The courtyard of Blackwood Pack had never felt this tense.
Every wolf present could feel the pressure in the air.
Two Alphas stood only a few feet apart.
Kael.
And Damon.
Both powerful.
Both dangerous.
And both staring at each other like predators ready to fight.
I stood between them, my heart pounding violently.
This was my fault.
Or maybe… my fate.
Damon's jaw tightened as he looked at Kael.
"You're lying," he said coldly.
"The mate bond doesn't work like that."
Kael crossed his arms calmly, completely unfazed by the accusation.
"You rejected her," he replied.
His voice was quiet but sharp.
"You lost the right to question what happens now."
A low growl escaped Damon's chest.
Several warriors around the courtyard instantly stepped back.
They knew what could happen if two Alphas lost control.
Lucas moved closer to me.
"Stay behind me," he whispered.
But I barely heard him.
My eyes were locked on Damon.
The man who once rejected me.
The man who now looked like he was realizing what he had lost.
"You think you can just take her?" Damon asked Kael.
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't take her."
His silver eyes flickered toward me briefly.
"She chose to come."
That single sentence changed everything.
Because it was true.
For the first time since the rejection ceremony…
I had made my own decision.
Damon's gaze returned to me.
Something inside his expression had changed.
Regret.
Real regret.
"Is that true?" he asked quietly.
"You chose him?"
My chest tightened.
This moment felt heavier than anything I had experienced before.
Because the truth was complicated.
I looked at Kael.
Then back at Damon.
"I chose to leave," I said slowly.
"But I haven't chosen anyone yet."
The courtyard fell silent.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Kael didn't react immediately.
But Damon's eyes widened slightly.
Before either Alpha could respond—
A new voice suddenly echoed from the entrance of the compound.
"Then perhaps the choice shouldn't belong to either of them."
Everyone turned.
Three figures stood at the gate.
Old.
Powerful.
Their presence alone sent chills down my spine.
The Elders.
Kael's expression darkened.
"What are you doing here?"
The oldest of the three stepped forward slowly.
His eyes studied me carefully.
"We came," he said,
"Because the rumors appear to be true."
My stomach twisted.
"What rumors?"
The elder's gaze sharpened.
"That the girl standing before us…"
"…carries the bloodline of the Moon Queen."
Gasps erupted across the courtyard.
Even Kael looked shocked.
Damon stared at me like he had never seen me before.
And suddenly I understood something terrifying.
This wasn't just about a mate bond anymore.
It was about power.
And every pack in the region would want it.