Chapter 134 : Once HelpedCara's POVI was quiet by the window, staring out into the darkness. My heart was pounding in my chest. Otto had texted me to come and meet him. He told me something had to be talked about. I had no clue what to expect.I turned when I heard footsteps behind me. Otto entered the room, closing the door behind him. His face was not the same tonight — not powerful and sure of himself as it had been in the past. He looked… worried. Scared even."Cara," he said, running a hand through his hair, "we need to talk."I nodded, my belly full of anxiety. He came closer, his boots echoing on the floor.I don't have time," Otto began, his voice low. "Damon has returned. You witnessed it. Everyone witnessed it."I didn't say anything, waiting for him to continue."I fought to be where I am today," he said, his voice shaking. "I bled for this pack. I earned my place. I earned respect. I became Alpha when every other person had lost hope. And now—" he paused, swallowing, "no
Chapter 135 : AgainstSophia's POVI stepped outside, my thoughts plagued.Damon… Otto… the whole pack… it was all falling apart.The moon glowed high in the sky, gentle and cold. I wrapped my arms around myself and walked on. I didn't even have any idea where I was. I just needed air, needed space to think.As I rounded the corner behind the packhouse, I could hear voices. I froze, my heart pounding.It was Cara.I edged closer, pushing myself against the wall. I knew it wasn't proper to listen in, but something in me said to stay.".you have to act fast," Cara was saying. She was speaking in a sharp, not-at-all-sugary voice that she only used in private. "Damon is back, but he's weakened. The pack still believes in you as their alpha. We just have to show them that he's not as strong as he once was.""They'll buy it?" Otto questioned. His voice was uncertain, practically scared."They will," Cara answered steadfastly. "You're their Alpha now. They've had time to settle into you. The
Chapter One Hundred And Thity Six : Four Days to Fate"Sophia's POVThe entire packhouse was off that morning.The halls were silent, but not the good sort of silent.It was the thick, chilly sort that gets around you, making your skin squirm.Whispers hung in the air, low and insistent, seeping through doorways and snapping like little flames.I did not even have to catch the words to sense something was amiss.I could feel it.My heart pounded as I walked through the halls. Wherever I glanced, wolves stood in small groups, their heads bent close to each other, their eyes darting toward me when they didn't realize I was looking. Their lips shaped quick whispers.And then I started to pick out some of the words."Damon…""Otto…""…the battle…""…the old law…""…four days…"My hands trembled as I pulled my sleeves over them.I did not wish to believe it.I did not want it to be real.Damon had already endured enough. He had been battered, bruised, humiliated — and still he had survived
Chapter 133 :The WarningI stood outside Damon's door, my hand hovering above the doorknob. My heart was racing in my chest. I knew that this was foolish—going into his room alone when Sophia wasn't around—but I had to speak to him. I had to say something to him that no one else was strong enough to say.I took a deep breath and opened the door.He stood, there on the edge of the bed, shirtless, elbows on knees. His head was lowered, as though in thought. The air was thick with his presence—warm, clean, powerful—and I hated how it unsettled me. He lifted his head when he noticed the door open, but he didn't move. Didn't speak. He simply looked at me.I walked in, shutting the door behind me, my steps slow but resolute. I couldn't be weak now. Not with him."You're alone," I declared, trying not to shake.He didn't reply."I figured I would seize the opportunity. You see, Damon, we must have a chat." I kept my chin held high, but my palms were sweaty.He blinked, and then shifted his
Chapter 138: They Want Him to FailPOV: SophiaI was perched on the edge of the guest bed, staring at the floor.It had been two days since I'd shown up at my dad's pack. At first, I thought the change of air would help me clear my head — I needed a break from the tension at home, the pressure of the alpha challenge, and the endless backstabbing behind Damon's back. But now I was beginning to wonder if I'd made a mistake coming here.The air this morning was not the same. My dad's tone had been not the same when he called me. "Go to my study," he ordered. That's all. No smile. No hug.And here I stood in front of his study door, my hand on the doorknob, my chest racing with fear.I opened the door slowly.My mother sat quietly on the window seat, hands folded in her lap. She did not smile when she saw me — just a small nod.Liam was there too. He was standing with his back to the fire, arms folded, his head down as if he did not wish to see me.My father was sitting behind his desk. H
Chapter 139: In His Arms AgainPOV: SophiaThe moon was already high when I returned.The evening breeze was cool and soft, caressing my cheeks as I made slow steps towards our home. My heart pounded excitedly, not for fear—but because I'd get to see him again. Damon.I didn't tell him that I was coming back tonight. I wanted to surprise him. I wanted to be near him. After everything my dad said to me, after all the bawling I did… I just needed to be held by him.The moment I opened the front door, I was hit with the scent of him. That scent that I'm so familiar with—warm, strong, and secure. My eyes pricked with tears just smelling him once again.I stepped into the still house. The lights were dim. My suitcase dropped quietly on the ground, but I did not holler his name. I didn't need to.Because there he was—standing in the hallway.Damon.His eyes met mine, and for a moment neither of us moved.He had the look of exhaustion. Disheveled hair, half untucked shirt, as if he hadn't be
