LOGINRaven’s POV. Control wasn’t something I easily lost. Whenever it started to slip, I worked to regain it. That was how I had always handled things. Most problems showed signs before they became serious. You just had to notice the pattern early. And lately, I started seeing a pattern forming around Haliyah. At first, I dismissed it as coincidence. It was normal for a person’s routine and behavior to change, but changes in how they treated others had many possible reasons. Haliyah had never been unpredictable in that way before. She had always been consistent, almost rigidly so, in how she dealt with people. I limited her interactions with the elite, even though she was my Luna. I didn’t want her to say or show anything wrong in front of them. I also didn’t introduce her to everyone as my Luna, only to our pack members and a few close connections. But recently, I noticed she became obedient again, so I started bringing her to social events and gave her more freedom, hoping she wouldn’
Raven’s POV. The first time Haliyah brought it up, she didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t tremble. She didn’t hesitate like she used to in the five years of our marriage when she still believed persuasion might soften me. This time, she was too calm. We were in the private sitting room of the pack. The afternoon light came through the tall windows, illuminating the space between us. I had just returned from a multi-day Alpha summit with my Beta and Gamma meeting with other Alphas to discuss security matters between packs. When I got home, I was slightly pleased to see Haliyah waiting for me at the door, like she used to. But she wasn’t there to welcome me. She wanted to talk. “What is it this time?” I asked, annoyed. “You couldn’t even wait for me to rest? I just got back and you’re already starting something. Can this not wait? Or is this another one of your impulses?” She stood near the edge of the table, not sitting. That alone should have told me something. Haliyah only stood
Haliyah’s POV. At some point, I stopped noticing the rumors about Damon the way I used to. They still existed, of course. I still heard bits and pieces of them— whispers about his past, about his supposed relationships, about how he treated people without attachment or care. Those rumors once formed a picture in my mind of who he was before I ever met him properly. I thought he was distant, controlled by desire, and a man without emotional weight. I sat alone in my office for a while after finishing the last round of evidence review from the previous night. The documents were neatly stacked in front of me. The pack was quieter in the early morning hours. Even the air seemed organized here, like everything unnecessary had been filtered out and only what remained useful was allowed to persist. I should have been focusing on the next phase of the investigation— on Cassandra, Raven, and the weak points we had identified in their financial system. But instead, my mind kept going back
Damon’s POV. I remembered how many hours I spent searching for the boy in that forest. It didn’t help that my sense of smell was defective. If my olfactory sense worked properly, I would’ve tracked his scent right away and found him easily. But because I lacked that, it took me much longer. I cursed in irritation when it started to rain, soaking my entire body. Then, I heard a child crying. I immediately followed the sound until I finally found him. He was hiding beside an abandoned wishing well deep in the forest. “P-Please help!” he cried when he saw me. I noticed he was shaking from fear and cold. I let out a breath, then took off my top and wrapped it around him. “Come on, kid,” I said, lifting him onto my back. “I’ll take you back to your grandmother.” He didn’t resist. He clung tightly to me, wiping away his tears and the rain from his face. As I carried him, I couldn’t help but question myself. Why was I even doing this? I never planned to involve myself in other people
Haliyah’s POV. I didn’t notice the exact moment my perception of Damon began to change. For a long time, I thought of him as someone who always needed control. That was the simplest way to understand him. He decided, intervened often without explanation, and rarely allowed anyone to go off course. That version of him had been so consistent that I stopped questioning whether there was anything more to him. But now, I wasn’t so sure. Because recently, something had changed. I had been paying attention, and I couldn’t ignore the difference anymore. Damon no longer inserted himself into every decision I made. He no longer redirected my choices like I always needed guidance. Instead, he listened. And even more surprising, he supported me. It didn’t fit the version of him I had constructed in my mind. And yet, it was happening. “Is something wrong, Luna Haliyah?” Damon’s assistant asked. I hesitated, then shook my head. “No. I’m just thinking.” He nodded and continued driving, leavin
Damon’s POV. I noticed her laugh before I even realized I was watching her. It wasn’t part of the strategy briefing. It wasn’t relevant to the investigation. It wasn’t even connected to anything we were currently handling. She was simply standing a short distance away in one of the open corridor junctions, speaking with a group of lower-tier pack members who had somehow gathered around her. And yet, my attention locked onto her anyway. The first thing I noticed was Haliyah wasn’t trying to command the space. She wasn’t asserting dominance or forcing presence that most higher-ranked members would. She was just there, listening, responding, and occasionally speaking with a calmness that made people relax around her. She looked different when she was less guarded. It was like her presence felt light. The kind of person a stranger could meet on the street and instantly feel comfortable with. When I first met her, she wasn’t like this. She always looked tense and stressed. It showed in
Haliyah’s POV.The moment the words left Damon’s mouth, it felt like the entire ballroom held its breath.“May I have this dance?”Me? Dance with him?My thoughts scrambled, struggling to catch up with what was happening. Just moments ago, he had been distant and cold, barely tolerating my presence
Raven’s POV.I did not expect to see her. Out of all the possibilities I had prepared for tonight, Haliyah was the one variable I never considered. Yet there she was, standing at the entrance of the ballroom. And worse… she wasn’t alone.Her hand was resting on Damon’s arm, her body angled toward h
Haliyah’s POV. “Alpha Damon… is this lady with you?” Damon glanced down at me. His gaze stayed on my face. I quietly crossed my fingers behind my back, hoping he would help me. Then, I felt his hand move. He casually covered my hand with his. “Yes,” he said simply. “She’s my date.” My heart nea
Haliyah’s POV. “Raven!” Cassandra called once more, her voice was filled with distress. Raven’s head turned sharply toward the door. His whole expression changed. Then, he stepped away from me completely and moved toward the door. He strode across the room and pulled the door open. The moment it







