Chapter 8
Seylah’s POV
After our talk, I was finally back to Fireclaw Pack. The air felt thicker, as if weighed down by the tension radiating from every corner of the territory. I could feel it seeping into my skin, settling in my bones.
I hadn’t seen Daemon for days. Not really. Not the way I needed to. He was always surrounded by his Beta, his advisors… and Zaira. Always Zaira. Her laugh, her touch, her scent–sweet like poisoned honey- clinging to him. My wolf growled in frustration, pacing within me, restless and agitated. She wanted out, wanted to rip the smug smile off Zaira‘ s face. But I held back. Barely.
“Enough,” I muttered to myself, pushing through the doors of the packhouse, determination burning in my veins. It was time. I had made my decision. I was done with this promise. Why do I have to suffer
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Chapter 8
the disrespect just for a promise of the past?
The mate bond with Alpha King Thorian still thrummed beneath my skin, a
constant reminder of what could be. What should be. And I couldn‘ t keep lying to myself–or to Daemon.
I found him in his study, hunched over a map of the territory, his brow furrowed in concentration. His dark hair fell into his
eyes, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of the Daemon I’d once hoped to love. But it was fleeting, a ghost of a memory, and as soon as I saw the tension in his jaw and the way his eyes glanced to Zaira, who was draped across a nearby chair, I knew there. was nothing left for me here.
“Alpha,” I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. Zaira‘ s gaze flicked to mine, her lips curling into a
smirk, but I ignored her. This was between him and me.
He looked up, his expression indifferent.
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Chapter B
“Seylah. What is it?”
I took a breath, steadying myself. “We need to talk. Alone.”
Zaira scoffed, a mocking sound that grated on my nerves. “Anything you need to say to Alpha Daemon, you can say in front of me.”
I glared at her. I knew who she was. I knew that she was a traitor. “I wasn’t asking.”
Daemon waved a dismissive hand. “It’s fine, Zaira. Stay.” He turned back to me, his expression already bored. “What‘ s so important, Seylah? I’m busy.”
Anger flared hot and fast, but I pushed it down. “I’m breaking off the
engagement.
Silence. For a moment, I thought he hadn’t heard me. Then, he snorted, his lips twisting into a cruel smile. “Is that so?” he said, as if I’d just told him the weather forecast. “And why is that?”
2G
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Chapter B
My jaw clenched, but I kept my voice steady. “Because this isn’t working, Alpha. You‘ re in love with someone else. You’ve made that more than clear.”
“Careful, Princess,” Zaira purred from her seat, her eyes glinting with malice.
“That sounds an awful lot like jealousy.”
I ignored her, my focus solely on Daemon. “I deserve more than to be treated like a second choice,” I continued, my voice growing stronger. “And you deserve to be with the person you really want.”
Daemon leaned back in his chair, arms, crossing over his chest. “You think you‘ re doing me a favor, Seylah?”
“Yes,” I said firmly. “I do.”
For a moment, I thought I saw something in his eyes–regret, perhaps, or some
semblance of emotion. But it vanished as
quickly as it came. He laughed, a harsh, cold sound that made my skin crawl. “You always were too sensitive,” he muttered.
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Chapter &
“If you want to go, go. I’m not stopping you.”
A part of me had hoped, foolishly, that het would fight for me–that he would realize what he was losing and try to make it right. But as I looked at him, really looked at him, I saw the truth. He was already gone. Maybe he’d never been there at all.
“Fine,” I said softly, my heart breaking a little with each word. “But remember this, Alpha–when she turns on you, and she will, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Zaira’s laugh was sharp, cutting through the tension. “You think you‘ re so clever, don‘ t you, Seylah? Always the dutiful daughter, always so righteous. But you were never meant to be here. Never meant to be his Luna.
I turned to her, my eyes narrowing. “And you were never meant to be anything more than a snake in the grass, Zaira.”
Daemon stood, his chair scraping against
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Chapter 8
the floor. “Enough,” he snapped, more out of annoyance than anything else. “This is a waste of time. If you‘ re
leaving, Seylah, then leave. You‘ re not my problem anymore.
My wolf howled in fury, but I kept her in check, my eyes burning into his.
“Goodbye, Daemon.” I turned on my heel, every step away from him feeling like a release, a weight lifting off my shoulders.
I reached the doorway when he spoke again. “You‘ re making a mistake, Seylah.”
I paused, glancing back. “No, Alpha. You did.”
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