The battle left the camp scarred.
Snow lay trampled and red, bodies scattered like broken shadows. Smoke rose from the fires still burning, the air thick with iron and grief. The Council had been forced back, but not destroyed. And worse than the blood spilled was the truth revealed—that betrayal had come from within.
Selene sat by the fire, her arm bandaged, the dagger that saved Damon still clutched in her hand. Her body ached, but her heart hurt more. She had seen one of Damon's wolves—one of his own—turn against him. She had killed him with her own hands.
She couldn't stop replaying it. The eyes glowing with unnatural light, the snarl that was both familiar and foreign. What power could twist loyalty so completely?
Damon stood at the edge of the clearing, his golden eyes burning as he faced what remained of his pack. His black hair was matted with blood, his jaw tight with fury.
"Two of ours betrayed us," he said, voice steady but sharp as a blade. "One lies dead. The other fled with the Council."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, fear and anger mixing like oil and flame.
"They were brothers to us," a wolf growled bitterly.
"They were traitors," Damon snapped, his voice cutting through the noise. "The Council twisted them, marked them, used them. But hear me now—no matter what they promise, no matter what they threaten, betrayal will be met with death."
The clearing went silent. Damon's words hung heavy in the cold air, a vow carved in blood.
Later, when the camp quieted, Damon came to Selene. He crouched in front of her, his golden eyes softening as he touched her bandaged arm.
"You saved me," he said quietly.
Selene shook her head, her voice trembling. "I killed one of your wolves."
"You saved me," Damon repeated, firmer this time. His hand cupped her cheek, grounding her. "Don't carry guilt for his choice. He was already lost."
"But what if there are more?" she whispered. "What if the Council has already planted seeds in others? How can we fight if we can't even trust the ones beside us?"
Damon's jaw tightened. "Then we root them out. We burn their poison from my pack."
Selene met his gaze, seeing the fire there, but also the weight. This was the true cost of being Alpha—choosing between justice and mercy, between loyalty and survival.
And now, she was bound to that burden too.
That night, Damon called a council with both packs. Aria sat across from him, her eyes sharp and glimmering in the firelight. She watched every move he made, like a predator studying prey.
"We can't fight the Council and ourselves at the same time," Damon said. "We need unity. And that means trust."
Aria tilted her head. "Trust isn't given freely, Damon. It's earned. And right now, many of your wolves don't trust the bond you've chosen."
Her gaze flicked to Selene, the implication clear.
Selene's chest tightened, but she held her chin high. "Then I'll earn it. Whatever it takes."
The murmurs grew louder, some approving, others skeptical. Damon's hand brushed hers beneath the table, silent reassurance.
Aria smiled faintly, as if amused. "Very well. Let's see how much your human can carry."
After the council, Selene lingered by the fire, exhaustion weighing heavy. Damon wrapped his cloak around her shoulders, sitting beside her.
"You don't have to prove yourself to them," he murmured.
"Yes, I do," Selene said softly. "Because if they don't believe in me, they'll never believe in you. And if they can't believe in us…" She trailed off, her throat tight.
"Then we'll make them believe," Damon finished, his voice fierce. He pulled her close, his lips brushing her hair. "Selene, I'll tear the world apart before I let them take you from me."
Her heart ached with love and fear all at once. She clung to him, knowing the battles ahead would test not only their strength, but the very bond that bound them.
And in the silence of the winter night, Selene realized the truth.
The Council wasn't their only enemy. Doubt was.
And doubt could destroy them from the inside.
Author's Note:
❄️🔥 The Council's corruption has seeped into Damon's own pack, and Selene is struggling with the weight of her choices. Do you think Damon's vow of no mercy is the right path, or will it only fracture his pack further? Drop your thoughts below and vote with Power Stones to protect Selene and Damon's bond! ❤️