Se connecterRaven’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. Lately, I couldn’t help but notice how smoothly everything was going. It should have made me feel relieved. Instead, it made me uneasy. Things were falling into place almost perfectly. Witnesses who should have been hesitant were suddenly cooperative. Leads that used to feel scattered were now connecting. Even situations I had mentally prepared myself to escalate into conflict resolved on their own before any real tension could build. It was what bothered me. It didn’t feel normal. I stood near the edge of the central operations corridor, reviewing the notes I had compiled over the past few hours, my gaze moving between recorded statements. Each piece made sense individually. That wasn’t the issue. The issue was how effortlessly they all fit together now. I accidentally tore the edge of the paper I was holding without realizing it. This shouldn’t be this easy. I had prepared for setbacks, delays, and resistance. So, why does it feel like something— or someone— is cl
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.I ran my fingers over the rope I had cut from old supplies, checking the small lockpick I had fashioned in secret, and tested the window latch I had loosened. Everything was ready. I just had to wait for the right moment. I could almost taste freedom.I exhaled slowly, steadying my n
Haliyah’s POV. “Raven planned it…” When Cassandra said those words, it felt like the ground vanished beneath my feet. My father’s death wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t fate. It was a deliberate murder. I stared at her, my mind struggling to accept the truth she had just thrown at me. My father







