Chapter Seventeen - Stop This - Damian's POV

I stand in the study, staring down at the reports Simon just handed me. The rogues are testing our borders again, getting bolder, more coordinated, even though it is fairly early in the morning. They've figured out Maya is here, or at least they suspect it. The air around the estate is thick with tension, and my pack is restless. It's not just the rogues, though. The hunters are moving, too. They've caught whispers of something, and it won't be long before they follow the scent straight to my door. And then there's Maya. I exhale sharply, setting the papers down again. Though I slept a little last night, the thoughts of her plague me like a nightmare that will never go away. And it doesn't help that all I can do is think about her. She's a complication I didn't anticipate, not like this. She's supposed to be the key, the one bound by fate, but instead, she's a storm threatening to tear apart everything I've built. Or maybe I'm the storm, and she's the calm I can't reach. I've said it before that she is the one being sucked into the storm's eye. A sharp knock at the door snaps me out of my thoughts. Simon steps inside, his expression grim. 'She's moving again," he says without preamble. My jaw tightens. 'Where?" 'East wing," Simon replies. 'Near the old chamber. Looks like she didn't eat much and just left. Maybe she's headed to the library." The words send a jolt through me. Of all the places in this house, that's the last one she should be near. 'No," I mutter, already moving. Simon steps aside as I stride past him, my steps quick and purposeful. The east wing is no place for her, especially not alone. Too many secrets lurk there, and pack members who have trouble shifting are kept there. And her scent is leading directly to it. She didn't go to the library; she passed it. I reach the hallway leading to the chamber and pause, my senses immediately on high alert. The air is colder here, the stillness heavy with an undercurrent of something primal. Pushing open the double doors, I step inside, and my gaze immediately lands on her. Maya stands frozen at the center of the room, her hand hovering over one of the books on the table. Her wide eyes are fixed on the far end of the room, where the wolf stands in the shadows, its glowing amber eyes locked onto her. My chest tightens. The wolf doesn't move, and neither does she. It's like they're caught in some invisible standoff, an unspoken understanding passing between them. 'Enough," I say sharply, my voice cutting through the tension. The wolf's head snaps toward me, its body tensing as a low growl rumbles from its chest. 'Stand down," I command, stepping closer. The growl fades, but the wolf doesn't retreat. It lingers, its gaze flicking back to Maya before it finally slinks into the shadows and disappears from view. Maya's head whips around to face me, her eyes blazing with a mix of fear and defiance. 'What was that?" She demands, her voice trembling but strong. 'Care to explain why you have a wolf in your mansion?" I ignore her question, focusing instead on the table, and the open books scattered across it. 'You shouldn't be here," I say coldly, closing one of the books with a snap. 'You keep saying that," she shoots back, crossing her arms. 'But maybe if you explained what's going on, I wouldn't keep stumbling into things I'm not supposed to see." Her words strike a nerve, but I don't let it show. 'You don't understand what you're playing with," I say, my tone sharp. 'This is more than you are ready for." 'Then explain it to me!" she snaps. 'Because I'm done being left in the dark." Her defiance burns brightly, and for a moment, I almost give in. But the truth is too dangerous, too heavy. 'You need to trust me," I say instead, my voice softening slightly. 'I'll tell you when you are ready." She laughs bitterly. 'Trust you? Are you serious?" I clench my jaw, the weight of her anger hitting harder than I expect. 'I'm trying to protect you, Maya. Whether you believe that or not." She shakes her head, taking a step back. 'Maybe I don't want your protection, Damian. Maybe I just want the truth." The room falls silent, her words hanging heavy between us. I watch her carefully, the fire in her eyes reminding me of why she's here, why she matters. And why I can't afford to let her go. I also can't afford to let her get killed. Her words hit like a fist. Maybe I just want the truth. I want to tell her everything she needs to know to understand what's happening, to understand the role she plays in all of this. But the truth is dangerous, and if I tell her too much, too soon, I'll lose control. I'm trying to protect you, I remind myself. But the words feel hollow in the face of her defiance. She's waiting for me to say something, anything, that could explain it all, to make sense of the tangled mess I've put her in. But how could I? How could I tell her that she's tied to a prophecy, to a curse that's haunted my family for centuries, without scaring her to death? I take a step forward, my hands gripping the edge of the table as I search for the right words. 'You're part of something bigger than you realize," I start, my voice rough. 'Something you're not ready to understand. That's why you can't push and why things are the way they are." Her brow furrows. 'So that's it? That's all you're going to tell me? Something bigger?" I exhale sharply, frustration bubbling up in my chest. 'It's not that simple." Maya isn't backing down. She stands her ground, her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes full of questions I can't answer. 'Then tell me what it is. I can't keep doing this. I'm being pulled in every direction, with everyone expecting me to play some part in whatever this is and I need to know, Damian."