Chapter 58

Chapter 58
Rowan’s POV

The night after Kaiden’s visit was long and sleepless.

I stood by the window of my study, watching the first pale light of dawn seep through the trees. The forest outside was quiet again, deceptively peaceful. But my instincts refused to settle. The name Kaiden Stormfang had stirred ghosts I thought were buried long ago.

His words echoed in my mind like a curse.

Maya is alive.

It should have been good news. Yet every part of me screamed that there was a trap hidden behind his smirk, a shadow behind the promise. Kaiden was not a man who came bearing kindness. His history with Lyla was proof enough of that.

I had seen her break last night, the way her body trembled, the way she couldn’t breathe when she heard his name. And I’d felt something twist inside me watching it. Something far more dangerous than anger.

I wasn’t supposed to feel anything for her.
And yet, I couldn’t stop myself.

A soft knock pulled me from my thoughts.

“Come in,” I said.

The door opened, and Damon stepped in, his expression drawn. “You didn’t sleep either, huh?”

I gave him a brief look. “No.”

He hesitated, then crossed the room, dropping a sealed report onto my desk. “Scouts returned at dawn. No sign of rogues along the borders. Kaiden’s men left before sunrise.”

“Good.” I leaned back in my chair. “Let’s hope they keep their distance.”

Damon’s gaze flickered, uncertain. “Do you believe him? About Maya?”

I paused. “I believe he believes it’ll give him leverage.”

He nodded grimly. “So do I.”

There was a silence between us, one thick with things neither of us wanted to say. I knew what was in his eyes: guilt, worry, maybe even a touch of jealousy. 

He cared for Lyla deeply. And he was trying, I could see that. But every time I saw them together, my wolf reacted like a live wire.

Damon shifted. “She hasn’t eaten. Ella said she’s been locked in her room since last night.”

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “Let her rest for now. When she’s ready, I’ll speak with her.”

He hesitated again, like he wanted to argue, but then simply nodded and turned to leave. Before he reached the door, I said, quietly, “Damon.”

He stopped.

“Thank you,” I said. “For standing by her yesterday.”

His brows furrowed slightly. “She deserves someone to stand by her.”

I nodded once. He left without another word.



By midday, the packhouse had fallen into a strange hush. The celebration banners from the Luna Ceremony were still half-hanging across the courtyard, tattered from the rogue attack. Dalia had ordered the servants to clean everything, but her own presence filled the halls like a storm waiting to break.

I found her in the grand hall, standing before the shattered Luna sigil that hung above the altar. She wore a deep crimson gown, her hair coiled neatly, her posture impeccable and her eyes, cold as ice.

“You should have told me,” she said without turning. “That she used to belong to Kaiden.”

“I didn’t know,” I said simply.

Dalia turned then, her gaze sharp enough to cut. “You didn’t ask, either. You brought a stranger into our pack, a girl with no background, no ties, no proof of loyalty and now she’s tearing everything apart.”

I exhaled slowly. “She saved lives, Dalia. Mine included.”

“And you think that excuses the danger she brings?” Her voice rose, brittle and furious. “The elders whisper now, Rowan. They’re questioning if the Goddess made the wrong choice. If you made the wrong choice.”

I stepped closer. “I don’t answer to whispers.”

She laughed quietly not out of humor, but disbelief. “Of course you don’t. You’re the Alpha. Everyone else does.” Her voice lowered. “Do you have any idea how it feels? To have my Luna ceremony ruined, my name forgotten, while the entire pack talks about her? About Lyla?”

“Dalia...”

“No.” She lifted her chin, eyes glistening with fury. “I won’t let her destroy what we built. I’ve waited too long to stand beside you. If you won’t protect your legacy, I will.”

I felt the threat beneath her words, but before I could speak, she brushed past me and walked away, her perfume harsh and floral in the air.

Something about the look in her eyes told me this wasn’t over.

That evening, I went to find Lyla.

The lower floor of the packhouse was quiet, the scent of baked bread lingering faintly from the kitchen. I followed it to the small guest quarters, the one near the old herb garden where she sometimes sat with Mrs. Beans and Ella.

I knocked softly.

A long pause. Then, a small voice. “Come in.”

