LOGINHaliyah’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
Damon’s POV. Haliyah and I resumed working on our plan, but this time, we were no longer following the original one. We were using the altered version. It wasn’t enough to simply improve our past mistakes; everything had to be precise now. We had to succeed. That way, it would be easier for us to obtain the evidence Haliyah needed to present in her divorce case against Raven. “We’ll finalize this next time,” I announced, breaking the silence as I stood up. She looked up at me. “We’re done?” “For now,” I replied. “We need fresh eyes.” After discussing the new strategy, we agreed to leave the banquet without anyone noticing. Even if Raven and Cassandra wanted to target Haliyah again, they wouldn’t be able to because they’d be occupied by the host and their important guests. I wasn’t going to let Cassandra get anywhere near her again either. I wouldn’t allow her to put Haliyah’s life at risk again. She should be grateful nothing worse happened to Haliyah. I didn’t know what I mig
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
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







