Chapter 119: The Bond That Broke the ChainsPOV: SophiaI saw Damon fall.I screamed."No! Damon!"His body landed with a hard thud on the ground. My heart broke in two. I wanted to run to him. I wanted to cling to him. But I was still tied to the tree—tied like some damsel in distress—while the only man who ever made me feel secure was lying there… unmoving.Tears flowed down my face like a river. My whole body shook. I pulled on the ropes over and over, but they were too tight. My wrists ached, my skin cracked, but I didn't care. I wanted to get to him."Damon!" I yelled again. "Please! Wake up!"He didn't move.His blood was on the ground.I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I just sobbed, harder than I ever had in my whole life.Lucas tried to struggle towards Damon, but men held him back."Let me go!" he shouted. "Let me get to him!"But they wouldn't let him go. There were too many of them there.And I? I was stuck here. Just observing. Just sobbing. Just suffering.I glared a
A Chapter 120: Broken in His ArmsPOV: SophiaI couldn't catch my breath.I couldn't move either.The world outside me had disappeared.There was only the emptiness left behind by Damon.I looked at where he vanished, hoping, praying, begging in my heart for him to come back.He didn't.He was gone.Tears streamed down my face, hot and interminable.My hands shook so violently that I couldn't even wipe them off.My body was weak, as if the life in me had seeped out too.And then…I felt powerful arms around me.I didn't even look up.I didn't have the strength.I just fell into those arms, and they held me.Lucas.He pulled me against his chest, holding me like he would never let me go.I sobbed more, my hands grasping his shirt tightly, as if I would sink without holding on to him."I'm here," Lucas panted, his voice low and shattered. "Sophia… I'm here."I cried harder.Harder than I ever had before in my life.I buried my face in his chest and screamed out all the pain that was con
Chapter 121: A Mother's CryPOV: Sophia (sleeping) and LucasThe last thing I felt were warm arms embracing me.Safe arms.I was so tired… so broken…My head was resting on a firm chest. I could still feel my tears on my cheeks, still hear my own cries resounding in my head. But everything was gradually fading. The world was becoming silent.The scent surrounding me was familiar… Lucas.He held me carefully, as though I would shatter. And I wondered if I already had.I ceased to struggle. I let the darkness take me.I slept.Lucas's POVI looked down at Sophia in my arms.She had finally slept. Her breathing was slow and soft now, but her face still showed the pain. Tears streaked her cheeks even in sleep.My heart ached within me.I didn't hesitate, taking off my jacket and gently placing it over her, covering her small body.She was cold. Shivering a little.I held my arms closer around her."I got you," I whispered, as though she could still hear me. "I won't let anything happen to
Chapter 122POV: Lucas"Where's my Damon?" his mother screamed.Her voice startled me.It wasn't anger in her voice.It was fear.It was heartbreak.It seems as if she have felt it, that mother and son bond. She had knownI attempted to speak, but nothing came out.How could I ever say it?How could I ever say the words that Damon… Damon had dissapeared…She stepped closer, her hand grasping my arm in a tight hold.Her fingers dug into my skin."Lucas, where is my son?!" she shrieked again, her voice cracking.I hung my head.I couldn't face her.I felt ashamed, helpless.At last, I whispered, my voice barely a whisper, "He… he disappeared."The words left my mouth and filled the whole room with silence.Heavy, icy silence.I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears.At first, Damon's mom just stood there.Still.Frozen.Then she screamed.A cry so naked, so distraught, it constricted my chest.It was the wail of a mother losing her child.Cara cried out beside her, her hand to her mout
Chapter 123: Blame POV: Sophia The room was so quiet that I could hear my own breathing. I sat on the bed, hugging my knees tightly to my chest. My heart felt heavy, like a stone pressing down on me. I kept staring at the door, hoping, praying, that Damon would walk through it. But he didn’t. Cara sat beside me, her hand gently rubbing my back. She didn’t say anything. Maybe because she knew that no words could fix the emptiness I felt inside. I don’t know why she is here, I don’t know her plan again. The door creaked open. I lifted my head slowly. It was Damon’s mother. Her eyes were red, her face twisted with anger and sadness at the same time. She walked into the room slowly, her steps heavy like she was carrying the weight of the whole world. I swallowed hard. She stood at the foot of the bed, looking at me like I was a stranger. I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. And then she spoke. A cold, sharp voice that stabbed me right in the chest. “It
Chapter One hundred and twenty four : Her True FeelingsI was sitting alone in the backyard, huddled in my knees.The cold wind caressed my skin, but I didn't care.My heart was already colder than the night.I was missing Damon.I needed him.But he was gone… and maybe all because of me.I could hear light footsteps behind me.I didn't need to turn.I already knew it was her.Cara.I closed my eyes and swallowed the lump in my throat.I didn't want to see her.I didn't want to hear her.But I had no energy left to struggle.She came closer and sat next to me in silence.I kept quiet.She kept quiet.The silence between us was heavy.I finally spoke, my voice cracking."What do you want now, Cara?"She didn't say anything.I turned to face her, my face wet with tears."If you hadn't come to us… if you hadn't lied that the children were Damon's… maybe none of this would have happened!" I screamed, my voice full of pain.Tears poured down my face.I felt my chest break.I covered my fac
