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Damien shot her a glare, brooding over the fact that his affairs were already the hot topic of gossip. He had hoped to keep things under wraps for as long as he could. But it would seem his plans were a bust.

His pack had been eager for him to find a suitable Luna. Many 'suitable' she-wolves had been presented to him. Some even shamelessly offered themselves to him. But Damien had no interest in any of them. He only wished to be with his fated mate.

He had shifted into his wolf form, hunting for fresh meat, when he caught hold of a scent he would never forget. It was a fusion of his favorites, smoked wood and apples.

Yukon surfaced in his mind, telling him to follow the scent without question. As the scent grew stronger, so did the scent of blood. When it became clear what might have happened, Yukon took control.

He ignored the borders between packgrounds in favor of finding their mate. Realizing she had jumped off the waterfall, they didn't hesitate to jump in after her. She was already unconscious when they were in free fall.

A part of Damien wished he made his way back up the cliff after bringing Safira to safety. He wanted to destroy wolves who dared to lay their claws on his mate. He had been patiently waiting for her arrival this entire time.

Yet, he was not there for her when she needed him the most.

Elder Rosalie had been waving at Damien for a good few seconds, trying to get his attention. But the Alpha was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice. It wasn't until she hit him on the back, did he come to his senses.

"Sorry, Elder Rosalie, did you say something?" He apologized while trying to regain his composure.

He was a little embarrassed. It was so unlike him to be so restless and distracted. But ever since he'd been away from Safira, she was all he could think of. It was driving him crazy to be away from her.

As Yukon's worries grew, so did his own. Elder Rosalie sighed as she placed a hand on Damien's shoulder. Her gesture finally caught his attention.

"Alpha Damien, the others and I can take things from here for now. I think you should go to her," she said while patting him on the shoulder.

"But the treaties…"

She shot him a glance, wondering why he hadn't already left. She had given him the perfect opportunity to leave without worry and yet he was still trying to argue with her. When he got the message, Damien got up to his feet and apologized before taking off. He promised to make up for it in the future.

The Alpha of the Obsidian Howl dashed out of the room without looking back. He didn't even bother to inform his Beta about where he was going.

'It's about time,' Yukon muttered impatiently, eager for them to shift into their wolf form and make haste.

But Damien wanted to keep up appearances, so they didn't shift until they made it far enough into the woods. His wolf form was majestic, with a dark grey fur coat and sharpened claws.

He lifted his head into the air, hoping to catch Safira's scent. He had hoped she didn't travel too far from the border, for it would be much more difficult to track her the further she was.

'She likes giving us a challenge it seems,' Damien mused with a smirk.

What wolf didn't like a good hunt?

But Yukon did not share his excitement. The wolf usually enjoyed a hunt too, but his gut seemed to be telling him that things aren't as they seem. As they got closer to the border of their own pack lands, the fur on their back stood up.

There was a faint scent of blood in the air.

'She's in danger!' Both man and wolf gasped at the same time.

Together, they sprinted in the direction of the scent. The closer they got, the stronger their fury. Damien mind-linked with Seth, telling him to bring reinforcements at once. He could already smell the scent of other wolves.

He noticed the abandoned cabin in the distance and a group of wolves who seemed to have formed a circle around someone in human form. Covered in blood and wounds, he knew instinctively who that was.

Damien propelled himself forward and leaped into the air. He landed right in front of Safira and howled into the open sky. He exuded his Alpha aura, causing all the surrounding wolves to cower and bow in submission to him.

He might not be their pack Alpha, but he was still a figure of authority to be respected.

"Who dares to hurt my mate!" Damien roared in anger as he glared at every single wolf.

The werewolves whinnied and cowered. Those in wolf form hid their tails between their legs. He could tell that some of them were injured and wounded. He turned to see Safira, still standing on her own two feet.

She was panting heavily, fatigued from fighting. Blood covered her arms and torso. Her old wounds were covered with fresh blood. When he met her eyes, he realized she was looking straight into his eyes.

She reached her hand out, wanting to touch his wolf head. Damien lowered his head as she came closer to him. Her touch melted the rage that burned within him into a crackling fire pit.

He could feel her emotions too. The adrenaline that pumped through her veins was wearing off fast. She had fought valiantly against her attackers but her injuries were grievous too.

"You came for me?" She asked in a soft whisper, her voice was weak for her energy was fleeting fast.

"I told you not to leave the packgrounds," he whispered back as they nuzzled cheek to cheek.

Feeling the comfort only he could provide, Safira knew she was safe with him. She dropped the dagger in her hands as her eyelids fluttered shut and her legs gave way. Damien shifted back into his human form and caught her just as she was about to hit the ground.

She needed medical assistance as soon as possible.

None of the wolves dared to move. In fact, they couldn't move even if they wanted to. Damien's Alpha aura was too strong. It was unlike anything they had ever felt before. Though they could not run, they could inform their Alpha to come and resolve the issue in their stead.

Damien cradled Safira gently in his arms. He got back up on his feet and turned to return to his packlands. But before he could take a few steps forward, he sensed a fast approaching wolf in the distance.

He turned in that direction, just in time to be met with another Alpha wolf. It was Alpha Bayzil of the Nightmoon pack, the Alpha of Safira's pack.