She sat by the window, her hair loose around her shoulders, wearing one of Ella’s oversized sweaters. The sunlight poured over her face, but she looked pale, drained, eyes rimmed red from crying. A tray of untouched tea sat beside her.

“I didn’t mean to intrude,” I said, stopping at the doorway.

“It’s fine.” She turned her face slightly toward the window. “I guess you came to tell me not to worry.”

“Actually,” I said quietly, “I came to tell you the opposite. You should worry. But not alone.”

Her gaze flicked toward me, uncertain.

I stepped closer, leaning against the window frame opposite her. “Kaiden isn’t to be trusted. Whatever game he’s playing, he’s using Maya to draw you out. I need you to be careful.”

Her lips trembled. “He said she’s alive.”

“I know.”

The silence between us stretched. Then, barely audible, she whispered, “What if she really is?”

I swallowed. “Then we’ll find her.”

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “You don’t understand. Kaiden... he doesn’t lie unless it benefits him. If Maya’s alive and he’s hiding her, it’s because he wants something. He always wants something.”

“Then we’ll make sure he doesn’t get it.”

Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve. “He ruined me once, Rowan. In front of everyone. He made me kneel, made me..." Her voice broke. “I don’t ever want to see him again.”

My chest tightened. “You won’t have to.”

She looked up, meeting my gaze. For a heartbeat, the air shifted between us. There was fear in her eyes, yes, but also a fragile trust. A trust that burned through me like a brand I didn’t deserve.

I forced myself to look away. “Rest, Lyla. I’ll handle Kaiden.”

As I turned to leave, her voice stopped me. “You always say that,” she whispered. “But what if this time, you can’t?”

I didn’t answer.

Because part of me feared she was right.

Later that night, the council gathered again, this time behind closed doors. I met with Elder Thorne and two of the border commanders, discussing whether Kaiden’s presence posed a larger threat. The consensus was simple: it did.

“He’s baiting you,” Thorne said. “Stormfangs never do anything without a hidden motive. If he’s holding the sister, he’ll demand something in return.”

“And what would that be?” I asked.

Thorne’s expression hardened. “The girl herself. Power calls to power. He must have felt her aura that night. He wants to claim it.”

The thought made my wolf snarl in the back of my mind. “Over my dead body.”

The elder nodded approvingly. “Then guard her well.”

Meanwhile, Dalia’s scent drifted faintly through the hall. She had been there earlier, overhearing more than she should have.
When I found her later in her chambers, she was speaking to someone in low tones... Damon.

I stopped outside the slightly open door. Their voices filtered through, muffled but distinct.

“She’s unstable,” Dalia was saying. “And if Kaiden’s telling the truth, she’ll bring war to this pack.”

“I know,” Damon said quietly. “But...”

“But nothing. You care for her. I understand. But she’s dangerous, and Rowan won’t see it until it’s too late.”

“You don’t understand,” Damon said, frustration creeping into his tone. “She’s not dangerous. She’s lost.”

“She’s both,” Dalia countered. “And I’m giving you a chance to save her before the council decides to do something worse.”

A pause.

Then Damon’s voice, low and tense. “What do you mean?”

“Help me protect this pack,” she whispered. “Keep her away from him. Away from Rowan. Before she becomes something neither of you can control.”

The silence that followed was sharp enough to draw blood. Then I heard Damon leave, his footsteps heavy.

I stayed hidden, my hands clenched.
Dalia’s manipulation was clever, playing Damon’s loyalty, twisting it into something poisonous. But what struck me more was how certain she was that Lyla would destroy everything.

And I couldn’t shake the question:
Was she right?



Near midnight, a soft knock came to my door again.

It was Lyla.

She stood in the doorway, wrapped in a shawl, her hair slightly damp as though she’d washed her face to hide the tears. The night air curled around her like mist.

“I can’t sleep,” she said simply. “Every time I close my eyes, I see him. The way he looked at me. Like I’m still his property.”

I motioned for her to come in. “You’re safe here.”

She hesitated, then stepped inside. The scent of her; warm vanilla and honey filled the room. It made the air feel smaller, heavier.

