I spent the day pacing.
The moment Damon vanished into the woods, I felt a gnawing emptiness in my chest—as if something invisible had snapped tight between us, stretching thinner with every hour.
No texts. No return.
Only silence and that distant, unsettling howl replaying in my mind.
I cleaned. Re-cleaned. Sat. Stood. Stared at the clock.
When the knock finally came, I rushed to the door and yanked it open, expecting Damon.
It was a woman.
Tall, statuesque, with high cheekbones, piercing amber eyes, and thick braids pulled into a tight bun. She wore all black, the edge of a dagger peeking from her belt. Authority radiated off her like heat.
"You must be Nyla," she said coolly.
"I am. And you are?"
"Kiera. Beta of the Moonshade Pack—and Damon's second-in-command."
"Oh." I blinked. "Is everything okay?"
"No." Her gaze swept over me, not hostile—but not welcoming either. "That's why I'm here."
She stepped inside without invitation. "You need to understand that Damon is not just your... lover. He's Alpha. He protects this town, this pack. And that means danger follows."
I crossed my arms. "I didn't ask for danger."
"No, but it found you anyway," she said sharply. "There were rouges near the border this morning."
My stomach dropped.
She paused, then added, "They didn't just stumble here. Someone led them. Or worse, they were tracking something."
Or someone, my mind whispered.
*Me.*
Kiera moved closer. "Damon may not have told you everything, but you're not just some outsider. Something about you is drawing attention."
I swallowed hard. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying…" She hesitated. "You might not be entirely human."
My knees nearly gave way.
"I—what?"
Kiera didn't soften. "You need to ask Damon about your bloodline. Before the next full moon."
Then she turned and walked out, leaving me stunned.
*POV: Damon*
I returned just after sunset.
The cottage lights were off, but I felt her presence before I even touched the door.
When I stepped inside, she was sitting in the shadows—waiting.
Her voice was quiet, but sharp. "Why didn't you tell me?"
I froze. "Tell you what?"
She stood, eyes burning. "About the rouges. About me. About the fact that I might not even be human!"
I exhaled. Kiera had been here.
"It wasn't the right time—"
"It's never the right time with you," she snapped. "You think keeping me in the dark will keep me safe? It won't. It just makes me feel like a pawn."
She was trembling—not with fear, but fury. Hurt. Betrayal.
I stepped closer. "I was trying to protect you."
She looked up at me, eyes glassy. "Then stop hiding the truth."
I stared at her… then finally said the words I'd been holding back.
"Because if I tell you everything, you might hate what you find."
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