her: *He killed our father.*

She could not believe it. Not yet. But the seed of doubt had been planted, and it refused to die.

That evening, she stood by the outer wall, her hands resting on the cold stone as she looked at the forest beyond. The moon hung high and full, painting everything in silver light. It reminded her of the night she first saw Damian—the moment everything changed.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

The familiar voice broke through her thoughts.

She turned and saw Damian walking toward her. He looked tired, his usual steady presence touched by the weariness of too many sleepless nights. Even so, his golden eyes held that same quiet power that had drawn her from the beginning.

“Sleep doesn’t come easily these days,” she said.

He came to stand beside her, silent for a moment. The night stretched between them. Then, softly, he said, “You’ve done well. The scouts trust you now. Even Jace speaks highly of you.”

Lena gave a faint smile. “That’s something I never thought I’d hear.”

“You’ve earned it.” He glanced at her, and for a moment their eyes met. There was warmth there, mixed with something deeper—something he seemed afraid to show.

She looked away first. “We both know this isn’t over. The rogues won’t stop until they destroy everything.”

“They won’t succeed,” he said firmly. “Not while I lead this pack.”

Lena studied him. There was strength in his words, but there was also something else—a shadow, a memory he carried alone. She wondered how much he had lost before she came into his life.

“Damian,” she said quietly, “why do they hate you so much?”

He turned to her. “Because I stopped following the same rules they did. Because I chose peace when they wanted war.”

“That’s not the whole truth,” she said, watching his face carefully.

His jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

“I met someone,” she continued. “In the forest. A rogue.” Her voice faltered. “My brother.”

Damian froze. His expression hardened, and for a moment, she thought he might deny even knowing the name.

“Kieran,” he said at last. His voice was low, heavy with something that sounded like regret. “So he’s alive.”

Lena took a step toward him. “He told me you killed our father.”

The words hung in the air, sharp and cold. Damian did not move. His eyes searched hers, but his silence spoke louder than anything he could have said.

“Tell me it’s not true,” she whispered.

He turned away, staring out at the moonlit forest. “It isn’t that simple.”

“That’s not an answer.”

He exhaled slowly. “Your father was a good man once. But after your mother died, something in him broke. He turned to violence, to revenge. He believed the only way to keep his people safe was to destroy every pack that stood in his path—including mine.”

Lena’s heart pounded. “So you killed him?”

“I fought him,” Damian said. “He gave me no choice. He wanted war, and he would have killed hundreds to get it. I didn’t want to fight him, but when he came for me, I had to defend my pack.”

Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them back. “You expect me to believe that?”

“I expect you to believe what you see,” he said quietly. “You’ve seen the kind of leader I am. You know what I protect.”

She wanted to scream at him, to call him a liar, but deep down she knew he was telling the truth—or at least part of it. There was pain in his voice that no lie could fake.

Lena turned away, her voice shaking. “You took everything from me.”

“I didn’t want to,” he said. “I tried to save you that night. You were already gone when I reached your village.”

She stared at him, her chest tight. The memories came rushing back—the fire, the screams, the smell of smoke. She had never known who started it. Now she wasn’t sure she wanted to.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” she asked.

“Because you wouldn’t have listened,” he said. “And because I didn’t want you to hate me.”

His words struck her like a blow. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The night around them was quiet except for the soft sound of the wind through the trees.

Finally, Damian said, “If Kieran is alive, then the rogues are more organized than I feared. He wouldn’t have survived this long without help. Someone powerful is backing him.”

Lena swallowed hard. “He said he came to warn me.”

“Warn you about what?”

“That you aren’t who I think you are.”

Damian’s expression darkened. “He’s trying to turn you against me.”

“Maybe,” she said. “But maybe he’s not wrong to try.”

The words hurt her as much as they hurt him. She saw it in his eyes—a flicker of pain before he looked away.

“You think I enjoy this?” he asked softly. “You think I wanted any of it? Every life I’ve taken has haunted me. Every battle I’ve fought was to stop something worse. You don’t have to believe me, but I will protect you whether you hate me or not.”

Her throat tightened. “Why? Because of the bond?”

He turned to her then, his gaze burning into hers. “Because I care about you.”

The honesty in his voice left her breathless. She wanted to speak, but no words came. The air between them grew heavy, charged with emotions she didn’t know how to name.

After a long silence, she said, “Caring about me doesn’t erase the past.”

“No,” he agreed. “But it might change the future.”

He stepped closer, his hand brushing hers. The touch sent a spark through her, and she hated how her body reacted. Her heart ached with confusion. She wanted to pull away, but she couldn’t. Instead, she stood still, caught between anger and longing.

“You should rest,” Damian said finally, his voice lower now. “We’ll talk again in the morning.”

She nodded but did not move. He lingered for a heartbeat longer, as if he wanted to say more, then turned and walked away. The sound of his footsteps faded into the night.

Lena stood there until the moon dipped behind the clouds. Every part of her wanted to believe him, but the doubt refused to fade. Her brother’s face, her father’s memory, and Damian’s quiet pain all tangled inside her heart until she could no longer tell which was truth and which was lie.

That night she did not sleep. She walked the camp, her thoughts restless and raw. When dawn came, she found herself back at the training grounds, watching the warriors spar. Every shout, every strike reminded her that war had a way of taking everything and giving nothing back.

Jace approached her, sweat glistening on his skin. “You look like you haven’t slept in days.”

“I haven’t.”

He handed her a flask of water. “Then maybe stop thinking so hard. You can’t save everyone.”

She took a sip, staring out at the horizon. “I’m not trying to save everyone. Just what’s left.”

“From Damian or from yourself?” he asked quietly.

She looked at him, but he only shrugged. “Sometimes the hardest battles aren’t fought with swords.”

Lena almost smiled. “You sound like you’ve done this before.”

“Too many times,” he said. “Just… don’t lose yourself in all this. The pack needs you. He needs you.”

She looked down at the flask in her hands. “I don’t even know what that means anymore.”

Jace sighed and turned back to the field. “It means that whether you like it or not, you’re one of us now.”

As he walked away, Lena stood there, the words settling deep inside her. One of them. She had spent years running from belonging, but now, for the first time, she wasn’t sure she wanted to.

When the sun rose high above the camp, Damian called a meeting in the war room. Maps were spread across the table again, and new scouts had returned with troubling reports. The rogues were regrouping. They had new weapons, new tactics—and a new leader who hid behind the shadows.

“Kieran,” Lena said under her breath.

Damian looked at her. “If it’s him, we’ll face him together.”

She met his gaze, unsure if she could still believe in *together*. But when he reached across the table and set his hand over hers, she didn’t pull away.

For now, it was enough.