The night passed slowly.
Sleep never came.
Selene's words kept repeating in my mind like a broken echo.
A wolf born with two mate bonds.
It sounded impossible.
Ridiculous.
But something deep inside me felt uneasy… like a hidden truth was trying to surface.
I stood near the window of my room, watching the early morning light creep across the Blackwood compound.
Warriors were already moving around the courtyard.
The pack was preparing.
For him.
For Alpha Damon.
My chest tightened just thinking about it.
The man who rejected me… the man who humiliated me in front of everyone… was coming here today.
And I had no idea why.
A knock suddenly came from my door.
Before I could answer, it opened.
Kael stepped inside.
He looked exactly the same as always—calm, powerful, unreadable.
But something in his eyes had changed.
"You didn't sleep," he said.
It wasn't a question.
"No," I admitted.
Kael walked further into the room.
"Neither did I."
That surprised me.
"Why?"
He stopped a few feet away from me.
"Because of what Selene said."
My stomach twisted again.
"You believe her?"
Kael was silent for a moment.
"I believe there are many things about this world we don't fully understand."
That wasn't exactly comforting.
"What happens when Damon arrives?" I asked quietly.
Kael's expression hardened.
"He'll talk."
"And if he tries to take me back?"
The air around Kael seemed to grow colder.
"He won't."
His voice was firm, absolute.
"How can you be sure?" I asked.
Kael stepped closer.
"Because you're under my protection now."
My heart skipped slightly.
Before I could respond, a loud horn echoed through the compound.
Kael's head turned sharply toward the window.
"They're here."
My chest tightened immediately.
Through the window, I saw the large gates of Blackwood opening.
A group of black vehicles slowly entered the courtyard.
Warriors gathered around them, tense and alert.
The lead car stopped near the main entrance.
The door opened.
And he stepped out.
Alpha Damon.
Even from this distance, his presence was unmistakable.
Tall.
Powerful.
Dominant.
His dark hair moved slightly in the morning wind as his sharp eyes scanned the courtyard.
Then…
His gaze lifted toward the building.
Toward me.
Our eyes met through the window.
And for a moment, everything around us disappeared.
The same strange pull I had felt the night of the full moon returned suddenly.
Strong.
Confusing.
Dangerous.
I quickly stepped back from the window.
My breathing had become uneven.
"He's looking for you," Kael said quietly.
I turned toward him.
"What do I do?"
Kael studied me carefully.
Then he spoke calmly.
"You stand beside me."
Minutes later, we walked down the stairs together.
The entire pack house felt tense.
Warriors lined the walls.
Lucas stood near the entrance, his arms crossed.
When we stepped outside, every pair of eyes turned toward us.
Damon was already standing in the center of the courtyard.
Selene stood beside him.
The moment Damon saw me, something in his expression changed.
Shock.
Relief.
Something deeper.
"You came," he said quietly.
Kael stopped walking.
I stood beside him.
"You asked for her," Kael replied coldly.
Damon's gaze shifted toward him.
"I asked for what belongs to my pack."
The words made Kael's jaw tighten.
"She's not your pack anymore."
Damon's eyes darkened.
"That's not your decision."
Kael took a single step forward.
"Actually… it is."
The tension between the two Alphas was immediate and powerful.
The warriors around us became even more alert.
Damon looked back at me.
"Come here."
My heart pounded.
I didn't move.
Damon frowned slightly.
"You heard me."
Before I could speak, Kael's voice cut through the air.
"She's not going anywhere."
Damon's gaze turned dangerous.
"This doesn't concern you."
Kael's silver eyes flashed.
"She lives in my territory."
"That makes it my concern."
For a moment, neither Alpha spoke.
Then Damon finally looked back at me.
His voice softened slightly.
"You deserve the truth."
My chest tightened.
"What truth?" I asked.
Damon took a slow breath.
"The reason I rejected you."
The courtyard fell completely silent.
I felt Kael glance at me, but I kept my eyes on Damon.
"Then explain it," I said.
Damon's jaw tightened.
"I rejected you… to protect you."
The words made my heart twist.
"Protect me?" I repeated.
"Yes."
"From what?"
Damon looked briefly at Kael.
Then he said the words that changed everything.
"From the war that will start if the other Alphas discover what you really are."