“Unanswered questions”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

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Damien’s POV

I stood by the window, staring into the dark sky, but my mind was somewhere else, completely consumed by thoughts of her. I knew I had a lot of work, but the ache in my chest from being away from her wouldn’t let me work. It burned quietly, refusing to ease.

The door to my office creaked open, snapping me out of my thoughts. I assumed it was Noah.

But it was Aiden.

“How is she?” I asked, still facing the window, not bothering to turn around.

“She’s fine. Her pack has already left the palace, so I took her to one of the empty guest rooms.”

“Good,” I said quietly. I could sense he had questions, probably too many, but he was wise enough to keep them to himself.

“Before I forget,” Aiden added, “Noah’s back. And… he’s pleased.”

I turned to face him. “Where is he now?”

“Not sure. Probably still in the hall, talking to some of the guests. Most of them are still waiting to find out if the wedding is going ahead or not.

I let out a deep breath and rubbed the back of my neck. “Yeah… about that. Let everyone know the wedding’s off—for now. If the guests staying in the palace want to remain, that’s fine. If not, they’re free to leave.”

“Okay, okay,” Aiden replied, a trace of sarcasm in his tone.

“And if you run into Noah,” I added, “tell him I’m in my office.”

“Got it,” he said with a nod.

Aiden was my younger brother and the Gamma of our pack. After Noah, he was the one I trusted the most. He managed my schedule, carried out my orders, and ensured everything ran smoothly whenever I was too occupied.

Once he left to head back to the wedding hall, I stepped out of my office and made my way to the balcony that overlooked the hall. I stood a bit far from the balcony, but close enough for me to see everything without being seen.

Aiden stepped forward and addressed the guests, his voice clear and steady as he announced my decision, officially canceling the wedding. I watched their faces shift from shock to confusion.

Some nodded, others whispered among themselves as they slowly began to leave the palace. But the murmurs didn’t stop.

I turned away from the scene and headed back to my office, but my thoughts remained behind—with Charlotte.

Once inside, I sank into my chair, the weight of the day settling on me. No matter how much I tried to focus, all I could think about was her.

I just hope she’s okay.

- - - - -

“You’re seriously going through with this?”

I didn’t have to look at who was speaking to know it was Noah. His voice carried that familiar mix of disbelief. I could already feel the questions piling up behind his words.

“Taking that girl as your mistress? Damn, you shocked everyone tonight, especially me.”

I didn’t respond right away. I just kept flipping through the papers on my desk, pretending to focus, even though my mind was far from work.

“I know exactly what I’m doing,” I said at last, my voice low. “This wasn’t a mistake.”

Noah stepped closer, placing his hands on my desk. “Then what was it, Damien? A game?”

He shook his head, clearly trying to make sense of it. “You? Taking a woman for yourself? Normally, you would’ve dismissed her without blinking. But this time… you didn’t. You kept her. There has to be a damn good reason for that.”

He looked at me, head slightly tilted, like he was still trying to figure me out. I turned to face him, and for a brief second, my eyes flashed gold.

“There’s an explanation, Noah,” I said, my tone even. “But I won't tell you now… maybe later.”

Noah let out a low chuckle, a smirk playing on his lips. “Alright, alright. I’ll wait,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “My dear brother, the same one who sees women as nothing but distractions, is suddenly acting out of character over one girl.”

He stepped back toward the door, his smirk fading into something more playful. “I just hope whatever you’re doing is worth the mess you made tonight.”

He didn’t wait for a reply. Just turned around and walked out, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

Noah had always been the one I was closest to. He was my younger brother, just three years younger but was older than Aiden. I shared almost everything with him. He was even more mischievous than I was, always chasing women and getting himself into trouble.

He hadn’t been at the wedding because I’d sent him on an important task. I let out a sigh as I needed to clear my head, so I stepped out of my office, intending to head into the woods.

But before I did, I found myself walking toward Charlotte’s room. I just wanted to check on her… one last time before disappearing for a while.

I pushed the door open just a little and peeked inside her room. Charlotte was fast asleep, lying quietly on the bed. I stepped in slowly, careful not to wake her. Sweat clung to her forehead, so I grabbed a nearby cloth and gently wiped it away.

I stood there for a moment, just watching her breathe. Peaceful. After a while, I quietly left the room, letting her rest.

I made my way to the hidden passage that led out of the palace, a secret dungeon path I always used whenever I wanted to leave without being noticed. Once I was outside, I shifted into my wolf and sprinted into the forest.

The cold night air rushed past me as I ran, trying to outrun the storm inside my chest. Eventually, I stopped near a small river and stood still, gazing up at the moon. But before I could even enjoy the silence, a foul stench hit my nose. It was sharp, sour, and wrong.

I winced and instinctively covered my nose.

I followed the scent, and it led me to a decaying body hidden deep in the forest. I wasn’t exactly surprised, this was the wilderness after all, and strange things often happened out here. Still, the sight wasn’t pleasant.

I didn’t linger. I turned away from the smell and walked further into the trees, letting the fresh night air clear my mind. I just needed a little more time to breathe, to feel something other than the weight of everything that had happened today.

Once I felt calm enough, I shifted back and returned to the palace.