Chapter 22
Apr 17, 2025
The wolves from Moonveil and Silverstone Packs gathered in solemn silence.
Felicia stood at the center, her black dress flowing in the gentle wind, her face set in stone despite the storm raging inside her. Her hands trembled slightly as she clutched a white lily, the last offering she would give to her brother.
Danny and Max stood beside her, holding onto her dress, their little faces full of confusion and sadness. They didn’t fully understand what was happening, but they knew their Uncle Orion wasn’t coming back.
Lucien stood a few steps behind Felicia, his presence steady, his dark eyes watchful. He had barely left her side since they found Orion’s body, knowing that grief and rage could be unpredictable emotions.
As the warriors lowered Orion’s body into the ground, Felicia clenched her fists, trying to hold back the tears burning behind her eyes. She had to be strong. For her pack. For her sons. For herself.
But then, the scent hit her—strong, familiar, and unwelcome.
Her body tensed as she turned, her eyes locking onto the man who had no right to be here.
Damien.
He stood at the edge of the clearing, his broad frame stiff, his green eyes unreadable. He had come alone, his presence casting a shadow over an already dark night.
Felicia’s blood boiled at the sight of him. Her grief turned into fury, hot and sharp, searing through her veins. She stepped away from the grave and marched toward him, her hands clenched at her sides.
The crowd parted as she moved, their whispers filling the air like rustling leaves.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Felicia spat, stopping just a few feet from Damien. Her voice was low, but the venom in it was unmistakable.
Damien exhaled, his gaze heavy with something she didn’t care to decipher. “I came to pay my respects.”
Felicia let out a bitter laugh, her chest rising and falling with barely restrained anger. “Respects?” she repeated. “Do you think I don’t know, Damien? Do you think I didn’t see what was carved into my brother’s body?”
Damien’s jaw tightened, his entire posture shifting. “Felicia, I had nothing to do with that attack,” he said firmly.
“Then why did they carve your pack’s name into my brother’s skin?” she shot back, stepping closer, her voice rising. “Why would they blame you?”
“I don’t know,” Damien admitted, his voice rough with frustration. “But I will find out.”
Felicia shook her head, her breath coming out in sharp bursts. “I don’t trust you,” she said, her voice trembling with rage and sorrow. “Orion is dead because of you. Whether you sent them or not, your name was left on his body like a damn signature.”
“I swear to you, I had no part in this,” Damien said, his voice quieter now, as if trying to calm the storm in her.
Felicia didn’t respond. She turned back toward the grave, staring at the mound of dirt that would soon cover her brother forever. The weight of loss pressed down on her, and she hated that he was here to see her like this. Vulnerable. Broken.
After a long moment, Damien spoke again, this time with a different edge to his voice. “What are you and Lucien?”
Felicia’s head snapped toward him, her eyes narrowing. “Excuse me?”
Damien took a step closer, his gaze darkening. “You’re in his pack now. He’s giving you gifts, protecting you and the boys. What is he to you?”
Felicia scoffed, crossing her arms. “Lucien is my protector,” she said. “He’s given me and my sons a safe place to stay. That’s all you need to know.”
Damien’s jaw clenched. “You’d be safer in my pack.”
Felicia let out another bitter laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. “Says the man who replaced me so easily a few years ago?” she snapped. Her voice trembled, but not with sadness—with anger. “No, thank you, Damien.”
A muscle in Damien’s jaw twitched. “That’s not fair,” he muttered.
Felicia’s eyes blazed. “Not fair? Do you even hear yourself?” She took a shaky breath, her hands balling into fists. “You chose someone else, Damien. You let me go. And now, when I’ve finally found safety, you suddenly care?”
Damien ran a hand through his hair, exhaling harshly. “I never stopped caring,” he muttered.
Felicia stiffened, something in her chest tightening at his words. But she didn’t let it show. She wouldn’t. Not now.
“Then you should’ve acted like it,” she said coldly.
