168

Alpha Damien paced back and forth in his study, his conversation with Stephanie still played in his mind. She had agreed to become his Luna again—after years of turmoil and distance, it felt like a victory. Yet the council of elders’ resistance still gnawed at him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that they were conspiring against him, and his patience was wearing thin.

The knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. It was sharp, authoritative, the kind of knock that signaled a visitor who wasn’t there for pleasantries. Damien sighed, brushing his hand through his hair before calling out, “Enter.”

The door creaked open, and Elder Lucian stepped in, his presence cold and formal as always. Lucian had been on the council for years, a powerful elder who wielded significant influence among the pack's leadership. Behind him, the door remained slightly ajar, revealing another figure lingering in the hallway—Elder Gideon, who Damien noticed, did not enter the room but instead stood back, his ar