Chapter Seventy Four : The Care For SophiaDamon’s POVThe room was quiet, too quiet. I sat at my desk, staring at nothing, my hands clenched into fists. The events from earlier played over and over in my mind. Caleb. Sophia. Cara. The way I had to kneel. The way Caleb laughed, thinking he had won. My jaw tightened, my wolf growling inside me, restless and angry.I hated myself.I had to do it—I had to kneel to save Sophia. But the look on my pack members’ faces, the way they had stared at me afterward… It burned inside me like a slow fire.A sharp knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts. I knew who it was before he even stepped inside.Lucas.He pushed open the door without waiting for my permission, his face hard, his dark eyes filled with something I didn’t like—doubt.“We need to talk,” he said, shutting the door behind him.I didn’t answer. I didn’t feel like talking. But Lucas wasn’t the type to back down. He walked straight to my desk, resting his hands on it as he leane
Chapter Seventy FiveChapter Seventy-Five: The Truth in the ShadowsCara’s POVThe packhouse felt suffocating. The whispers, the glances, the tension—it was all too much. I needed air, needed to clear my mind.My hand instinctively rested on my stomach. It wasn’t noticeable yet, but I felt it. A life growing inside me, hidden from the world.I slipped out into the cool night, the fresh air filling my lungs. The scent of damp earth and pine trees surrounded me as I walked through the quiet pathways. The moon cast a soft glow, and the distant hoot of an owl was the only sound breaking the silence.I wasn’t sure where I was going. I just needed space.As I walked, my thoughts raced. Liam. Damon. My unborn child. The past. The future. Everything felt tangled, pulling me in different directions.I stopped near a clearing, closing my eyes for a moment. I had come here before, back when things were simpler. Before I learned the truth about my mate bond. Before the lies. Before the pain.But
Chapter Seventy Six : The Truth HurtsCara's POVThe instant I stepped back inside the packhouse, my chest felt constricted, like whatever was in me was crushing it from the inside out. My legs kept propelling me, but my head was still running back from what had transpired with that strange man.Liam lied to me.The truth dropped into my stomach like a weight of lead. He didn't rescue me that night. He didn't present me with the necklace. He stole it. He lied about something he never did.And because of that lie. I made the worst decision of my life.I left Damon.I clenched my fists into tight balls as I stormed the halls. Each step made the pain in my chest worse. I shouldn't have come back to this pack. I shouldn't have trusted Liam. Now, that was too late.Damon had already picked Sophia.A burning pain pierced my heart. I fought to shoo it away, but it stuck to me like a shadow. He was already moving on… with Liam's sister. And I was stuck with Liam's baby, ensnared in a situatio
Chapter Seventy Seven Chapter Seventy-Four: Shattered HeartCara's POVI walked along the dirt path, my fists balled at my sides. The cool night air did nothing to seep into the burning ache in my chest. My mind could not stop reeling from everything that I had learned.Liam had lied to me.The boy who had rescued me all those years back wasn't him. He had lied to me, stolen the necklace, and pretended to be my savior. And I had trusted him.Because of that lie, I stayed with him. I ignored the love I had for Damon. I forced myself to love a man who never deserved it.And now…Damon had moved on with Sophia.My legs were trembling, yet I still walked. I didn't know where I was going exactly—I just needed answers. I needed to see Damon.Would he even talk to me?I reached the packhouse, my heart pounding in my chest. The guards at the door barely looked at me as I passed through. I had been here so many times before, but this time it was different.It felt like I was stepping into som
Chapter Seventy Eight : The Confrontation Damon’s POVThe air inside the cabin was thick with the lingering scent of sweat and intimacy. I ran a hand through my messy hair, exhaling slowly as I pulled my shirt over my head. Sophia stirred slightly in bed, the sheet barely covering her bare skin, but she didn’t wake up.I needed to get out of here.The moment I stepped toward the door, a sudden movement outside made me freeze. My sharp senses picked up a familiar scent—one that I had thought would never be this close to me again.Cara.A sharp pang of something—guilt, regret, something else I refused to name—hit my chest. I turned my head slightly and there she was, standing a few feet away from the doorway, her body rigid, her fists clenched so tight I could see the whiteness of her knuckles even in the dim light.Her wide eyes were brimming with emotion, her lips parted as if she wanted to speak, but I couldn’t let her.If Sophia heard her, everything would get worse.I moved faster