Chapter 125 – Sophia's POVI sat on the cold couch, my hands clutched together in a tight fist. My chest was heavy, and it hurt to even breathe. Damon was still missing. No one had seen him. No one had heard from him. It was as if the whole world had stopped moving.I looked around the house. Everything within it reminded me of him.His jacket on the chair.His shoes by the door.His smell still in the air.I folded my arms around myself, trying to get my body to stop shaking.Where are you, Damon?The door creaked. I turned my head slowly.In came the elders.They didn't smile. They weren't frowning, either. Their faces were cold and hard, as though they'd already reached a decision.Lucas stood up beside me, his fists clenched at his sides. Cara stood behind him, her eyes darting back and forth anxiously.The eldest elder stepped forward. His voice was rough as he spoke."We came to talk," he said. "The pack is exposed without an Alpha."I swallowed nervously. My heart hurt in my ch
Chapter 126 : Stranger from the PastCara's POVThe room was filled to capacity for the ceremony, but to me, it was bare.The noises around me faded away.I heard nothing but Sophia's broken sobbing beside me.She gripped my hand so tightly that my fingers became numb, but I did not release it. I stood still, letting her grasp me like I was the only thing keeping her together.Tears flowed down her face. Her body trembled so violently I could feel it in my bones."They can't do this, Cara," she sobbed, her voice raw and trembling. "They can't just act like Damon never existed."I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tighter.Her hair caressed my cheek as she buried her face in my shoulder."I know," I whispered, trying to be strong. "I know, Sophia. But you just have to be calm, Damon would come and he would claim his position back”But my words meant nothing.Nothing could repair what was broken.Nothing could bring Damon back home.Sophia clutched the fabric of my dress in her fi
Chapter 162: Cara Deceit Failed Damon’s POVI held Sophia tightly in my arms as I walked into the pack house.My chest still burned with anger. My heart still beat very fastBut all I could think of was her—how small she felt, how cold her skin was, how tired her eyes looked.I kicked open the door to my private quarters. The maids rushed forward, shocked to see her like this. I said nothing.No one needed to speak. They saw it on my face. They saw the danger in my silence.“Leave,” I told them.And they left.I laid Sophia gently on the bed, still holding her hand. Her lips were dry. Her eyes were barely open. She had been through hell, andg she still didn’t complain“You’re home,” I whispered. “You’re safe now, Sophia. I’m here.”She didn’t say anything. She just blinked slowly, like she was still trying to believe it.I stood up and ran to the bathroom.I filled the tub with warm water and laid out soft towels.Then I came back, picked her up again, and carried her to the bathroom
Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-OneFree From Her CaptiveSophia's POVI sat on the filthy, cold floor of the empty building, my knees up to my chest, my arms wrapped tightly around them. My whole body ached—my legs, my back, my shoulders. Everything hurt. My head throbbed from the slap Cara had given me. My lips were parched, my belly grumbled, but I couldn't eat. I just couldn't. Not when my heart was filled with so much fear.I was tired. Tired of crying. Tired of waiting.But still. I waited.For him.Damon.Please, Damon. come.I couldn't help but replay that moment when Caleb finally handed me his phone and said, "Text him. Tell him where you are. He'll come for you."I had stared at the phone like it was a gift from heaven. I typed the message with shaky hands. And now. I waited. Again.Each sound outside made me jump. Each creak of wood. Each sigh of wind. My eyes would flicker to the door, hoping… praying… but nothing. Just shadows and silence.Caleb stood at the broken window,
Chapter One Hundred and SixtyI Know You're LyingDamon's POVI sat myself on the bedside.Staring at my phone.So many thoughts in my head. I did not eat. I did not sleep. I had not even showered. I kept waiting for a call, a text. something.It did.My phone lit up. A text was sent.From Sophia.My fingers shook as I held the phone. My heart was pounding."Damon, I'm in an old building by the river beside the nearby pack, Come. Don't tell Cara I sent this. I'm fine but scared. I need you."I stood there, I couldn’t believe it.I couldn't believe it. My chest expanded and contracted quickly. My eyes scanned the words over and over.She's alive.Sophia is alive.But… trapped?And she asked me not to tell Cara.Why?I sprang up in a flash, prepared to dash out of the room. I had to reach her. I didn't have a moment to spare.But then—The door creaked open.Cara stood in the doorway.She was smiling.Her hair was tucked neatly back, her dress perfect as ever. But I saw nothing but dark
Chapter 159 – A Glimmer of HopeSophia's POVThe walls that closed in around me were damp, cold, and cracked. I was on the floor in the corner of the empty room, my arms sore from having them tied behind my back for so long. My ankles were scraped and bruised. The ground was hard. The air smelled of dust, mold, and old paint. It was the kind of place you leave people to be forgotten.But I wasn't forgotten.Not yet.I hadn't eaten for a day—maybe two days. My lips were dry. My stomach growled in pain, not just hunger. But I didn't eat the food they'd brought before. I couldn't. Every bite would be like giving up. And I wasn't ready to quit.Suddenly, the door opened again.I looked up, expecting Cara to enter and taunt me for my misery. But it wasn't her.It was Caleb.He entered quietly, holding a small tray. On it was a piece of bread, a small bowl of scrambled eggs, and a bottle of water. He set it down quietly next to me, kneeling to my level."You have to eat," he said softly.I
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?""