Chapter 7
736words
"It's one of my favorite spots," Damon says, uncorking a bottle of wine. "Right on the neutral boundary, so technically neither of us is trespassing."
The evening is perfect—warm with a gentle breeze, stars beginning to appear in the darkening sky. It's our fifth date in two weeks, and I've been trying desperately to convince myself that this is enough—that Damon's warm smile and easy conversation can fill the hollow ache that's been growing inside me since the border incident.
My wolf has been unusually quiet tonight, almost sullen. She's been this way since Damon mentioned the West Coast opportunity again this morning, asking if I'd given it more thought.
"You seem distracted," Damon says, handing me a glass of wine. "Everything okay?"
I force a smile. "Just thinking about what you said. About the West Coast."
His eyes light up. "Have you made a decision?"
"Not yet," I admit. "It's a big step."
"We have time," he assures me. "The position doesn't start for another three months."
Before I can respond, my wolf suddenly snaps to attention, her awareness flooding through me like an electric current. A familiar scent—thunderstorm over ancient forest—drifts on the evening breeze, and my heart begins to race.
No. Not here. Not now.
Damon notices my sudden tension. "Luci? What's wrong?"
I can't speak, can only watch as a tall figure emerges from the trees—the silver-eyed man from the border, imposing even in casual clothes that do nothing to diminish his authority.
Instinctively, I slide closer to Damon, my hand gripping his arm. A clear message: I'm with someone else.
The silver-eyed man stops at the edge of our blanket, his gaze moving from me to Damon and back again. Though his expression remains neutral, I sense the storm brewing beneath his calm exterior.
"Alpha," Damon says, straightening immediately. There's respect in his voice, but also confusion as he looks between us. "I didn't expect to see you here."
Alpha? My mind races, connecting dots I should have seen before. The deference in Damon's tone, the natural authority radiating from the silver-eyed man...
"Damon," he acknowledges with a slight nod before his silver gaze returns to me. "I see you have company."
"Yes," Damon says, his arm moving protectively around my waist. "This is Lucille from Moonhaven. Luci, this is Ivan Black, Alpha of Blackwater Pack."
The world seems to tilt beneath me. Not just any Blackwater wolf. The Alpha. Damon's Alpha.
"We've met," Ivan says quietly, his eyes never leaving mine.
Damon looks surprised. "You have?"
"At the border incident last week," I manage to say, my voice steadier than I feel. "I didn't realize who... I mean, we weren't formally introduced."
Ivan's expression remains unreadable, but something flickers in his eyes—something that makes my wolf strain toward him despite my determination to stay firmly pressed against Damon's side.
"You're dating?" Ivan asks, the question directed at neither of us in particular.
"Yes," Damon answers, a note of pride in his voice. "For a few weeks now."
Ivan's jaw tightens almost imperceptibly. "I see."
An uncomfortable silence falls over us. My wolf whines softly, sensing the tension between the two men—one my chosen companion, the other my destined mate.
"Damon," Ivan says finally, his tone shifting to something more formal, "I need you to check the northern perimeter. There's been a report of unusual activity."
Damon stiffens beside me. "Now, sir?"
"Yes," Ivan says, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll make sure Lucille gets home safely."
Damon hesitates, looking at me with concern. "Luci? Are you okay with this?"
No, I want to scream. Don't leave me alone with him. But what reason could I give? That his Alpha claims to be my mate? That every time he's near, my resolve weakens?
"It's fine," I lie. "Go ahead. Duty calls."
Damon nods reluctantly, pressing a quick kiss to my temple before standing. "I'll call you later," he promises, giving Ivan a puzzled look before reluctantly heading into the trees.
As soon as Damon is out of sight, Ivan sits down on the blanket across from me, his scent enveloping me, making my wolf pace eagerly beneath my skin.
