Elena’s POV
Both Damien and Gage remained frozen in the office doorway, their eyes fixed on at the bottom of the staircase.
The silence stretched between us as they searched for words that refused to co.
"I have assignnts to finish." I announced, pivoting toward the stairs with deliberate calm. Please don’t follow , I silently begged.
My bedroom door clicked shut behind as I settled at my desk. The familiar weight of textbooks should have been comforting, but my mind was spinning.
What the hell had I just witnessed downstairs? Had Damien really ntioned second chance mates? I always assud those were myths whispered among pack elders.
Rejected mates were already uncommon enough in our world. The idea that those sa wolves could find new destined partners seed impossible.
I positioned myself by the window, cradling my coffee mug while lighting a cigarette. The setting sun painted the forest in brilliant oranges and purples, nature’s daily masterpiece unfolding before .
"Focus, Elena. One crisis at a ti. School cos first, then the baby. Nothing else matters right now." My voice sounded steadier than I felt. "No hunting for another mate. Deal with what’s actually in front of you."
The coincidence wasn’t lost on though. My first mate had been an Alpha, and now this potential second chance was also an Alpha. Was the Peak Goddess sending a ssage?
After forcing my racing thoughts to settle, I opened my textbooks and dove into the mountain of assignnts waiting for .
The pre-d coursework surprised with its accessibility. Science had never been my strongest subject, but these concepts clicked into place effortlessly. Everything made perfect sense.
Hours passed in focused concentration until knuckles rapped against my door.
"Enter." I called out cheerfully.
Damien appeared in my doorway carrying a dinner plate, his expression cautious.
"You missed eating with everyone." He observed, and I glanced at my clock in shock.
"Damn. I completely lost track of ti working on this stuff." I admitted.
He approached my desk, and I cleared space for the plate and soda can he’d brought.
"How are your classes treating you?" He asked, hovering awkwardly.
"Better than expected. I’m genuinely enjoying every single one." I replied.
"Gage ntioned you’re excelling in creative writing. Is that a career path you’re considering?" His tone carried genuine curiosity.
"Possibly. Between creative writing and English literature, I might pursue sothing in that direction." I said.
"Writers can make decent livings." He agreed.
The forced small talk made my chest tighten. This awkward dance between us was exactly what I’d feared. Our easy friendship was dissolving into uncomfortable tension.
"Look, I’ve got school and pregnancy to handle. Can we pretend I never overheard that conversation earlier? You’re an incredible friend, Damien. I can’t lose that." I said directly.
"I feel the sa way. But now I understand why protecting you felt so instinctual. Those feelings probably started at the Alpha Ball when we first t, even while you were still mated to Marcus." His voice carried weight.
"I had the sa realization. But we don’t need to complicate things right now. Can we please just return to normal?" I pleaded.
"My feelings aren’t sothing I can switch off." He said quietly.
"I understand that completely. But you admitted you’re not even certain these feelings are genuine. Could be pregnancy hormones affecting us both." I reasoned.
"Maybe. It’s tearing apart inside not knowing." His confession made my heart ache.
"I’m sorry you’re struggling with this. But honestly, I can’t handle exploring it right now. Please." I said.
"Alright." He conceded.
"Thank you." Relief flooded through .
"Make sure you eat everything. You’re nourishing two werewolf lives now." He reminded .
"Trust , I noticed." I gestured at the generous portions covering my plate.
His soft chuckle eased so tension as he headed for the door.
I continued working while eating, eventually succumbing to exhaustion. After showering and preparing for bed, I gathered my dishes and returned them to the kitchen.
Back in my room, I settled into bed with Marcus’s pack history book. The research was becoming increasingly fascinating.
Just as I prepared to close it for the night, sothing extraordinary caught my attention.
TREATY REGULATIONS - 1850
Vampires must request permission before entering pack lands
Werewolves cannot attack vampires beyond pack territory unless provoked
Vampires cannot harm Peak Pack Pack mbers
Mortir coven vampires cannot kill humans or void this treaty
Werewolves cannot interfere with vampire feeding on animals outside territory
Peak Pack pack will not participate in current vampire culling
Mortir coven receives Peak Pack pack protection
Peak Pack pack receives Mortir coven protection
Mortir coven will assist Peak Pack pack when requested
This treaty binds all future Alphas and pack mbers of Peak Pack pack, plus all Mortir coven mbers. Violation results in war.
Raymond Fairfax Dante Mortir
Alpha Leader
Peak Pack Pack Mortir Coven
My heart hamred as I scanned the page into my computer, carefully cropping out everything except the treaty text.
Marcus had desperately wanted proof this treaty existed. Here it was, docunted in black and white.
I uploaded it anonymously to the dark web, confident soone from Peak Pack Pack would discover it and alert Marcus imdiately.
This was my contribution from a distance. Hopefully enough to inform him about the treaty without revealing my survival or possession of this book.
It was a calculated risk, banking on Marcus believing I’d died in that crash. But this information had to exist elsewhere too. The Mortir Coven would definitely maintain their own copies.
After completing the upload, I grabbed my phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Hello." The man’s voice answered.
"We need to arrange a eting." I stated firmly.
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