Chapter 40: No words

“It didn’t work.”

Damien’s voice broke the silence as he sat on the cold floor of the old garden. The sigil around him had faded to ashes, the herbs had burned out, and the moonlight that once shone bright was now dull, he looked down at his

Maya stared at the circle, sweat dripping down her forehead. “It should’ve worked, everything was right.”

Lyra stood frozen, her eyes wide, fear and sadness mixing on her face. “Maya… look at him, he’s not healing.”

Damien lifted his head slowly. “Because there’s nothing left to heal.” His voice was rough, low. “I’m not a wolf anymore.”

Lyra fell to her knees beside him. “Don’t say that.”

“I can’t even hear the forest anymore,” Damien said quietly, he pressed a hand against his chest, tears rolled down his cheeks.

Cole looked down, guilt written all over his face. “I’m sorry,” he muttered. “If I hadn’t..”

“Stop,” Damien said, cutting him off. “It’s not your fault. Maybe it was meant to be this way.”

Maya stood up, clutching the book tightly to her chest. “We’ll find another way,there has to be something else. The ritual.."

“Enough, Maya!” Damien shouted, his voice echoing in the small room. Everyone went silent. He breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling. “You said that before. And look at me now. I’m human, just human.”

Lyra’s lips trembled. “You saved us before. You can do it again.”

“I don’t even know who I am anymore,” Damien said softly. “Without the wolf… I’m nothing.”

He turned and walked out of the room. The night air was cool, but it didn’t calm him. The moon hung low, mocking him with its silver light. Every sound, every breeze, every scent felt muted. His world was quieter now.

The next morning, Damien sat at the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the floor. Jack walked in holding two cups of coffee.

“You look like you didn’t sleep,” Jack said.

“I didn’t,” Damien replied.

Jack handed him a cup and sat beside him. “You’re still thinking about it, huh?”

Damien nodded. “I failed, Jack. The pack needed me. Maya risked her life for me, lyra believed in me. And now I’m just a guy who used to be something.”

Jack looked down, unsure what to say. “You’re still our friend. You don’t have to be a wolf to matter.”

Damien gave a weak smile. “You always know what to say, don’t you?”

Jack shrugged. “It’s kind of my thing.”

For a moment, they sat in silence. The coffee steamed in their hands, the faint smell filling the room. Then Damien stood up suddenly. “I need to talk to Maya. I can’t keep them fighting for something that’s already lost.”

Jack frowned. “You’re not giving up, are you?”

“I’m just facing reality,” Damien said. “Maybe it’s time I start living a normal life. Go to class, play hockey, just… stop fighting monsters.”

Jack sighed. “Alright, but I’m coming with you. You’re not walking into this alone.”

They arrived at Maya’s house just before sunset. The place smelled of herbs and smoke, as always. Maya was at her table, flipping through the same old book. She looked up when they walked in.

“Damien,” she said softly. “You shouldn’t be here. You need rest.”

“I’ve had enough rest,” Damien said, his voice calm but tired. “Maya, listen. You’ve done enough for me. You all have. But I think it’s time I stop pretending I can fix this.”

Maya frowned, closing the book. “You’re not thinking straight.”

“I’m thinking clearly for the first time,” Damien said. “The wolf part of me is gone, maybe it’s time to just… be human. Maybe that’s who I’m meant to be now.”

Jack stood near the doorway, listening quietly.

Lyra, who had been sitting in the corner, stood up. “And what about us? About Peter? You think he’ll just stop because you’re human?”

Damien looked at her, pain flashing in his eyes. “Then I’ll stay out of the way. You can fight without me.”

Lyra’s voice rose. “Don’t say that! You think we’re doing this for fun? You think we’d rather have anyone else lead us?”

Damien didn’t answer. His silence was enough.

Maya sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. “Damien, I understand you’re lost, but you can’t just walk away. Peter is stronger than before. He won’t stop until you’re dead.”

“Maybe that’s the point,” Damien said quietly. “He wants the Alpha dead. But I’m not an Alpha anymore.”

Maya stared at him, speechless.

Jack stepped forward. “Let’s just sit down and talk, okay? No yelling.”

They all sat around the table. The room was dim, the only light coming from a single candle flickering near the book. The air felt heavy.

Maya leaned forward. “Peter isn’t after the wolf. He’s after the soul of the Alpha, the one inside you. You might have lost your powers, Damien, but that mark, that energy, is still in you. He can smell it.”

Damien looked away. “Then I’ll leave town.”

Lyra shook her head. “You think that’ll stop him? He’ll follow you. He always does.”

Silence filled the room again. Damien finally spoke. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Maya looked at him softly. “You survive, that’s what you do.”

A knock echoed through the house, loud and sharp.

Jack frowned. “Who could that be?”

Maya stood up slowly. “No one should know we’re here.”

Lyra’s hand went to the knife at her belt. “Stay back,” she whispered.

The knock came again, harder this time.

Damien rose to his feet, his pulse quickening. “Maybe it’s Cole or Bryce.”

Maya shook her head. “No. They would call first.”

They exchanged nervous looks. Jack hesitated, then walked toward the door. “I’ll check.”

“Wait,” Lyra whispered, stepping beside him. She gripped the handle slowly, her heart pounding. The air felt colder now, heavier.

Maya took a step closer. “Open it on three.”

Jack nodded. “One… two… three.”

He swung the door open.

The smell of blood hit them first then they saw something.

A body lay sprawled across the porch, lifeless, soaked in blood.

Maya’s breath caught in her throat. “No… no, that can’t be.”

Lyra’s hand flew to her mouth. “Is that.."

Damien’s eyes widened, horror flooding his face. “Peter.”

Peter’s body lay twisted and broken, his once fierce eyes dull and empty. His chest had deep claw marks, as if something powerful had ripped through him.

Jack stumbled backward, his voice shaking. “Who… who could’ve done this?”

Maya knelt slowly beside the body, her fingers hovering just above his chest. “This isn’t possible, peter doesn’t die easily.”

Damien stared