Chapter 46
Damon's POV
I woke to the scent of Eve, a scent I could pick out anywhere and anyplace. I stretched myself to wrap her around my arms, but that side of the bed was empty.
Sitting up I groaned, my chest ached, a dull reminder of the what had knocked me out cold.
Across the room, there she was! Eve stood by the window, her silhouette outlined by the first rays of dawn. She was deep in thought, her arms crossed as she stared into the forest.
“You’re up,” she said softly, not turning around.
“Barely,” I muttered, rolling my shoulders to shake off the stiffness. “Did you sleep?”
She glanced over her shoulder, her lips twitching into a faint smile. “Not really. Too much on my mind.”
I got to my feet, crossing the room to stand beside her. “You should’ve woken me up.”
Her gaze flicked to me, “You needed to rest, after all that transpired last night.” She said, shaking her head. “I felt helpless, Damon, and I hate feeling this way.”
I reached out, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Helpless? You blasted that creep halfway to hell. If that’s helpless, I’d hate to see you angry.”
Her laugh was soft, a sound that eased some of the tension in my chest. But the smile faded as quickly as it came, her expression growing serious. “He’s not done with us, Damon, and the Moon Goddess... she said he’s tied to me somehow. I just don’t know how.”
My jaw clenched. The idea of anyone targeting her made my wolf snarl in fury. “Then we find him, and we end this, whatever it takes.”
Eve opened her mouth to respond, but the sound of footsteps on the stairs interrupted her. Damien appeared, his expression grim.
“Good, you’re awake,” he said, his eyes flicking between the two of us. “We need to talk.”
I stepped back, folding my arms. “About what?”
“The pack,” Damien said. “The elders are meeting this afternoon. They’ll have questions about the symbols, the dead body, the rogue’s message, and about who the hell that guy was last night.”
“And what about Eve?” I asked, my voice sharp. “She’s the one he’s after, Damien. We can’t just leave her in the dark while we play politics with the elders.”
Eve bristled beside me. “I’m right here, you know. And I don’t need you two deciding my life for me.”
Damien’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. “You’re right, but this isn’t just about you, Eve. Whatever’s coming, it affects all of us.”
Eve sighed, her shoulders relaxing. “Fine. Let’s meet the elders. Maybe they’ll be able to help us.”
\-
Later That Day
The elders gathered in the pack’s great hall, their voices filling the room. Damien and I flanked Eve as we entered, our presence quieting the crowd.
Elder Thorne, the oldest and most respected among them, stepped forward. His piercing blue eyes scanned each of us before landing on Eve.
“We’ve heard troubling reports Luna,” he said, his voice grave. “Symbols burned into the ground, rogues with cryptic messages, deaths and now... an intruder in our territory.”
Damien nodded. “It’s more than that, Thorne. Whoever or whatever this is, they’re targeting Eve specifically.”
The room erupted into hushed whispers, the weight of Damien’s words settling on the elders.
“Why?” one of them asked. “What could they possibly want with her?”
Eve spoke. “The Moon Goddess said he’s tied to me, to my past. But she didn’t say how or why.”
Thorne’s expression darkened. “If the Moon Goddess is involved, this is no ordinary threat. There are ancient forces at play here, ones we barely understand.”
Damien crossed his arms, his tone clipped, “Then help us understand. What do you know about these symbols?”
Thorne hesitated, exchanging glances with the other elders, “They’re old,” he said finally. “older than this pack, older than the Lycans themselves, they’re marks of binding and control, used by those who seek to manipulate divine power.”
Eve paled. “By divine power? You mean..”
Thorne nodded. “You, child. Your connection to the Moon Goddess makes you a target.”
I stepped forward, my voice low with barely-contained fury. “So what do we do? How do we fight these forces?”
Thorne’s gaze met mine, unflinching. “Fighting without understanding is foolish. But rest assured, Damon, we will not let this threat go unanswered.”
.
That Evening
Back at the pack house, the weight of the meeting hung heavy in the air. Eve was quiet as she sat by the fireplace.
I dropped onto the couch beside her, nudging her shoulder. “Penny for your thoughts?”
She sighed, leaning back. “Just trying to make sense of it all. Why me? Why now?”
I reached for her hand, lacing my fingers with hers. “Because you’re special, Eve, You always have been. And yeah, maybe this guy thinks he can take you down, but he doesn’t know what he’s up against.”
Her lips quirked into a small smile. “You really believe that?”
“Damn right I do,” I said, my tone teasing but sincere. “You’ve got me and Damien. That alone makes you untouchable.”
She laughed softly, the sound warming my chest.
But as I glanced at the shadows flickering on the walls, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. And whatever was coming, it was going to test us in ways we couldn’t yet imagine.