20 --- The Blood Oath

Damon’s POV

A haunting quiet filled the night, infused with the smells of iron, smoke, and an even darker presence. Betrayal.

The boy’s warning echoed in my head, louder and louder.

He sent them. He’s coming.

And in the silence that followed, even the wind appeared to whisper Zac’s name.

A low growl rumbled from deep within my chest, my wolf pacing just beneath my skin. He dares to threaten her again.

The flickering candlelight flickered across the desk, and for the first time in years, my hands shook, not out of fear, but from rage. I had taken lives over far less. Yet this... this was different, deeply personal.

The door creaked open. “Alpha?” Rowan, my Beta, entered. “The scouts have confirmed activity along the eastern border: Redmoon warriors. He’s telling the truth."

My jaw tightened. “How many?”

“Too many to be a coincidence,” Rowan replied grimly. “He’s calling your bluff, Damon. If he pushes through, we’ll have war.”

War.

The word lingered in the air like a curse. My council had forewarned that this day might arrive, when Zac’s pride would dominate his judgment. However, what they didn’t realise- or couldn’t speak of- was how profoundly this mattered to me.

Aria wasn’t merely the omega he’d discarded. She was now mine…my Luna, my mate, my reason to suppress the monster and prevent it from ripping this world asunder.

I looked out the window, observing the moon illuminating the lands I am responsible for. “Enhance security measures. Increase patrols along the northern and eastern borders. No one is allowed to leave without my approval.”

Rowan hesitated. “The council won’t like that.”

“They don’t have to,” I muttered.

He nodded, then, before leaving, he softly said, “They’re meeting tonight. You should come.”

I did. But not for politics. For blood.

The council chamber felt thick with tension as I stepped in. My boots softly echoed on the marble floor, drawing everyone's attention. Elder Varon, the eldest among them, sat upright at the head of the table, his wrinkled hands gently resting over a scroll.

“Alpha Damon,” he began, his voice grave. “We’ve received word of Zac Redmoon’s mobilisation. He claims you’ve taken what is rightfully his. The council demands a resolution before this becomes a massacre.”

I gave a dark smile. “A massacre implies I intend to lose.”

Murmurs spread across the room. Elder Varon's expression darkened. “You’re mistaken. If war occurs, our alliance with the southern packs will fall apart. You need to give the girl over.”

There is a brief moment of silence, followed by loud, harsh, and deadly laughter that lacks humour.

“Hand her over?” I repeated slowly. “You want me to surrender my mate to the bastard who sold her like property?”

“She’s not one of us,” another council member snapped. “Her presence brings danger to this pack. We must think of our people.”

“My people,” I corrected coldly, my voice a low growl. “And I am thinking of them. Which is why I’ll end this before it begins.”

Varon’s eyes narrowed. “Damon, if you go against the council, the elders will strip…”

“Then they can try,” I cut him off. My wolf surged, clawing for release. “But I swear this on my blood, no one touches her. Not Zac. Not his men. Not even you.”

Rowan stepped forward, jaw tight. “Damon…”

“I said no one,” I roared, my voice resonating with authority and sending a thunderous presence through the room. Every head bowed instinctively as my Alpha energy surged, with my wolf spirit snarling just beneath the surface.

Elder Varon slammed his staff against the floor. “You would doom us all for a single woman?”

I met his gaze, every word a snarl. “She’s not just a woman. She’s mine.”

The room went quiet, filled with a heavy hush. I could feel my chest rising and falling with each deep breath, the truth lingering silently between us.

“She was his Luna,” Varon said softly. “You would make her yours? You think the Goddess will forgive that?”

“I don’t need forgiveness,” I said. “I need her alive.”

By the time I left the chamber, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I headed over to the training grounds, where the cool night air felt crisp and sharp. The warriors were already assembling, their eyes alert and attentive, ready for whatever was next.

I drew my dagger and sliced it across my palm. The metallic scent of blood filled the air.

“By blood and bond,” I began, my voice carrying across the field, “I swear to protect what is mine, my pack, my land, and my Luna.”

The warriors shifted nervously, glancing around. Some appeared proud, while others looked afraid. All of them lowered their heads as my voice grew deeper, resonating with the growl of my wolf.

“Any man who stands between me and my mate,” I continued, “will meet my claws. Any pack that dares to take her will bleed for it.”

Rowan stepped beside me, placing his hand over his heart. “For the Alpha,” he said.

The others echoed him, one by one. “For the Alpha!”

Their cries echoed into the night, raw, powerful, loyal. It stirred something deep within me. This wasn’t merely a vow. It was war.

Later, as the fires burned low and a peaceful quiet settled into the halls, I found myself sitting alone in my cosy study, gently gazing at the note once more.

My wolf stirred restlessly. She’s in danger. We must keep her close.

“I know.”

You should have killed him when you had the chance.

“I will.”

I rubbed a hand over my face. “I won’t lose her,” I whispered aloud. “Not again. Not to him.”

The door creaked.

“Damon?”

Her voice. Soft, trembling.

I turned, and there she was. Aria stood in the doorway, barefoot, her hair loose around her shoulders, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and heartbreak.

“How much did you hear?” I asked quietly.

Her voice cracked. “Enough.”

I stood, the air thick between us. “Aria…”

“You swore an oath,” she whispered. “A blood oath. To protect me. But what about your pack? They’ll turn on you for this.”

“I don’t care.”

Her eyes glistened. “You should.”

I took a step closer. “I care about you.”

Her breath caught, her pulse fluttering in her throat. “Zac will come for me. You can’t fight a war for something that’s already broken.”

My hand cupped her cheek before I could stop myself. “Then I’ll rebuild it.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “You’ll die for me, Damon.”

I leaned closer, my forehead resting against hers. “Then I’ll die knowing I protected what’s mine.”

Her lips parted, a whisper escaping. “You’re going to get us both killed.”

“Maybe,” I said softly. “But if he wants you… He’ll have to walk through hell to get to you.”

The candle flickered, shadows danced across her face, and in her eyes, I saw the storm I’d just unleashed reflected at me.

She stepped back, voice shaking. “You just declared war.”

And before I could stop her, she turned and fled down the corridor, her scent trailing behind, fear, sorrow… and something else.

Resolve.

The moonlight spilt through the window, cold and unyielding. I clenched the bloodstained parchment once more.

“Yes,” I whispered into the silence. “War it is.”