49 Chapter 49

49 Chapter 49

Damien’s POV 1

The words hung in the air between us like a confession that had been locked away for decades. Sera’s emerald eyes widened with shock

and something deeper.

“Your parents too?” she whispered, her free hand reaching up to touch my face with exquisite tenderness. “Damien, I’m so sorry.”

I leaned into her touch, allowing myself this moment of vulnerability that I’d never shared with another soul. Not even Lucas knew the

full truth of what had happened that night.

“I was eighteen,” I began, my voice rougher than intended as memories I’d buried deep began clawing their way to the surface. “Old

enough to think I understood pack politics.”

Sera shifted carefully in the medical bed, making room for me to sit beside her. The mattress dipped under my weight as I settled against

the headboard, grateful for the solid warmth of her presence as I prepared to excavate wounds I’d spent years learning to ignore.

“My parents had what everyone called a perfect marriage,” I continued, staring at the sterile white wall across from us rather than

meeting her eyes. “Beautiful, powerful, completely devoted to each other and to our pack’s prosperity.”

The irony of those words tasted bitter now, colored by everything I’d learned in the bloody aftermath.

“What happened?” Sera asked gently, her hand never leaving my face.

father had an affair with his assistant,” I said, the words feeling like broken

started when I was thirteen, though I didn’t learn about

against my cheek, offering

my mother wanted me to come with her to her family’s territory.”

loyalty and love.”

said softly. “It wasn’t

to be at home. My mother was coming for one of her scheduled visits-the court had

home after school, I went to a friend’s house. I stayed for dinner, then convinced them to let me spend the night. I was being

mother’s visit meaningless.”

cover mine, squeezing tightly as she

came out flat, emotionless, because that was the only

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49 Chapter 49

father’s study. My mother had been… she’d been

his desk, his throat ripped

tears beginning to

calculated way. Specific

contained sensitive pack information.”

building in my chest. “Gabriel’s mother had vanished completely. No trace of her anywhere, like she’d never existed. The timing was too convenient

she

Sera, seeing understanding dawn in

who could get close enough to disable the safeguards, who had access to pack

“And Gabriel?”

clenched as I thought about my worthless half-brother. “Gabriel was twelve years old when it

but…” I shrugged, feeling the familiar weight of suspicion I’d carried for years. “I’ve never

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