Chapter 57 Reconciliation

Chapter 57 Reconciliation
Mia 

Damon came to me looking different when he approached me this time.

Less confident.

Less certain.

Like the weight of what had happened between him and Jesse had not fully left him, even though the meeting was already over and the punishment had already been given.

He stopped in front of me and hesitated for a moment before speaking, as if he was carefully choosing each word so he would not make things worse than they already were.

“I need to ask you something,” he said quietly.

I could already tell where this was going before he even finished the sentence.

Still, I didn’t interrupt him.

He exhaled slowly before continuing.

“I want you to plead with Alpha Jesse on my behalf.”

For a moment, I didn’t respond immediately.

Not because I didn’t understand what he was asking.

But because I did.

I understood it completely.

I looked at him properly then, really looked at him, and I could see it in his expression that this wasn’t just about duty or rank or fear of punishment.

It was personal.

He still cared about Lisa in a way that had not been completely broken by everything that had happened.

And maybe that was why he was here.

Because even after everything, he still could not fully step away from it.

I stayed silent for a few seconds longer before I finally spoke.

“I understand,” I said softly.

Damon looked slightly relieved at my response, like he had been expecting resistance.

But I wasn’t done speaking yet.

I lowered my gaze slightly, thinking about it in a way that was not just emotional, but practical.

“If I were in your position,” I continued, my voice steady, “and someone I cared about was about to be punished, I would probably do the same thing.”

That was the truth.

It was not complicated.

It was not dramatic.

It was just human nature.

There was a short silence between us after that, the kind that usually followed honesty.

We were still standing there when I noticed movement at the end of the corridor.

Jesse.

Walking toward us.

His steps were steady, controlled, and as usual, he did not look like someone carrying emotional chaos even when I knew there was still tension left from the earlier events.

I felt my attention spring instantly, not because I was doing anything wrong, but because I knew how situations like this could be perceived if not handled carefully.

Damon noticed him at the same time I did, and his posture changed slightly, like he was preparing himself for whatever reaction might come.

I stayed still.

Waiting.

Jesse stopped when he reached us.

His expression didn’t show anger.

Or suspicion.

It was calm.

Almost indifferent. But I knew him well enough to know that calm did not always mean lack of thought.

He looked at Damon briefly before speaking.

“You should continue the investigation,” he said simply.

Damon blinked, clearly not expecting that response at all.

“What do you mean?” he asked immediately.

Jesse’s gaze remained steady.

“As my Beta,” he continued, his tone firm but not harsh, “I am giving you a second chance.”

There was a pause after that, one that made even Damon stay completely still.

Jesse continued.

“Only two kidnappers were killed. The last one is still alive. Find him, and bring him to me.”

The words landed clearly.

Without confusion.

Without room for interpretation.

Damon straightened immediately, and for a moment I could see the shift in him, the relief mixing with renewed responsibility.

He bowed deeply.

“Thank you, Alpha,” he said sincerely. “I will not let you down again.”

Jesse gave a slight nod.

Then, without extending the moment further, he added, “You are dismissed.”

Damon hesitated for only a second before stepping back and leaving the corridor quickly, as if afraid that staying any longer might change Jesse’s decision.

When he was gone, I turned slightly toward Jesse.

A small smile formed on my lips without me even trying to stop it.

It wasn’t because anything was funny.

It was more because I could see it.

Even if he didn’t say it openly.

Even if he didn’t show it easily.

Damon being removed from his position had affected him more than he would admit.

We walked back together after that.

The corridor felt quieter again, like everything had returned to its controlled normal state.

When we reached the room, I noticed the shift in his energy slightly change, like he was finally stepping out of council mode and back into something more personal.

“So she is in prison now?” I asked gently, referring to Adeline.

“Yes,” he replied without hesitation.

I paused for a second before speaking again.

“Can I go see her?”

He looked at me briefly, like he was assessing whether there was any hidden intention behind the request.

Then he simply said, “Of course you can. Why not.”

There was no restriction in his tone. I nodded slightly.

“Alright,” I said softly. “I’ll be back soon.”

I left the room shortly after that and made my way toward the prison wing of the palace.

The atmosphere shifted the closer I got, becoming colder, quieter, heavier in a way that made even the air feel different.

When I arrived, I could already hear voices before I fully entered the holding area.

Lisa was there.

Standing close to the cell.

Holding Adeline’s hand through the bars.

Her expression looked emotional, like she was trying to hold onto something that was already slipping out of reach.

“I promise I will get you out of here,” Lisa was saying, her voice soft but determined, like she was trying to convince both Adeline and herself at the same time.

I stopped at the entrance.

And watched.

For a moment.

Then I let out a small laugh. Lisa turned sharply toward me.

Adeline’s eyes followed immediately after.

I stepped closer slowly, my gaze fixed on Lisa more than anyone else.

“You should be careful,” I said calmly, tilting my head slightly. “You might want to avoid making promises you cannot keep.”

Lisa’s expression hardened immediately.

Adeline, still behind the bars, looked between us with tension building in her face, like she was trying to figure out whether I was mocking her or simply stating a fact.

I didn’t give them time to settle into it.

My eyes stayed on Lisa as I continued speaking.

“Besides,” I added softly, “you should be grateful you are not the one sitting in there with her.”

That made Lisa’s expression change instantly.

Her posture straightened.

Her voice dropped slightly when she responded.

“Stay away from me,” she said firmly.

I tilted my head slightly again, almost amused.

“Or what?” I asked quietly, not moving closer, just watching her reaction.

The silence that followed was sharp.

Adeline finally spoke from inside the cell, her voice strained.

“Lisa, don’t—”

But Lisa didn’t look at her.

Her focus was fully on me now.

And I could see it clearly.

The fear.

The frustration.

And the realization that she was standing in a position she could not fully control anymore.