004. Her Identity.

~DAMON~

Relaxing in an easy chair stationed on the balcony of my room, I saw Nora walk out of her wing, walking towards the Bentley Hillary packed near the mansion entrance. Her steps were slow and graceful, her curves reminding me yet again that she was no longer that shy, slender senior-year girl who confessed her love for me.

I was cradling a glass of bourbon in hand, my gaze fixed steadily on her.

"Oh, my goddess! Was that Damon I saw earlier..."

One would think Hillary wasn't a werewolf with how loud she always was. It's like she conveniently forgot that she was standing right under my wing.

"Or the fact that werewolves have special hearing," I muttered, taking another sip of my drink, my gaze never leaving Nora.

The way that silver dress hugged against her figure, riding a bit high on her thighs, heat surging down south.

“Still obsessed with silver color, huh?” I muttered, adjusting in the easy chair I was sprawled on, feeling the instant bulge in between my legs.

Damn...it's been a while. A while since I allowed myself to properly look at any woman. Not that I had the desire to. My whole life in Manhattan had been dedicated to work. And honestly, neither of them was Nora.

I didn't know how much I was crazy about her till I was a thousand miles away. Now, I had lost her. To no one else but my batshit crazy brother.

Anger swirled through me, mixed with frustration as I took my gaze off her, blocking off my mind from them. I already had an earful of how much she hated me when I showed up at the training ground.

I didn't wanna hear more.

Footsteps resounded in my ears, just as his voice hit me.

"Damon..." He muttered, trying to project the authority he knew he didn't have. I was always the most feared twin, despite being the youngest.

My jaw clenched as I turned to look at him. He was leaning against the door frame of the door that led out here, filling the doorway like he had the right to be standing right in my room.

"You don't have the right to just walk into my room as you please, man." My voice was hard as steel, gaze sharp as I locked on him.

He scoffed, leaning off the doorway and taking a few steps closer. "I could say the same about you. What were you doing in my fiancé's room, huh?"

He tried to appear tough and commanding. I bet he was already seeing himself wearing that crown. But there'll always be this side of him that cowers at the sight of me.

I capitalized on that.

"Why? You're worried I might take her from you?" I chuckled, enjoying the darkening of his gaze. "I just came back, brother. Calm down."

He stalked closer, thinning the distance between us with each stride, his body clearly tensed. "You broke her heart, running off like that. Do you think she will ever look at you like that again?"

I saw the rage blazing in Nora's eyes at the training ground and thereafter in her room. I knew the possibility was really slim, no matter how much I still affected her. But there's no harm in rage-baiting a twin who thought he already owned everything.

"First love, they say, never dies," I muttered, springing to my feet, desperate to tower over him like I always did.

Dexter was two inches shorter, just like he was a little less in the looks department. We might share a striking resemblance, but I sure as hell took the crown.

"We don't want you here, Damon." He spat, eyes already glazing icily. "Just go back to whatever hole you crawled out of."

Instead of being offended, I grinned, narrowing my brows at him. "What? You're already scared the council might reconsider handing me the mantle?"

He let out a humorless laugh, his face grim almost immediately. "The Alpha mantle is mine."

My grin deepened as I closed the distance between us, leaning down to whisper in his ear.

"We'll see about that."

Hissing, he stepped back from me and turned to leave, but I wasn't finished.

"Dexter?" He turned on his heel.

"What, asshole?"

My lips lifted in a smug smile. "You can't hide Nora's identity forever. And I'm here to make sure of that."

His lips fell open at my words, eyes wide as saucers as he gawked at me. Just the reaction I was expecting. Relishing that shocked look on his face, I walked past him, tapping his shoulder slightly.

"Lock my door on your way out, twin."

~~~~~~~~~~

The Luna howl was tonight, and I was growing restless with each second. Especially with the preparation already high up in the air. The sacred ground had already been decorated. And I spotted Nora not long, dishing instructions to the caterer, radiating with beauty and authority as usual.

Only if I could get the opportunity to talk with her alone.

But I guess that wouldn't be happening. Especially with the pack elders intent on keeping me in the Alpha's room, discussing goddess-knew-what.

Their gazes were on me; a hint of anxiety mixed with wariness. I hadn't said anything since I arrived, and I didn't intend to. Not that they would listen.

My gaze remained on Norman, Nora's father, and Beta, wondering what sort of man let his daughter ascend the throne without telling her who she really was.

"Damon..." The supreme pack elder finally found his voice, springing to his feet with vigor. "I'll go straight to the point, son."

My jaw tightened at that address, but I didn't say anything.

"Dexter, your twin brother will be crowned the Alpha in a week, and the Luna's howl is tonight, where he will—"

"I already know what's happening tonight." I interrupted, my voice laced with impatience.

Surprise registered on his face, but he continued.

"I'm assuming you don't have any interest in the throne, no?"

My head cocked backward at his outright assumption, like I wasn't even an Alpha blood to begin with. "To the best of my knowledge, in a situation where there are twin prospects, the ritual is conducted to determine who's fit."

"The ritual has already been conducted." I heard a feminine voice boom across the large Alpha room, and my gaze darted sharply towards the owner.

A gasp escaped my lips when a wave of recognition hit me. The woman Dexter was meeting with in secret.

She strutted across the room, gaze fixed on me, in that same white robe.

"And the moon goddess has declared you unfit for the throne."

Why was I not surprised? It was all making sense.

My lips stretched in a smile as I alternated my gaze between her and Dexter.

"Oh really?" My brows arched reflexively.

She nodded confidently like she had any clue what she was saying.

"Your brother is ascending the throne in a week, after he has lawfully claimed his mate tonight."

"His mate?" I asked in a mocking voice as my gaze darted towards each of them, enjoying the confused look on their faces. Well, they hadn't seen it all.

"You mean the first millennium Silver Wolf and Alpha female to exist in centuries?" Gasps flew from all corners, Dexter and Norman springing to their feet, their murderous gaze fixed on me.

But I wasn't finished.

"You want an Alpha to mark a silver wolf that's unaware of her powers?"

"What the heck is your problem, Damon?" Norman thundered, storming close to me. "Who are you to decide my daughter's future?"

I scoffed, my gaze on him laced with disgust.

"Quit making trouble, son." The supreme pack elder started, infuriating me further. "Don't you dare breathe a word about this to Nora."

"Watch me try, Supreme Elder." I challenged, eliciting more gasps. "Dexter is not marking Nora till she's told who she was. Not on my watch."

With that, I stormed out of the Alpha room. They wanted war? I was more than ready to give it to them.