Chapter 1 : The Journey(Damon's POV)Sunrise woke peacefully.Its brightness slowly oozed into the room, patting the walls, the ground, and eventually our bed. But I woke hours prior to it doing that.I lay still. I merely relaxed there, wrapping myself around Sophia holding her against my body, my ears filled with the quiet intakes of her sleep beside me on my chest.This morning would be the last morning to be this way—prior to all being shifted.I knew what today was. And I'd accepted it. I had stayed up all night thinking about it. About each opportunity. Every risk. Each outcome. I had played it over and over in my mind until my heart no longer thundered and stilled.It wasn't about me anymore.It was about my name. My pride. My pack. My right. My future.But above all, it was about her.I looked down on Sophia as she shifted, awakening slowly. She opened her eyes and met my gaze, and I smiled warmly at her. "Morning," she breathed sleepily.I caressed her cheek. "Morning."She
Chapter 151 : The Secret Plan The moment Damon walked out of the room that morning, something within me broke. I was standing by the window, watching him walk away in the distance with his shoulders hunched and his head held high. He never turned around. Maybe he did not want me to see the fear in his eyes. Or maybe he did not want me to see the fear in mine. I curled my arms around myself, struggling to catch my breath. The pack house was too quiet, too silent. Each tick of the clock thundered in my ears. My heart wouldn't slow. I sat down. And stood up. Went to the window once more. My chest was a weight. What if something went wrong? What if Damon was harmed? What if— No, I whispered to myself. "I trust him. He'll come back. He has to come back." But that only made the fear worse. I could not stay here. I could not just sit and wait like some pathetic mate. I had to do something. At least be close. At least see him, even from afar. So I left. I wrapped a thick, b
Chapter 158 – Trapped in DeceptionDamon's POVThe air was thick in my study. Tension-charged. A burning heat radiated in my chest from a pain that had no reason behind it. A mixture of anger, fear, and confusion.Sophia was nowhere to be found.I had attempted. Texted. Waited.Nothing.She always kept her word. Always told me where she was going to be.But now… nothing.Lucas sat across from me, his hands flying quickly across the tablet screen. He had been quiet the last few minutes, trying to track Cara's phone. The guards we'd sent had lost Sophia. And now Cara too.I did not want to think it. I did not want to believe that Cara was involved. But every fiber of my being was screaming otherwise."Any signal?" I asked, my throat scratchy."Not yet," said Lucas. "Just another second or two. If she's got her phone on, we'll pinpoint it."Before he could finish speaking, the study door creaked open.I raised my head hastily.And there she was.Cara.Craddling the baby in her arms.My h
Chapter one hundred and fifty seven Suspect Damon's POVI waited in the study, staring at the clock.More than when she was supposed to call. I had told her to message me or call me the moment she arrived at the location Alec Davis had given her. She promised she would. I believed her. I believed she would keep herself safe.Too long. Too silence now.I picked up my phone and dialed her again.It rang once.And then twice.And then went to voicemail.I stared at the screen, my heart pounding. I tried a third time. Still nothing.A thunderous knock on the door caused me to look up."Come in," I said, attempting to sound calm.Lucas came in, holding a small tablet. I could tell from his face that something was wrong."We've got a problem, Alpha," he told me. "The guards we sent to tail Sophia… they lost her."My heart sank."Lost her?" I repeated, my voice even.What does that even mean?."She went into the building," he explained. "But she never came out. The guards stayed, maybe thi
Chapter 156 : Trapped By CaraThe streets were deserted as I walked to the destination I had been sent. It was an old street, near the town center, yet still deserted enough to make me get a bit apprehensive. I held my phone tight.And then suddenly—A heavy sound behind me.Before I could even turn, someone grabbed me hard from behind. A fist closed over my mouth. I struggled, kicked, screamed — but the rag over my mouth muffled my cry.I was pulled back, through an alley. My heart thudded so violently I thought it would burst.I caught sight of the shape of a broken-down, falling building — the windows broken, the walls cracked. My gut wrenched.They shoved me in.The air was thick with dust and mold. I was tied at the wrists. My mouth was open, my throat dry."W-What's going on?" I gasped. "Let me go!"And then I saw her.Cara.She stepped out of the darkness as if catwalking down a catwalk. Unfazed. Unapologetic. Evil.Caleb was behind her. He turned his head aside when I tried to
Chapter 155 :?The Weight in My Chest(Damon's POV)The air in my study was stale. The room smelled of old pages and quiet reflection. I had a book in my hand, but I wasn't reading. My eyes had been on the same line for the past five minutes. My mind wasn't calm.Not since that message came.Alec Davis — the name that had been so important to Sophia. Her favorite author. The one author who had written stories that had comforted her when the world had been cruel.Now that same author wanted to meet her in person. Alone.I didn't care for it. Not at all. It was strange. It felt too abrupt. Too personal. And something in the message… it had my wolf unsettle with unease.Just then, the door to our bedroom opened.Sophia stepped out. She wore light jeans and a soft cream-colored sweater. Her hair was brushed back neatly. She looked beautiful, but her face carried excitement, like a child about to meet her hero.“Damon,” she said gently.I turned in my chair, eyes meeting hers.“I’m getting
Chapter one hundred and fifty four : Cara's BargainPOV: CaraIt was cold air, night air, gliding down my body like a caress. I walked through the woods, taking my time, no hurry. My black trench coat was enveloped around me, heels of shoes sinking delicately into sodden ground as I went deeper into the trees. The moon was silver, distant, cold—like I am tonight.I'd given the message to Caleb hours ago. He responded right away."Same location. Midnight."This is the time I need Caleb the most, I know he doesn’t like Damon, and this is the time for me to act like I care about him.I smiled as I walked towards the small cabin hidden at the edge of the border, a place that only the two of us knew. A place that was filled with tired memories, lust, lies… and now, a new plan.The door was already open before I could knock.He stood there, big and broad, still with that same obstinate look he always had. Caleb. My history. My instrument."Cara," he said coldly. "What are you doing here?""
