The forest no longer welcomed Selene.
She felt it in the way the wolves' howls cut short when she approached, the way shadows pressed closer to her skin as if testing her resolve. Even the air carried a sharp edge, charged with hostility.
And she knew why. Damon's pack had begun to whisper.
It started subtly. On her way to meet Damon one evening, Selene caught sight of two men—wolves in human form—watching her from a distance. Their eyes glowed faintly in the dusk, filled with suspicion. When she met their gaze, they didn't look away.
Later, while Damon drilled her on reflex training, she heard a low voice in the trees. "This is madness."
Another answered, sharper. "She'll ruin us."
The words stabbed deeper than claws.
Selene faltered, her concentration shattering. Damon's hand shot out, steadying her. "Ignore them." His voice was hard, but his jaw was tight, his golden eyes betraying what he wouldn't admit: the pack's loyalty was cracking.
That night, Damon summoned his pack to the clearing. Selene watched from the shadows, heart thundering as wolves in human form gathered, their murmurs thick with tension.
Damon stood tall in the center, dominance radiating like heat from a fire. "You've all heard the rumors," he began, voice steady. "Yes, they're true. The bond has chosen a human."
The crowd erupted—anger, disbelief, fear.
"This breaks the law!"
"She doesn't belong here!"
"You're risking all of us!"
Damon's growl silenced them, low and dangerous. "Enough. The bond is not a choice. It is fate. And fate does not ask for permission."
A scarred wolf stepped forward, his eyes blazing. "Then fate is wrong. You endanger us, Alpha. You endanger our bloodline. If the Council discovers—"
"They already know," Damon cut in, his voice sharp as a blade. The pack gasped, the revelation striking like thunder.
"Then we're doomed," another spat.
"No," Damon growled. His gaze swept the crowd, daring defiance. "We are not doomed. We are stronger. She does not weaken me—she strengthens me. And if any of you think otherwise…" His voice dropped to a lethal whisper. "…then test me."
Silence fell, thick and suffocating. None dared challenge him outright. But Selene saw the flickers of rebellion in their eyes.
Afterward, Damon found her in the shadows. His face was unreadable, his voice low. "You heard them."
Selene nodded, her chest aching. "They hate me."
"They fear you," he corrected. "There's a difference."
Tears stung her eyes. "Is that better?"
Damon reached for her wrist, his thumb brushing the glowing mark. The simple touch calmed her, even as his own expression hardened. "You are mine, Selene. And I don't care if I have to stand against every wolf in my pack. I will."
His words should have comforted her, but instead, they terrified her. Because deep down, she knew he wasn't just risking his pack.
He was risking everything.
The following days brought colder stares, sharper whispers. Selene could feel the pack's resentment like thorns against her skin. Even training became dangerous—wolves circling too close, claws flashing a little too near. Damon's presence kept them in check, but the tension simmered, ready to explode.
One evening, as Selene practiced blocking strikes, a young wolf lunged too hard, his claws grazing her arm. Pain seared through her, and blood welled.
Damon's roar shook the forest. In an instant, he had the wolf pinned, his golden eyes blazing with fury. "Touch her again, and you die."
The wolf whimpered, submitting, but the damage was done. Selene clutched her arm, her chest tight with guilt.
She was tearing Damon's pack apart.
That night, as she sat by the fire Damon built, she finally spoke the fear gnawing at her. "What if they're right? What if I ruin you?"
Damon knelt in front of her, tilting her chin up until her eyes met his. "You could never ruin me." His voice was fierce, unshakable. "Do you understand? They follow me because I am Alpha. And as Alpha, I choose you."
Selene's breath hitched, her chest aching with emotions she couldn't name. His words were everything she wanted to believe—yet the image of the pack's angry eyes haunted her.
Because for every vow Damon made, the tide of betrayal swelled higher.
And one day, it would crash.
Author's Note:
🔥 Damon's pack is turning against him, and Selene is caught in the middle of growing rebellion. Will the wolves betray their Alpha, or will Damon's strength keep them in line? What do you think—can love survive when the whole pack is against it? Don't forget to vote with Power Stones to support Selene and Damon! ❤️