Chapter: Damon's Return and the Agony of LoveSophia's POVI just stood there, staring at the door. My heart was racing so fiercely in my chest that I was afraid it would explode. The air in the room was heavy, as though the walls themselves were tightening around me. How many times had I stood in this exact spot, suffering over Damon's disappearance? How many nights had I cried myself to sleep, wondering what had happened to him?And now, just when I thought I had long put those feelings deep inside, they were flooding back, making my chest heavy with guilt and regret. The silence was suffocating. I couldn't breathe. My head kept replaying it all—how he had disappeared without a word, how he had left everything behind for me, and how I had thought he was gone for good.The door opened creakily, and I did not need to turn to recognize who it was. It was Damon's mother. I could feel the anger in the air even before I turned to behold her face. My heart sank. I had never wanted to face
Chapter 130 :Damon’s Unexpected ReturnSophia’s POVThe room was quiet. The silence was suffocating, almost like it was pressing against my chest, making it hard to breathe. My heart was still racing, my thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and guilt. Damon’s mother’s words echoed in my mind, over and over again. “He fought for you… and you’ve replaced him.”I did not realize I had cut so deeply with those words, how much I had tried to suppress my sadness at losing him, only to now realize that I had done everything wrong. I had thought I could get over it. I had thought I could fill the void he had left me with someone else. But by doing so, I had cheated him. I had shattered the love he had for me—the love he had given everything up for.I fell to the ground, my body convulsing as the tears fell in sheets. I couldn't restrain myself. The pain of guilt was too great, a weight I couldn't lose, no matter how hard I fought. I had betrayed him, and now I couldn't do anything to mend it.Bu
Chapter 131 : EmotionSophia's POVI stood there, my whole body shaking as Damon's mother rushed to him.The sight of Damon alive, breathing, standing tall — it hardly felt real.Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched them hug.I wiped my face quickly, but the tears kept falling.I had dreamed of this moment so many times… but now that it was finally here, I didn't know what to feel.I wanted to fling myself into Damon's arms.I wanted to feel him wrap me in his arms, tell me everything was all right.But I stood stock-still.Damon's mother broke away first.She touched his face with trembling hands, laughing with tears."My son," she said. "My precious son."Damon smiled, but it was gone instantly as his mother moved her head and looked at me.Her eyes grew cold.Knife-like.Sharp."She's still here," she muttered under her breath, loud enough for me — and Damon — to hear.Damon frowned."Mother…"She ignored him.She approached me.My heart fell."When you disappeared," she spat, c
Chapter 132: Unimaginable LoveDamon's POV (I)I was at the rear of the packhouse, cold wind cutting into my face.My heart was racing inside my chest, yet my body didn't budge.It was strange to be home after all.After what I'd lost.After what I'd fought for.The air carried a different scent now.Not home like it used to be.It was the scent of lies. Of betrayal.I knew he would come.I didn't have to wait long.I could hear footsteps behind me, slow and heavy.When I turned, there he was — Otto.He had a proud smile on his face, behaving as if the world belonged to him."You're back," Otto said with a voice full of insincere sweetness."But things are different now, Damon."I didn't say anything.I didn't trust my lips.If I opened my mouth too fast, I could tear him apart.Otto smiled when I didn't answer.He stepped closer, hands in pockets like he wasn't scared at all."I'm the Alpha now," he said, his voice boisterous and clear."I'm in charge of this pack. Everyone looks up
Chapter 133: Build UpI sat quietly beside the packhouse, the cold night air biting into my skin. The stars were so far away, just like my hopes. I did not know what Damon was thinking. He had been back home for a while now, yet he was acting like a stranger.He stayed to himself.He did not fight for anything.He did not even fight for the pack… or for me.I could not handle it anymore.Slowly, I stood up and walked towards the forest at the rear of the house. I knew that he would be there. He always took refuge behind the forest when he did not want anyone to witness his suffering.And indeed, he was.Perched on a splintered tree, his head buried in his hands, the moonlight caressing his untidy hair.My heart broke all over again.I went to him, my footsteps soft.He looked up at me, and for a moment, his eyes were full of sorrow. He was the type of man who had lost everything."Damon…" I spoke his name quietly.He didn't answer.He just turned his face away, as though he was too hu
Chapter 134 : Once HelpedCara's POVI was quiet by the window, staring out into the darkness. My heart was pounding in my chest. Otto had texted me to come and meet him. He told me something had to be talked about. I had no clue what to expect.I turned when I heard footsteps behind me. Otto entered the room, closing the door behind him. His face was not the same tonight — not powerful and sure of himself as it had been in the past. He looked… worried. Scared even."Cara," he said, running a hand through his hair, "we need to talk."I nodded, my belly full of anxiety. He came closer, his boots echoing on the floor.I don't have time," Otto began, his voice low. "Damon has returned. You witnessed it. Everyone witnessed it."I didn't say anything, waiting for him to continue."I fought to be where I am today," he said, his voice shaking. "I bled for this pack. I earned my place. I earned respect. I became Alpha when every other person had lost hope. And now—" he paused, swallowing, "no
