The Alpha Who Started Watching My Life

Damian’s POV

I remained outside Maddison’s room long after I left.

My hands stayed inside my pockets as I stared at the hospital hallway quietly. The smell of antiseptic filled the air and the sound of distant footsteps echoed around the floor.

But my mind was somewhere else completely.

On her.

Again.

It irritated me.

I had spent years controlling every emotion I had. Years building walls so high that nobody could cross them again.

Not after the betrayal.

Not after the blood.

Not after watching the people I trusted most destroy my family from the inside.

Yet somehow this woman had entered my life like a storm without even trying.

And my wolf…

My wolf would not calm down around her.

I clenched my jaw tightly.

Something was wrong.

The connection I felt toward Maddison was becoming too strong too quickly.

It did not make sense.

She already had a mate.

Fernando Harris.

The Alpha of Crescent Pack.

Just thinking about his name made darkness settle heavily inside my chest.

My wolf growled lowly.

Possessive.

Violent.

I hated it.

I pushed myself away from the wall and walked down the hallway. The guards standing nearby immediately straightened respectfully.

“Alpha.”

I gave a slight nod and continued walking.

The moment I entered my office inside the hospital wing, Rowan stood up instantly from the chair he had been sitting on.

“You’re finally here.” He said.

I ignored the look on his face and removed my jacket slowly.

“What do you have for me?”

Rowan’s expression darkened immediately.

“Fernando is getting desperate.”

My eyes lifted toward him.

“Explain.”

“He’s been sending men into nearby territories secretly. He’s also questioning rogues for information.” Rowan replied.

I scoffed coldly.

“Rogues?”

“Yes.”

I walked toward the desk slowly and sat down.

“That means he still hasn’t found her scent.”

“No.” Rowan answered carefully.

“But that’s not the worst part.”

My fingers paused against the desk.

“There’s more?”

Rowan hesitated briefly before speaking.

“Emma has officially moved into the Alpha house.”

Silence filled the room instantly.

I leaned back slowly against the chair.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

“So he replaced Maddison already.” I muttered.

“It seems that way.”

My jaw tightened.

For some reason the thought angered me more than it should have.

Maddison almost died.

And Fernando replaced her within weeks.

Disgusting.

My wolf growled again.

Rowan noticed but wisely kept quiet.

I exhaled slowly trying to regain control.

“What about the child?”

“Liam?”

“Yes.”

Rowan placed another file carefully on the desk.

“Our informant said the boy has been sick often.”

My eyes narrowed slightly.

“Sick?”

“He cries for his mother constantly.”

Something twisted painfully inside my chest at the words.

I remembered the way Maddison’s voice broke whenever she mentioned Liam.

The fear in her eyes.

The desperation.

And suddenly I understood why.

“That house is destroying both of them.” Rowan muttered quietly.

I stayed silent.

Because he was right.

The room became quiet for a while before Rowan spoke again carefully.

“There’s something else.”

I looked up.

“What?”

Rowan hesitated.

“The elders heard rumors.”

Coldness settled heavily inside me immediately.

“What rumors?”

“That you brought a woman back here.”

My expression darkened instantly.

“And?”

“They’re asking questions already.”

Of course they were.

The elders always watched everything I did.

Always searching for weakness.

Always waiting for a reason to challenge my authority.

I leaned back slowly against my chair.

“Did they find out who she is?”

“Not yet.”

Good.

Because if the elders discovered Maddison was Fernando’s mate before I figured things out myself…

Things would become complicated.

Dangerously complicated.

A knock suddenly interrupted the silence.

“Enter.” I said coldly.

Henry stepped inside with his usual lazy expression but the moment his eyes landed on me, his smirk disappeared slightly.

“You look terrible.” He said.

“I’m fine.”

“That’s exactly what people say before losing their minds.”

Rowan quietly excused himself immediately, leaving the office.

Henry walked closer and dropped into the chair opposite mine.

“So.” He said casually.

“Are you finally going to tell me why you’ve practically moved into the hospital?”

I remained silent.

Henry stared at me for a few seconds before realization crossed his face.

“Oh.”

I already hated that look.

“Oh?” I repeated flatly.

“The woman.”

I sighed heavily “Henry.”

“No seriously.” He leaned forward slightly.

“What exactly is going on with you?”

I looked away briefly.

“I don’t know.”

And for the first time in years…

That answer was honest.

Henry studied me carefully.

“That bad?”

I laughed humorlessly.

“You have no idea.”

The room became quiet again before he finally asked—

“Is she your mate?”

My wolf stirred violently at the question.

I stiffened instantly.

Because that was exactly the problem.

I did not know.

Nothing made sense.

The pull toward Maddison felt unnatural.

Too intense.

Too consuming.

And yet…

She already belonged to someone else.

“She has a mate.” I said quietly.

Henry frowned.

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

Because I did not have an answer.

I rubbed my hand against my jaw slowly.

“When I’m around her my wolf reacts.”

Henry’s expression changed immediately.

“How?”

“Protective.”

I paused.

“Possessive.”

That last word tasted bitter in my mouth.

Henry leaned back slowly in his chair.

“Well that’s not good.”

“I know.”

“You think the bond could be wrong?”

I looked toward the window.

“I think something happened long before I met her.”

Silence filled the office again.

Then Henry finally spoke quietly.

“Have you checked Fernando?”

My eyes narrowed slightly.

“What do you mean?”

Henry folded his arms.

“You said yourself the relationship feels strange.”

I frowned slightly.

“She fears him too much.” Henry continued.

“And from what Rowan said, Fernando doesn’t sound attached to her either.”

My wolf growled softly.

Because he was right.

Nothing about Maddison and Fernando felt natural.

Not the fear.

Not the abuse.

Not the distance.

Not the way my wolf reacted around her.

Something was deeply wrong.

I stood up slowly from my chair.

“I want everything on Fernando Harris.”

Henry blinked once.

“Everything?”

“Every business dealing.”

“Every alliance.”

“Every secret contact.”

“Every movement.”

My voice became colder.

“And I want it fast.”

Henry’s expression turned serious immediately.

“You think there’s more going on?”

“Yes.”

I walked toward the window slowly.

Rain still poured heavily outside.

And somewhere inside that storm…

My instincts were screaming at me.

This was bigger than Maddison.

Bigger than Crescent Pack.

Bigger than a broken marriage.

Something dark was hiding underneath everything and I intended to find it immediately.