Emilia’s POV:

I stood in the hallway, the weight of Leo’s words still lingering in the air like a thick fog. Damian Wolfe. The Alpha of the Silverthorn Pack. The man who could tear everything apart if he wanted to.

But it wasn’t just his power that made him dangerous. It was the connection between us.

I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to push the thought away. I couldn’t afford to think about that right now. I had a pack to lead, and my father’s death was still a fresh wound that hadn’t begun to heal. If I didn’t focus, if I didn’t keep my head on straight, I’d fall apart—and I couldn’t afford that. Not now.

But as I turned toward the stairs that led down to the main hall, I felt the unmistakable pull—the magnetic force that seemed to drag me forward, towards the one man I could never escape. The man I didn’t want.

Damian Wolfe.

My steps were heavy, each one filled with the weight of my uncertainty. The pack had already begun to shift in the wake of my father’s death. Whispers of power struggles, loyalty tests, and alliances formed in the shadows swirled in the air like a storm. Every corner of this house, every inch of the pack’s territory, felt suffocating.

I reached the door to the study, where Damian was waiting. He had to know what was happening here, what this place had become in the wake of my father’s death. But I didn’t know how he had gotten in, or how long he had been waiting.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open.

Damian stood by the window, his back to me, as if he were waiting for something. His silhouette was framed by the dying light of the day, casting a long shadow across the room. I couldn’t help but notice how imposing he was, how effortlessly he carried the weight of his pack. He was the kind of Alpha people followed, the kind they feared.

He didn’t turn as I entered, but I could feel his attention shift toward me, the air around us crackling with tension. He always had that effect on me—his presence was overwhelming, like a storm just waiting to break.

“I didn’t invite you here,” I said, my voice sharp despite the way my heart raced at the sight of him.

“You didn’t have to,” Damian replied smoothly, his voice low and rich with authority. “I’m not here to ask permission, Emilia.”

I crossed my arms, standing my ground. “Then why are you here?”

He turned to face me, his eyes dark and unreadable. The intensity in them was enough to make my breath catch. “Because your pack is in danger. And I’m here to make sure you don’t screw this up.”

My heart skipped a beat, the words hitting me harder than I wanted to admit. He didn’t even bother with pleasantries, didn’t pretend to be here for anything other than his own agenda. But in that moment, I couldn’t deny that his words held a ring of truth.

“I’m not going to let you take my pack, Damian,” I said, trying to hold on to my composure, though everything inside me screamed in frustration. “I don’t need you to save me.”

He raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a half-smile that sent a chill down my spine. “You don’t need me, huh?” He stepped closer, closing the distance between us, his presence overwhelming. “Then why do I feel like you can’t breathe without me, Emilia?”

I didn’t move. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing how much his words affected me. The bond. It was always there, beneath the surface, like a tether pulling me toward him even when I wanted to pull away.

“You’re the last person I want to be tied to,” I said, my voice low but steady.

Damian’s smile faded, his expression hardening. He wasn’t used to being rejected, and it annoyed him. I could see it in the way his jaw clenched, in the way his eyes darkened with something dangerously close to fury.

“Don’t lie to me,” he said, his voice low and warning. “You and I both know what’s happening here. Your father’s dead. The pack’s falling apart. The Silverthorn Pack is waiting for you to make a mistake.”

I swallowed hard. The truth of his words hit too close to home. It wasn’t just the Silverthorn Pack. It was the factions within my own pack, the wolves who were already starting to test my authority. If I wasn’t careful, the Crescent Moon Pack could descend into chaos—and the rival packs would be the least of my problems.

“I don’t need your help,” I repeated, my voice firmer this time. “I can handle it.”

Damian took another step closer, his eyes fixed on me like he could read every thought in my head. “You’re not handling it, Emilia. Not yet. But you will. I’ll make sure of that.”

Before I could react, a loud crash echoed from downstairs, followed by shouting and the unmistakable sounds of a fight breaking out in the courtyard.

I froze, my heart racing. I didn’t need to ask who was involved. It was my pack—fighting amongst themselves.

“Shit,” I muttered, turning to run out of the room, but Damian’s hand shot out, grabbing my wrist in a firm grip.

“Don’t go down there,” he said, his voice commanding. “It’s not safe.”

“I’m the Alpha,” I snapped, jerking my arm free. “I have to go.”

“You don’t have control over them yet,” he replied, his tone cold and calculating. “And you’re not ready to face them alone.”

I didn’t want to admit it, but he was right. I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready to lead a pack that was on the brink of civil war. I wasn’t ready to face the enemies in my own territory.

But I didn’t have a choice.

I stepped past him, my eyes locked on the door. “Then come with me,” I said, not caring if I sounded desperate. “If you’re so sure I need your help, then prove it.”

Damian didn’t hesitate. He followed me out of the study, and we made our way down the grand staircase in silence, the tension between us palpable. I could feel his presence at my back, steady and unwavering, like a constant reminder that I wasn’t alone in this.

As we reached the courtyard, I saw the chaos unfolding before me. Two of my pack members—fighters who should have been loyal—were in a vicious battle, locked in a struggle that threatened to spill over into the rest of the pack.

I didn’t think. I just reacted.

I stepped forward, my voice cutting through the noise. “Enough!”

The fighting stopped, but only for a moment. The two wolves, panting and bloodied, stared at me with defiant eyes, as though daring me to do something.

I could feel the eyes of the entire pack on me. They were waiting for me to make a decision, to show them that I could lead.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “You two—fight it out in the ring,” I said, my voice laced with authority. “Until then, no more bloodshed. Understood?”

They nodded begrudgingly, backing away, but the tension still lingered. The pack was watching, waiting to see how I would handle this.

I turned to Damian, who had been standing silently at my side, watching the entire scene unfold.

“You see?” I said, the weight of the situation sinking in. “This is why I need control. This is why I don’t need distractions. The pack is falling apart.”

Damian said nothing, his expression unreadable. But I could see the faintest flicker of something in his eyes—something that resembled respect, or perhaps curiosity.

“This is only the beginning, Emilia,” he said softly, his voice carrying a warning I wasn’t sure I was ready for. “And you’re going to need more than just power to hold this pack together.”

I met his gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn’t know if I was ready for the weight of it all, but I had no choice.

The Crescent Moon Pack was mine now. And I would fight for it—no matter what the cost.