Chapter Twelve - Willing - Damian's POV

For a moment, there is nothing but silence in my office. Then Evelyn speaks. 'I think you're afraid of what's happening. You've known about the prophecy your whole life, and now you've found her. It's all becoming real to you. You know what is coming after it too." My hands clench into fists again. 'What is that supposed to mean? It's always been real to me. I have always taken it seriously." Evelyn only chuckles under her breath. 'She makes you feel again, doesn't she? She's not just a piece in the game, like you've tricked yourself into believing. And the sooner you stop pretending she is, the sooner you'll figure out your next step. Even if she isn't the piece you are looking for, you're still going to want to keep her by your side." I exhale sharply, running a hand through my hair. 'I can't because she's human. She doesn't belong in my world, even though she's being forced into it. I know she's the piece I've been looking for." Evelyn steps closer, her eyes locking with mine. 'You fail to realize that she's already in your world, whether you're ready or not. The day she was born is the day she became part of it. You need to give her the tools to survive, or you'll lose her and the prophecy will never come to pass. You and your family will never be free." Her words hit harder than I want to admit. The truth is, I don't know how to handle the feelings budding inside me. She's human, but she's more than that. I love the fire and defiance in her gaze. But I don't know how to balance my protective instincts with preparing for what's coming. And yet, there's something else I don't want to acknowledge. Every time I look at her, something shifts inside me, like a monster clawing at the walls of its human prison, desperate to break free. Something dangerous. Something I can't afford to feel. 'I'll figure it out," I say finally, my voice rough. She scoffs. 'You better, Damian. The wolves aren't the only ones watching her." As she leaves, I sink into my chair, listening to her footsteps fade. My eyes drop to the papers on my desk, but I don't really see them. Evelyn is right. Hiding Maya away isn't the answer. But exposing her to this world too soon may end in tragedy. Somehow, some way, I need to find balance. Because if I don't, I won't just lose the prophecy. I'll lose her. I lean back in my chair as her words settle in. The room is quiet now, dark with the night outside. The only sound is the faint crackling of the fire in the next room. If the wolves aren't the only ones watching, then who is? The thought gnaws at me. Maya is here because of the prophecy, and I'm lucky everything has gone smoothly so far. But neither of us is prepared for the obstacles ahead, even though the prophecy has been spelled out. The one bound by blood shall seek the one bound by fate. Through their union, the curse may be broken, or the darkness shall rise. Maya is the mortal destined to stand at the heart of it all. She is the one bound by fate. A very long time ago, probably centuries—if not over a thousand years—a seer foretold of a union between two souls that would determine the balance of light and darkness in my world. We are referred to as the bound. As the one bound by blood, I am a powerful leader from a cursed lineage, destined to either break the curse that binds my kind or succumb to it, dooming my people to extinction. I carry the weight of our legacy, and it all ends with me. Even now, I feel the darkness gnawing within me, growing, waiting. It doesn't want me to be with her. Her dormant power is still hidden, but I know it won't be for long. If my darkness is fighting this hard, then time is running out. I drag a hand down my face, trying to push the thoughts away, but they refuse to leave. If I don't figure out a way to deal with this soon, we won't survive it. The prophecy requires us both to be willing. If one of us resists, we are doomed to fail, and the wolves will cease to exist. Some of the other packs believe another way exists. That's why they are at my door, breathing down my neck. The rest of the supernatural community watches, waiting for us to fail. But exposing her too quickly to this world is just as dangerous. The shadows lurking in the dark aren't just threats; they are promises of destruction. Maya will be a prize to anyone who understands what she is because she is the key to ending this, and I have waited so long for her. I stand abruptly, the chair squeaking, as I shove it back. The room feels too confining, suffocating. I move to the window and unlatch it, pushing it open. As I stare out at the dark forest, I gasp for air. Everything is closing in on me. The howls from earlier have died down. It's quiet now. I clench my jaw and force the thoughts aside. I have to push everything aside for now. Closing my eyes, I focus on steadying my breathing, letting the cold night air cool the fire raging inside me. The tension in my chest eases, and my heartbeat finally slows. When I open my eyes, the forest no longer feels like it's closing in. The shadows beyond the window are just that—shadows. Everything is quiet, waiting. Just like I am.