I poured her some tea, handed her the cup. She took it with trembling hands. “Do you think Maya’s really alive?”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But if she is, I promise you, I’ll find her.”

Her gaze lifted to mine. “Why do you keep doing that?”

“Doing what?”

“Making promises you shouldn’t have to keep.”

I didn’t have an answer for that. Not one that wouldn’t sound like a confession.

Instead, I said quietly, “Because someone has to.”

For a long moment, we just stood there, the silence stretching between us. Then she whispered, “Thank you.”

And she left as quietly as she came.

When the door closed behind her, I leaned against it, closing my eyes. The scent of her lingered like a ghost, and I knew I was in deeper trouble than I’d ever been.

Because protecting her wasn’t just duty anymore.

It was need.



The next morning brought no peace.

By dawn, the entire pack was buzzing with unease. Whispers slithered through the corridors like wind through cracks. Every wolf seemed to know that Kaiden Stormfang hadn’t truly left, he had camped on the northern ridge, just outside our borders, waiting.

Waiting for me.

I felt it the moment I woke, the tug of challenge in the air, primal and ancient. The bond between Alphas was built on instinct as much as blood. A challenge like this wasn’t spoken; it was felt.

By mid-morning, the messenger arrived.

He was one of Kaiden’s men, a tall wolf with a silver crest branded on his forearm. He bowed stiffly at the gate, flanked by my guards, and extended a sealed scroll. “A message from Alpha Kaiden Stormfang,” he said. “He requests… resolution.”

I broke the seal and read.

To Alpha Rowan Blackwood,
I come not as an enemy of your pack, but as a claimant to what is mine.
The woman you shelter, Lyla, is of my pack, my bloodline, my bond.
By the old laws of the Moon Code, I have the right to challenge for her.
I will await your answer at dawn.
— Kaiden Stormfang.

My hands tightened around the parchment until it tore.

A low growl escaped my throat. “He dares.”

Beside me, Beta Damon stood quietly. “He’s invoking the Moon Code. You can’t ignore it.”

“I can refuse,” I snapped.

“Yes,” he said evenly. “But that would make it look like you’re afraid.”

I turned toward him sharply. His tone was careful. “You think I should accept?”

He shrugged lightly. “He’s testing you, Alpha. Refuse, and the pack whispers. Accept, and you prove dominance.”

His words were logical, but something in his eyes made my instincts stir uneasily. Damon was calm, like a man who knew more than he said.

I looked away. “Tell the pack to prepare the training grounds for formal challenge rites. If Kaiden wants a fight, he’ll have one.”

Damon bowed. “As you command.”

When he left, the room felt colder.

Hours later, the elders gathered to advise against it.

“Alpha, it’s reckless,” Elder Cora said, wringing her hands. “A duel under the Moon Code isn’t just a fight. It’s binding. If he wins...”

“He won’t,” I said flatly.

“But if he does,” Elder Thorne added gravely, “he’ll gain authority to claim her by law.”

“He won’t,” I repeated, my tone final.

The elders exchanged uneasy glances but fell silent. Their fear was understandable, not just of Kaiden, but of what it meant for me to fight him. Two Alphas dueling wasn’t merely physical; it was spiritual. The Goddess herself would watch.

And everyone would see.

By sunset, the pack grounds were alive with whispers.
I could feel their eyes on me as I crossed the courtyard; warriors, omegas, even the children, their scents a mix of worry and excitement. Some called my name in quiet support. Others averted their gaze, uncertain which Alpha to believe.

Kaiden’s name carried weight. His family was old, respected. His presence here sent ripples through every rank of my pack. And though I tried to ignore it, a gnawing voice in the back of my mind whispered: what if that was the plan all along?

I couldn’t prove it, but I could feel it, the faint discord in the air, the subtle shift in loyalty. Something was moving behind me, beneath the surface, pulling strings I couldn’t yet see.

That night, I found Damon in the training yard, speaking quietly with one of the weapons masters. He stopped when I entered, his usual calm replaced by an expression of concern.

“You’re sure about this?” he asked. “Kaiden fights dirty. He won’t honor the code.”

“I’ve faced worse.”

He studied me. “You should still rest. Eat something. You’ll need your strength.”