Chapter Seventy Nine : A Future TogetherDamon's POVThe crisp night breeze swept against me as I entered inside. My head was still a mess from the conversation I'd just shared with Cara, but I shook it off. There was no going back now. Cara had long ago made her decision, and so had I.What mattered most now was Sophia.As I stepped inside the main house, her voice was instant. "Where is he?" Sophia's frustration was evident as she marched from the living room, searching for me.There was a faint smile on my lips as I stood in hiding and observed her for a short while. She was beautiful, her hair untidy from having slept, her feet barefoot and moving lightly against the hardwood floor.When she finally turned and saw me standing in the doorway, her hazel eyes widened."You!" She marched toward me, her face half-relieved, half-angry.I didn't have time to react before she raised her small fist and punched it against my chest. Not hard—hard enough to be noticed."."Where were you?" sh
Chapter Eighty: The Mating Announcement(Cara's POV)The moment Sophia walked into the house, I knew that something had happened.Her face radiated joy, her eyes sparkling, her step light. There was an unmistakable glow about her, and I already hated it. Whatever the cause of such joy could not be good for me.She barely even looked at the rest of us—Liam, Vanessa, our parents, and me—before smearing her hands together and crying out with a strangled grin. "I have news!"I was nervous sick. What could she possibly have to be that excited about? Liam, who'd been lying on the couch with his arms crossed, braced himself at once. His face darkened, and he gave her a snarling stare."What news?" His tone was tight-lipped, cautious.Sophia took a deep breath, almost smiling as she dropped the bomb."Damon and I are having our mating ceremony next month!"There was silence.The entire room halted.I held my breath as a jagged, searing pain tore through my chest.No. This can't happen.My f
Chapter Eighty One – Cara's Plan(Cara's POV)I was sitting in my room, staring at the wall, my mind elsewhere.Sophia.The taste of her name was bitter on my tongue.That woman had everything handed to her on a silver platter. The respect, the love, the adoration of the pack. And now. now she would get Damon as well.I clenched my fists.No.I wouldn't let her.Damon was dominant, strong, and powerful—the kind of man who required a woman equal to himself, not some little whiny person who made a fuss over her emotions.If anyone was going to stand at his side, it would be me.Not her.My lips spread into a slow smile.If Sophia wished to be his partner, I'd make her live to regret it.Damon was a man. And men had vulnerabilities.It wouldn't take much to distract him.If he needed someone in his bed, it should be me. If he needed someone to run beside him as his equal, it should be me.I stood up, smoothing my dress, already thinking about how this would go down.I knew just what to d
Chapter 164A Mother's HeartSophia's POVThe house was quiet.Too quiet.I sat at the window, my fingers clasped around a hot cup of tea. Damon had gone off to do a patrol of the pack. He'd return soon, he said. But my mind… my heart… it was not at peace.No amount of trying could keep out my thoughts of the baby.Cara's baby.A small, innocent child who hadn't wanted to be born into all this ugliness. A baby who didn't know about betrayal, or lying, or pain. A small life, less than six months old.My heart ached.I was supposed to be angry. I was supposed to despise Cara. She enticed me. She left me there in that darkness. She didn't care if I lived or died.But every time I recalled that child… I recalled those little fingers… that tender face…Tears filled my eyes.It wasn't the baby's fault.I stood up and walked cautiously towards Damon's study. I sat on his chair and bunched my fingers on the desk.That baby was outside. And even if I did not know what would occur next… I wanted
Chapter 163 The Day I Lost EverythingCara's POVI walked into the pack big room with a smile on my face.The big room were quiet, too quiet.I assumed Damon was in a meeting. Maybe sleeping.So I made my way straight to the living room.But then—I froze.My heart almost jumped out of my chest.I saw her.Sophia.Sitting on the couch beside Damon.Her body was weak, but her eyes… they were sharp. Alive.She wasn't supposed to be here.She was supposed to be incarcerated."No…" I whispered.Sophia turned her head slowly.Our eyes met.My breath caught in my throat.I was immobile. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak.She stood up."How are you…?" I stuttered, stepping back."I thought—""Leave," she said.One word, but it hurt."Please…" I whispered. "Please, Sophia… I didn't mean to hurt you. I was angry. I—I felt betrayed. I felt invisible."Her eyes didn't change. She just continued staring at me like I was nothing.Like I never mattered.I dropped to my knees."Please… for the sake
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