Chapter 135 : AgainstSophia's POVI stepped outside, my thoughts plagued.Damon… Otto… the whole pack… it was all falling apart.The moon glowed high in the sky, gentle and cold. I wrapped my arms around myself and walked on. I didn't even have any idea where I was. I just needed air, needed space to think.As I rounded the corner behind the packhouse, I could hear voices. I froze, my heart pounding.It was Cara.I edged closer, pushing myself against the wall. I knew it wasn't proper to listen in, but something in me said to stay.".you have to act fast," Cara was saying. She was speaking in a sharp, not-at-all-sugary voice that she only used in private. "Damon is back, but he's weakened. The pack still believes in you as their alpha. We just have to show them that he's not as strong as he once was.""They'll buy it?" Otto questioned. His voice was uncertain, practically scared."They will," Cara answered steadfastly. "You're their Alpha now. They've had time to settle into you. The
Chapter One Hundred And Thity Six : Four Days to Fate"Sophia's POVThe entire packhouse was off that morning.The halls were silent, but not the good sort of silent.It was the thick, chilly sort that gets around you, making your skin squirm.Whispers hung in the air, low and insistent, seeping through doorways and snapping like little flames.I did not even have to catch the words to sense something was amiss.I could feel it.My heart pounded as I walked through the halls. Wherever I glanced, wolves stood in small groups, their heads bent close to each other, their eyes darting toward me when they didn't realize I was looking. Their lips shaped quick whispers.And then I started to pick out some of the words."Damon…""Otto…""…the battle…""…the old law…""…four days…"My hands trembled as I pulled my sleeves over them.I did not wish to believe it.I did not want it to be real.Damon had already endured enough. He had been battered, bruised, humiliated — and still he had survived
Chapter 151 : The Secret PlanThe moment Damon walked out of the room that morning, something within me broke.I was standing by the window, watching him walk away in the distance with his shoulders hunched and his head held high. He never turned around. Maybe he did not want me to see the fear in his eyes. Or maybe he did not want me to see the fear in mine.I curled my arms around myself, struggling to catch my breath. The pack house was too quiet, too silent. Each tick of the clock thundered in my ears. My heart wouldn't slow.I sat down. And stood up. Went to the window once more. My chest was a weight.What if something went wrong? What if Damon was harmed? What if—No, I whispered to myself. "I trust him. He'll come back. He has to come back."But that only made the fear worse.I could not stay here. I could not just sit and wait like some pathetic mate. I had to do something. At least be close. At least see him, even from afar.So I left.I wrapped a thick, brown cloak around m
Chapter 1 : The Journey(Damon's POV)Sunrise woke peacefully.Its brightness slowly oozed into the room, patting the walls, the ground, and eventually our bed. But I woke hours prior to it doing that.I lay still. I merely relaxed there, wrapping myself around Sophia holding her against my body, my ears filled with the quiet intakes of her sleep beside me on my chest.This morning would be the last morning to be this way—prior to all being shifted.I knew what today was. And I'd accepted it. I had stayed up all night thinking about it. About each opportunity. Every risk. Each outcome. I had played it over and over in my mind until my heart no longer thundered and stilled.It wasn't about me anymore.It was about my name. My pride. My pack. My right. My future.But above all, it was about her.I looked down on Sophia as she shifted, awakening slowly. She opened her eyes and met my gaze, and I smiled warmly at her. "Morning," she breathed sleepily.I caressed her cheek. "Morning."She
Chapter 139: In His Arms AgainPOV: SophiaThe moon was already high when I returned.The evening breeze was cool and soft, caressing my cheeks as I made slow steps towards our home. My heart pounded excitedly, not for fear—but because I'd get to see him again. Damon.I didn't tell him that I was coming back tonight. I wanted to surprise him. I wanted to be near him. After everything my dad said to me, after all the bawling I did… I just needed to be held by him.The moment I opened the front door, I was hit with the scent of him. That scent that I'm so familiar with—warm, strong, and secure. My eyes pricked with tears just smelling him once again.I stepped into the still house. The lights were dim. My suitcase dropped quietly on the ground, but I did not holler his name. I didn't need to.Because there he was—standing in the hallway.Damon.His eyes met mine, and for a moment neither of us moved.He had the look of exhaustion. Disheveled hair, half untucked shirt, as if he hadn't be