I raised a brow. “You sound worried.”

“Just practical.” His tone was light, but there was something else in it. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Rowan… whatever happens tomorrow, don’t underestimate him. He’s not just after her. He’s after you.”

I gave a humorless smile. “Then he’ll get both.”

He nodded slowly, his gaze flicking down. “Good. Because he’ll come for your throat.”

The words were simple. Harmless, even. But something about the way he said them, the strange calm in his eyes, made my wolf stir uneasily.

Later, when the moon rose, I walked to the old arena myself.

It stood on the edge of the woods, ringed with torches and ancient stone carvings. The scent of moss and cold steel hung in the air. This was where generations of Alphas had fought, where honor was decided by blood.

I stood in the center, feeling the pulse of the earth beneath my boots.

My wolf rumbled inside me, restless and eager. But another feeling lay beneath it.

If Kaiden won, by law, he could claim her. I couldn’t allow that. Not because of the law. Not even because of the pack. Because the thought of her in his hands again ignited something in me that I couldn’t name without betraying everything I stood for.



The next morning came gray and cold.

The entire pack gathered around the dueling grounds. Warriors lined the perimeter, elders seated above, and beyond them, the rest of the pack whispering, waiting, watching.

Kaiden stood opposite me, already shirtless, his body marked with the scars of a hundred fights. He smiled faintly when our eyes met. “You came.”

I didn’t respond. I removed my jacket and tossed it aside, stepping into the ring.

“By the Code,” Elder Thorne began, raising his staff, “this duel will determine rightful claim under the law. Fight until one submits or cannot rise. The Goddess be our witness.”

The torches flared.

Kaiden’s smirk widened. “Winner takes the girl.”

I moved before he could finish the word girl.

The fight began like a storm.

Claws and fists collided with bone and dirt. His strength was raw, heavy, unrestrained. Every strike sent shockwaves through the ground. He was good but I’d fought worse than him in darker places. His scent was laced with arrogance. He fought to win her, but I fought to protect what was mine to protect.

The crowd roared. Dust rose in clouds.

He caught me once across the jaw, blood filled my mouth. I hit back harder. Every blow became a memory; her scream, her trembling, the way she flinched at his name. My rage was clean, precise, and endless.

“Still fighting for another man’s omega?” he taunted between breaths.

“She’s not yours,” I growled, slamming him into the ground.

For a moment, it seemed over.

Until I felt the sting in my shoulder; small, sharp, unnatural.

Poison.

I looked down just as Kaiden grinned. “You didn’t really think I’d play fair, did you?”

My vision blurred slightly, edges burning. I staggered back, heart hammering. The crowd gasped, shouts echoing, but the world spun too fast for me to focus.

He lunged. I barely dodged.

Someone screamed from the sidelines-Lyla. I caught a glimpse of her, held back by Damon’s grip. Her eyes wide with terror, her lips forming my name.

The sight jolted me back into myself. My wolf roared.

I struck again, harder, faster, fighting through the venom crawling through my veins. Pain blurred into fury, and fury into instinct. The earth cracked beneath us.

And with a final, brutal twist, I forced him down, pinning him to the ground, claws pressed to his throat.

He gasped, his smirk faltering. “Do it,” he spat. “Kill me. Show them what kind of Alpha you really are.”

I froze. The crowd went silent.

The law forbade death in a Moon Code duel, only submission. Killing him here would make me no better than the monsters I hunted.

I drew back, chest heaving. “Yield.”

Kaiden’s eyes blazed with hate. But finally, through gritted teeth, he whispered, “I yield.”

The words rippled through the crowd. The elders stood. “By the Code,” Thorne declared, “the duel is done. The Blackwood Alpha has triumphed. The claim stands null.”

Cheers erupted. Wolves howled in triumph.

But as I turned, I saw Dalia’s face, paranoid. And Damon’s; pale, tense, something like regret flickering in his eyes.

That was when I knew.

The poison hadn’t come from Kaiden’s claws.
It had come from mine.

My strength faltered. My knees buckled. The world tilted again as the sound of victory turned to alarm.

The last thing I saw before darkness took me was Lyla breaking free of Damon’s grip and running toward me, her voice calling my name