The true story

Damon POV

The council chamber in my pack house felt suffocating as the Elders surrounded me with their demands. Their weathered faces showed the same stubborn determination they'd carried for months, and I was growing tired of this endless argument.

"You cannot keep avoiding this responsibility, Damon," Elder Marcus spoke with his usual sharp tone. "The pack requires an heir. Without one, everything we've built will crumble when you're gone."

I gripped the arms of my chair until my knuckles turned white. "And what happens to the woman you force into this arrangement?" My voice came out rougher than intended. "She'll die, just like every other female who's tried to bear children in my bloodline."

Elder Elena, the oldest member of our council, leaned forward with her piercing gray eyes. "We understand the risks of the curse. But the survival of the Bloodmoon Pack must come first. Your strength keeps our enemies at bay, but strength alone won't secure our future."

Their words felt like chains wrapping around my throat. The curse had been destroying my family line for generations. Every woman who'd married into our bloodline died within twelve months, usually during childbirth or shortly after. The pack historians claimed it started when one of my ancestors broke a sacred promise to the Moon Goddess, but the exact details had been lost to time.

I stood and walked to the window, staring out at the dark forest that surrounded our territory. "You think producing an heir will solve this problem? The curse doesn't stop with my mate. It will take them too."

Marcus sighed heavily. "We can't know that for certain. There might be a way to break the pattern..."

"There is no way!" I snapped, spinning to face them. "This curse is absolute. It doesn't matter how many alliances I form or how much territory we control. Any woman who tries to carry my child will die."

Elena's expression remained unmoved. "Your power is what keeps the northern territories stable, Damon. That's why smaller packs seek your protection despite the curse. It's why we must ensure your bloodline continues."

I wanted to argue further, but deep down I knew they were right. The Bloodmoon Pack thrived because other Alphas feared and respected my strength. Our alliances were built on that foundation. But underneath all that power, I felt hollow and trapped by something I couldn't control.

"There's an offer from Alpha Kane," Marcus continued. "He's willing to provide a suitable omega in exchange for a formal alliance. She has no family connections, so there won't be political complications when the inevitable happens."

An omega with no family. My stomach turned at the cold calculation behind their words. They were talking about sacrificing an innocent woman for pack politics.

I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of their expectations crushing down on me. "If I agree to this arrangement, the alliance must benefit our pack above everything else."

"Of course," Elena said, settling back in her chair with satisfaction.

The decision felt like swallowing poison, but I had no other choice. I was thirty-one years old and still unmated. Every year that passed made the Elders more desperate and demanding.

---

The drive to Silver Moon territory took most of the day, but my thoughts were dark the entire journey. When we finally arrived, I noticed the pack house was busier than usual. Alpha Kane greeted me with an overly friendly smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Alpha Damon, it's an honor to have you visit our pack," he said, extending his hand.

I shook it briefly without returning his fake enthusiasm.

He led me toward the main hall, talking constantly about pack business and mutual benefits. "The omega I mentioned," he said as we entered the building, "I think you'll find her quite suitable for your needs."

My gaze followed his gesture toward a corner of the room where a small figure stood partially hidden behind other pack members. When she stepped into better light, something strange happened in my chest.

She had golden brown hair that caught the afternoon sunlight and wide, frightened eyes that reminded me of a deer caught by hunters. She was tiny compared to my size, probably barely reaching my shoulder, and she trembled like she was fighting not to run away. Her face was delicate and pretty, but what struck me most was how fragile she looked.

As she moved closer, her scent reached me—something sweet and warm like honey and wildflowers. It stirred my wolf in ways I hadn't expected, and for a moment I felt an unfamiliar pull toward her.

"Alpha Damon," Kane said, interrupting my thoughts. "This is Maya."

She lifted her eyes to mine briefly, and I saw genuine terror there. This wasn't just nervousness about meeting a powerful Alpha—she was absolutely terrified of me. Of what I represented for her future.

"Alpha Kane," I said quietly, not taking my eyes off her. "I hope she understands what this arrangement involves."

Kane's expression flickered with something that might have been guilt before he covered it with another false smile. "Of course. Maya is very... agreeable to serving the greater good."

I doubted that was true, but I didn't challenge him. This was business, nothing more.

"We'll finalize the contract details," I said flatly.

Kane nodded eagerly. "Excellent. I'll have everything prepared immediately."

As I turned to follow him to his office, a commotion behind us made me stop. A tall blonde woman was grabbing Maya's arm roughly, her perfectly painted nails digging into the smaller girl's skin.

"Stupid girl," the blonde hissed. "Stand up straight and try not to embarrass us in front of Alpha Damon."

Maya winced but didn't fight back or complain.

"That's enough." My voice cut through the noise like a blade.

The blonde woman froze, her grip loosening on Maya's arm. She turned to face me with a startled expression that quickly shifted to fake innocence. "Alpha Damon, I was just—"

"I don't care what you were doing," I said coldly. "Keep your hands off her."

The woman's face flushed red, but she stepped back immediately. "I apologize. I didn't mean any disrespect."

I looked at Kane, who was watching the scene with obvious discomfort. "Control your pack members," I warned him.

"Yes, of course," Kane muttered, glaring at the blonde woman.

I turned my attention back to Maya, who was staring at me with a mixture of surprise and confusion. She clearly hadn't expected anyone to defend her, which told me plenty about how she was treated in this pack.

"Come," I said to my Beta, Garrett. "Handle the arrangements. We leave in an hours."

As I walked away, I could feel Maya's eyes following me. I tried to ignore the strange protectiveness that had flared up when I saw her being mistreated. This was supposed to be a simple transaction—an omega for an alliance. Nothing more complicated than that.

But something about her frightened, defiant eyes suggested this arrangement might be more complex than I'd anticipated.

The drive back to Bloodmoon territory would give me time to remember why emotional attachments were dangerous for someone like me.

After all, in less than a year, she would be dead anyway.