Chapter Thirteen - Can't Wait - Damian's POV

I pace the room for a minute, letting the calmness I felt a second ago linger before turning my focus back to everything at hand. As I glance at my desk, I know that I will never get any work done. Not like this. Maya doesn't trust me. Everything is closing in, and I don't want to feel so suffocated. I stop pacing and lean over the desk, staring down at the reports scattered across its surface one last time. Patrol updates, rogue activity, and whispers of hunters moving across our borders are all I see. It all paints a very grim picture. The wolves under my control are on edge, and I don't blame them. There is too much at stake. Evelyn's words come back to haunt me. I need to talk to Maya and start introducing her to this world. Honestly, in the end, the prophecy isn't just about us. It's about all of us and our survival, even though I don't feel like she's ready to know everything. I straighten, pulling one of the patrol reports from the desk. My eyes scan the details, narrowing on a mention of rogue activity near the northern border. They are testing us, circling like vultures, and it won't be long before they push further. But this isn't just about the rogues or the hunters. It's about Maya. She is the key to the prophecy, and I can't afford for her to be anything less than ready when the time comes. I fold the report and tuck it under my arm before heading toward the door. My footsteps echo in the quiet hallway as I make my way to her room. When I reach the door, I hesitate. For a moment, I stand there, my hand hovering over the handle. What will I even say to her? How can I explain a world she didn't ask to be part of without overwhelming her? I let out a breath, steadying myself, and knock. She probably hates me because, right now, all she sees me as is the man who bought her from her father. I am no better than him. In ways, I'm probably worse, but I hate admitting that. The thought twists in my chest, but I push it aside. There isn't time to dwell on it. Not when so much is at stake. But before I get down the hallway to her room, a faint sound behind me catches my attention. A low growl. I turn sharply, my senses immediately on high alert. At the far end of the hallway, a wolf stands, its silhouette stark against the dim light of the sconces lining the walls. Its fur is dark, nearly black, and its amber eyes glow with something that sends a jolt through me. 'Not now," I mutter under my breath, my hand clenching into a fist at my side. 'What are you doing out of formation?" I ask, my voice low but firm. The wolf doesn't back down. It holds its ground, staring at me with a mix of curiosity and defiance. I recognize it now. It's Liam, one of the younger wolves—eager but reckless and always testing boundaries. 'This isn't the time for games," I growl, my tone sharpening. 'You're supposed to be on patrol, not roaming the halls. We have a human here now, so you can't do this until she knows." Liam's form shimmers for a moment, and before I can stop him, he shifts back into his human shape. 'Sorry, Alpha," he says, though the smirk on his face betrays his words. 'I got curious and wanted to see for myself that you had brought a human here. You will introduce her, right?" I clench my jaw, resisting the urge to snap at him. 'That's none of your concern." Liam crosses his arms, his smirk fading slightly. 'It's everyone's concern. The pack knows she's here, Damian. They know what she means to the prophecy. Don't you think they deserve to know what's going on? It affects us all." I step closer, my voice dropping into a dangerous growl. 'What the pack deserves is to follow my orders without question. And my orders are clear. No one is to approach her. No one, except those who I say can." Liam's eyes dart to the door behind me, his curiosity obvious. 'She's going to find out eventually," he says, his tone quieter now. 'You can't keep her hidden forever." 'I don't intend to," I say coldly. 'But she's not ready yet. And neither are you." Liam flinches at the bite in my words, but he nods reluctantly. 'Understood, Alpha." 'Good," I say. 'Now get back to your patrol before I decide you're better off guarding the northern border alone." He nods again, shifting back into his wolf form with a soft shimmer of light. Without another sound, he pads down the hallway and disappears around the corner. I turn back to Maya's door, my jaw still tight. Liam is right about one thing. She will find out soon enough. But it will be on my terms, not the pack's. I exhale slowly as I turn my attention back to reaching her room. Once I do, I let the tension from my earlier encounter fade as I grip the knob in front of me. My hesitation lingers, but only for a moment as I twist the doorknob and push it inward. I step inside, noticing how quiet the room is, and then I realize that it is still dark out. In my haste to speak with her, I had forgotten she was probably still asleep. My eyes adjust quickly, and that's when I see her. She is curled up in the chair, where Evelyn said she was, which looks very painful and uncomfortable. I walk toward her, almost wanting to pick her up to move her, but her face is peaceful. I don't know if I have the heart to actually move her and accidentally wake her up. Instead, I look around the room and see she has made herself somewhat at home. I breathe out a long breath and then back out of the room. Her sleep is more important than anything I have to say.