Chapter 138: They Want Him to FailPOV: SophiaI was perched on the edge of the guest bed, staring at the floor.It had been two days since I'd shown up at my dad's pack. At first, I thought the change of air would help me clear my head — I needed a break from the tension at home, the pressure of the alpha challenge, and the endless backstabbing behind Damon's back. But now I was beginning to wonder if I'd made a mistake coming here.The air this morning was not the same. My dad's tone had been not the same when he called me. "Go to my study," he ordered. That's all. No smile. No hug.And here I stood in front of his study door, my hand on the doorknob, my chest racing with fear.I opened the door slowly.My mother sat quietly on the window seat, hands folded in her lap. She did not smile when she saw me — just a small nod.Liam was there too. He was standing with his back to the fire, arms folded, his head down as if he did not wish to see me.My father was sitting behind his desk. H
Chapter 133 :The WarningI stood outside Damon's door, my hand hovering above the doorknob. My heart was racing in my chest. I knew that this was foolish—going into his room alone when Sophia wasn't around—but I had to speak to him. I had to say something to him that no one else was strong enough to say.I took a deep breath and opened the door.He stood, there on the edge of the bed, shirtless, elbows on knees. His head was lowered, as though in thought. The air was thick with his presence—warm, clean, powerful—and I hated how it unsettled me. He lifted his head when he noticed the door open, but he didn't move. Didn't speak. He simply looked at me.I walked in, shutting the door behind me, my steps slow but resolute. I couldn't be weak now. Not with him."You're alone," I declared, trying not to shake.He didn't reply."I figured I would seize the opportunity. You see, Damon, we must have a chat." I kept my chin held high, but my palms were sweaty.He blinked, and then shifted his
Chapter One Hundred And Thity Six : Four Days to Fate"Sophia's POVThe entire packhouse was off that morning.The halls were silent, but not the good sort of silent.It was the thick, chilly sort that gets around you, making your skin squirm.Whispers hung in the air, low and insistent, seeping through doorways and snapping like little flames.I did not even have to catch the words to sense something was amiss.I could feel it.My heart pounded as I walked through the halls. Wherever I glanced, wolves stood in small groups, their heads bent close to each other, their eyes darting toward me when they didn't realize I was looking. Their lips shaped quick whispers.And then I started to pick out some of the words."Damon…""Otto…""…the battle…""…the old law…""…four days…"My hands trembled as I pulled my sleeves over them.I did not wish to believe it.I did not want it to be real.Damon had already endured enough. He had been battered, bruised, humiliated — and still he had survived
Chapter 135 : AgainstSophia's POVI stepped outside, my thoughts plagued.Damon… Otto… the whole pack… it was all falling apart.The moon glowed high in the sky, gentle and cold. I wrapped my arms around myself and walked on. I didn't even have any idea where I was. I just needed air, needed space to think.As I rounded the corner behind the packhouse, I could hear voices. I froze, my heart pounding.It was Cara.I edged closer, pushing myself against the wall. I knew it wasn't proper to listen in, but something in me said to stay.".you have to act fast," Cara was saying. She was speaking in a sharp, not-at-all-sugary voice that she only used in private. "Damon is back, but he's weakened. The pack still believes in you as their alpha. We just have to show them that he's not as strong as he once was.""They'll buy it?" Otto questioned. His voice was uncertain, practically scared."They will," Cara answered steadfastly. "You're their Alpha now. They've had time to settle into you. The
Chapter 134 : Once HelpedCara's POVI was quiet by the window, staring out into the darkness. My heart was pounding in my chest. Otto had texted me to come and meet him. He told me something had to be talked about. I had no clue what to expect.I turned when I heard footsteps behind me. Otto entered the room, closing the door behind him. His face was not the same tonight — not powerful and sure of himself as it had been in the past. He looked… worried. Scared even."Cara," he said, running a hand through his hair, "we need to talk."I nodded, my belly full of anxiety. He came closer, his boots echoing on the floor.I don't have time," Otto began, his voice low. "Damon has returned. You witnessed it. Everyone witnessed it."I didn't say anything, waiting for him to continue."I fought to be where I am today," he said, his voice shaking. "I bled for this pack. I earned my place. I earned respect. I became Alpha when every other person had lost hope. And now—" he paused, swallowing, "no
Chapter 133: Build UpI sat quietly beside the packhouse, the cold night air biting into my skin. The stars were so far away, just like my hopes. I did not know what Damon was thinking. He had been back home for a while now, yet he was acting like a stranger.He stayed to himself.He did not fight for anything.He did not even fight for the pack… or for me.I could not handle it anymore.Slowly, I stood up and walked towards the forest at the rear of the house. I knew that he would be there. He always took refuge behind the forest when he did not want anyone to witness his suffering.And indeed, he was.Perched on a splintered tree, his head buried in his hands, the moonlight caressing his untidy hair.My heart broke all over again.I went to him, my footsteps soft.He looked up at me, and for a moment, his eyes were full of sorrow. He was the type of man who had lost everything."Damon…" I spoke his name quietly.He didn't answer.He just turned his face away, as though he was too hu