Chapter: Secrets and ShadowsDamon's POVThe moonlight through the big windows in my office cast silver streaks on the floor. I sat at my desk, drumming fingers on the wood with nervous restraint. I had banished Sophia earlier that day, telling her I needed to rest. But my thoughts wouldn't rest tonight.Not after that message.Something is amiss.A knock on the door."Come in," I replied.Lucas walked in. My Beta. Loyal. Calm. Sharp.He bowed slightly. "You called, Alpha?"I nodded and motioned to the seat across from me. "Sit. We have to talk."Lucas sat, understanding the seriousness in my voice. "What is it?"I placed my phone in his hands and let him read the message.He read again, slowly.And then looked up at me with an eyebrow raised, furrowed face. "Alec Davis. wants her to come alone?""Yes," I said. "No destination yet, but I know Sophia will depart once it comes. And she doesn't want me included."Lucas sat back. "That's not wise. She's the Luna. What if it's a trap?""Th
Chapter 152: Something She's Keeping SecretDamon's POVThe room was peaceful.Sophia was in my arms, her head gently on my chest. She smelled of roses. Her breath was hot on my skin. Outside was quiet. No guard shouting. No wolves training. Just us. Alone. Safe.I kissed her forehead gently. She smiled faintly but did not open her eyes. She was tired. Maybe it was everything that happened today. The elders visited us earlier. They brought laughter and gifts—but tension as well. They kept reminding us that the pack needed an heir. That we owed it. A future to build.Sophia had said nothing after they left. I'd known something was bothering her. I hadn't asked. Not yet. I'd known she'd tell me when she was ready.Now, in this soft silence, I sensed her release once more."Are you alright?" I whispered, running my hand down her spine."I'm fine," she replied, her tone soft and slightly unsure.But before I could ask her anything else, her phone beeped.She sat bolt upright, grabbing the
Chapter 151: "The Game Begins"POV: CaraThe room was quiet—too quiet. Just the way I liked it.I perched on the bed in the guest room Damon had so generously allowed me to occupy. A part of me was entertained at how uneasy Sophia and Damon both were with my presence, yet they didn't have the backbone to tell me to leave. Guilt is such a potent leash. And I intended to tug it tighter.I deliberately folded my knees, watching as the curtain twitched to an imaginary dance created by a whiff of a breeze coming in through the window. Outside, the pack revelled, their laughter and cheers causing my stomach to churn—though not from envy. No, it was. enjoyment.For deep within, they knew not that their peace was what I held within my hand. And tonight, I was about to shatter.My phone buzzed on the table next to me. I grasped it drowsily and smiled at the name lighting up the screen: Mia — Publisher.Perfect timing.I picked up the phone in a sugary, scripted tone. "Mia, sweetheart. I was ju
Chapter: The Search for Alec DavisDamon's POVThe night was still. Too still.I sat in my study, the gentle glow of the fire illuminating shadows in the dark corners of the room. The logs popped as I stared into the fire, my mind far away. My mind wandered back to earlier today—when the elders had come to demand an heir, when Sophia had looked at me with that mixture of hope and fear. I had told her everything would be fine, but that little ball of doubt in my chest wouldn't go away.The heir.Was I already letting her down?I had promised Sophia that I would never abandon her. To protect her. To care for her. But how could I make her so joyful when something as important as this was slipping away from us?I sighed, slouching in my chair and running my hand through my hair. I had to clear my head. But I'd already wasted hours pacing, deliberating, trying to come up with a solution.And then, the one thing that could possibly cheer her up, I remembered.Alec Davis.I had heard her onc