Chapter Nineteen - Betrayed - Damian's POV

As I move, I can already tell I'm about to have some issues. Evelyn steps into the room, blocking my path. 'And what about her?" I freeze, her question throwing me off balance. My eyes meet hers, and I see the understanding there, but also the frustration. She knows what I'm avoiding. 'What do you mean?" I ask, but the answer is already clear. 'You're not protecting her, Damian," she says softly. 'You're keeping her in the dark, treating her like she's part of this mess you're trying to control. You can't shield her from the truth forever. She deserves to know more. She's already involved, whether you want her to be or not. So go tell her before someone else does. You know they're all on edge and it's only getting worse." I take a step back, a harsh breath escaping as the weight of her words presses down on me. She's right. I've been doing exactly what I vowed I wouldn't—keeping her in the dark, making decisions for her without considering her thoughts or feelings. I know this, but I hate to admit it. But telling her now, with everything collapsing around me, feels impossible. The prophecy. The curse. The bloodline. She's not ready for any of it. She'll never understand why I keep my distance, why I keep her away from everything. But Evelyn is right about one thing. Someone will tell her if I don't. They're all itching to do so. 'I can't lose her, Evelyn," I say, my voice lower now, a mixture of anger and helplessness I'm not used to feeling. 'I can't let her get caught in the middle of this." Evelyn's eyes soften, but her expression doesn't change. 'Listen, if she resists the bond between you, then everything is lost. But she isn't going to choose you or accept you if you don't start pursuing her correctly. Go tell her before you make this any worse than it already is." I want to argue. I want to push her away, deal with the mess, focus on the breach and the enemies closing in. But the truth of her words hits harder than any battle I've faced. I can't protect her from everything. I can't control her fate. And if I don't start trusting her, the distance I've put between us will tear us apart before anything else can. I turn away, walking past Evelyn toward the door. 'I have to deal with this first. Then I'll talk to her. But I need you to hold things together until I return." She doesn't move, her eyes following me as I reach the door. 'Don't wait too long, Damian. You don't have much time." I pause in the doorway, the weight of her words sinking in. I don't have time. I never have time. And every second I spend running from the truth is a second that could cost us everything. I don't bother answering her as I walk out of the office. My boots click against the floor with a sharp noise. The air in the hallway feels colder than the office, which is probably a trick. I'm breathing rapidly and my nerves are rattled. My mind races as I move through the corridors. Every second counts. Every shadow in the hallway, every creak of the floorboards beneath me, feels like a ticking clock. I have no idea who's behind this breach, but they've already gotten too close. And the worst part—they got into the lockbox with the contents I kept inside. That's the last thing I can afford to let fall into the wrong hands. I turn sharply at the next corner, heading toward the back of the house, my senses on high alert. I don't know if it's paranoia or the fact that everything has been too quiet. I can't shake the feeling that someone or something is watching me. Instead of dwelling on it, I push the thought away and keep walking. As I approach the main door to the study, my pulse quickens. I already feel the weight of the mess in my mind. So many things unresolved, so many lies unspoken. The worst part? Maya is in the middle of it all. And she doesn't even know what she's about to be dragged into. If I'm lucky, I might be able to keep her out of this for a few more weeks at most. I push the door open, barely pausing to take in the wreckage. It feels like my entire world has been turned upside down in a matter of hours because someone got into this room as well. It's the only other place I keep personal documents besides my study. This one is more for the pack. I cross the space to a desk, my gaze scanning the room. Papers are everywhere, scattered across the floor. I can't keep doing this. The thought echoes in my mind, gnawing at me. I pick up the fallen papers one by one. The weight of what's happening presses down on me harder with every piece I touch. Whoever was here knew exactly what they were looking for—and that's terrifying. They targeted two rooms that hold everything we have to hide. I shove the papers back into the drawer, slamming it shut with more force than necessary. My breath comes in shallow bursts, the pressure in my chest building. This is more than just the breach. It's everything I've been trying to keep from her. Everything I thought I could control. The howls outside are distant, but I can feel the pack stirring, sensing the shift in the air. Something is coming. I don't know what, but I can feel it. The door opens behind me, and Simon steps in. His eyes are sharp, scanning the room before locking onto me. 'Did you find anything?" he asks, his voice low but urgent. 'Oh, my gosh. They got the pack library too?" I don't answer at first. I can't. My mind is elsewhere. Maya's face keeps flashing in front of me. She doesn't deserve to be tangled in all of this. But I'm already too deep. 'No one else is in the house," Simon continues, his gaze steady. 'But whoever was here knew what they were doing. The guards are on high alert, and the pack is holding position. But…" He trails off, watching me closely. I turn to face him, my jaw tightening. 'It's not just about the breach. Someone inside has been feeding information to them. This isn't random. If it were, everything would be ransacked. This was narrowed down to two rooms. Someone knows." Simon's brow furrows. 'You think one of the pack betrayed us?"