Chapter 1 ii

Lila stood frozen as Damon disappeared into the shadows of the forest, his presence as commanding in absence as it had been moments before. The rogue wolf’s body lay in a growing pool of blood at her feet, its golden eyes now dull and lifeless. The scene etched itself into her mind—the savage efficiency with which Damon had ended the rogue, and the cutting coldness in his words afterward.

Her hands trembled as she wrapped her arms around herself, the icy night air seeping into her bones. She’d heard stories of Damon’s ruthlessness, but witnessing it firsthand was different. His actions had saved her life, but his words had left her feeling more wounded than relieved.

Gathering her courage, she forced herself to turn away from the gruesome scene and head back to the pack house. The sounds of laughter and music from the full moon celebration reached her before she arrived. The pack’s joy and camaraderie seemed to mock her as she slipped through the edges of the gathering, unnoticed and unacknowledged.

When she finally reached her quarters, she collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion and emotion overtaking her. Damon’s voice echoed in her mind: “I’m not here to save you, Lila. Remember that.”

Her resolve, once so strong, began to waver. She had entered this union believing she could endure his indifference, believing that love and patience could bridge the chasm between them. But now, she wasn’t so sure.

The next morning, the sunlight streaming through her window felt like a cruel contrast to her turmoil. Lila sat alone in the pack house’s garden, a quiet place she often sought when the world felt too heavy. The hum of the nearby forest and the chirping of birds did little to soothe her. Damon’s words lingered like a storm cloud, casting doubt on everything she had hoped for.

“Lila.”

The voice startled her. She turned to see Maris, Damon’s mother, standing at the edge of the garden. The Luna’s face was kind but lined with worry, her eyes soft as they met Lila’s.

“May I join you?” Maris asked gently.

Lila nodded, her throat tightening as the older woman settled beside her on the bench.

“I heard about what happened last night,” Maris began cautiously. “The rogue. Damon.”

Lila’s hands fidgeted in her lap. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I—”

Maris placed a hand over hers, stopping her. “You didn’t. Rogues have been sighted more frequently in our territory lately. It was bound to happen.” She paused, studying Lila’s face with quiet intensity. “But I’m more concerned about how Damon treated you.”

Lila hesitated. “He saved my life,” she said quietly, though bitterness edged her tone. “And then he made it clear he wants nothing to do with me.”

Maris sighed deeply, her expression tinged with sadness. “Damon is… difficult. He’s always been that way. But he wasn’t always so cold. There was a time when he cared deeply for others, for the pack. Something changed after his father passed the Alpha title to him.”

Lila’s brows furrowed. “What changed?”

Maris hesitated, as though weighing how much to reveal. “It’s complicated. There are wounds Damon carries that even I don’t fully understand. But I believe he can heal. That’s why we chose you, Lila. You’re strong in ways he isn’t.”

Lila looked away, her chest tightening. “I don’t think he’ll ever let me in.”

Maris squeezed her hand gently. “Give it time. Damon needs someone to remind him what it means to feel. And if anyone can do that, it’s you.”

Lila forced a smile, but her heart remained heavy. After Maris left, her words echoed in Lila’s mind. The Luna had meant them as encouragement, but they felt more like a burden. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to pull Damon from whatever darkness he was trapped in, especially when he seemed so determined to push her away.

As the day wore on, Lila tried to distract herself by helping with pack chores, but whispers followed her everywhere. Conversations halted when she entered a room, and pitiful glances tracked her movements. She could feel their judgment, their doubt. Many thought she wasn’t strong enough to handle Damon, and after last night, a small part of her wondered if they were right.

By evening, she stood at her window, staring out at the forest that had almost claimed her life. The rogue attack wasn’t a coincidence; of that, she was certain. Rogues didn’t venture into pack territory without a reason.

But what reason? And why had Damon seemed so… unsurprised?

The thought sent a shiver down her spine. As much as Damon’s coldness hurt her, she couldn’t deny the unsettling feeling that there was more going on beneath the surface.

For the first time, fear mixed with her longing. The man she had loved all her life was a mystery wrapped in shadows, and she was beginning to wonder if she was stepping into something far more dangerous than she had ever imagined.