Chapter Twenty - Announcement - Damian's POV

'I don't know," I mutter, rubbing the back of my neck. 'But whoever it is knows when I wouldn't be in the office. That's no coincidence. I need to figure out who they are before they get too far. It's not like anyone outside our territory would know that kind of thing, right?" 'I'll have the pack on high alert," Simon says, his tone serious and certain. 'I'll get to the bottom of it." I nod, but my mind is already elsewhere. The weight of my thoughts threatens to overwhelm me. I have to make a decision, and quickly. But I can't do it while my focus is divided. I need to confront Maya. But I can't tell her everything just yet. She needs time to settle in. The door creaks open again, and this time it isn't Simon. It's Evelyn, standing in the doorway with a knowing look in her eyes. 'Don't waste time, Damian," she says softly, stepping inside. 'The longer you wait, the more you lose." Her words hang in the air, and I feel the pressure building again. The truth is, I don't have time to wait. I turn to Simon, my resolve hardening. 'Get the perimeter locked down. I'm going to find out who's behind this. I'll deal with the pack later." Simon nods, but I can already tell he isn't going to let this go. 'The pack needs their Alpha. You rule over them all, and they aren't going to listen to me. I know you think you need to go to Maya, but she has to wait." Frustration flares inside me. He's right, but I hate hearing it. I hate that I'm being pulled in two directions, torn between the woman I'm trying to protect and the pack I've sworn to lead. 'I'm not abandoning them, Simon," I say, my voice hardening, though my chest feels heavy. 'But Maya is part of this now, too. I won't let whatever this is go any further without addressing her questions first. If she isn't prepared and if I keep her out, this could cause problems down the road. She may not accept her part." Simon opens his mouth to argue, but before he can, I hold up a hand, cutting him off. I need to make my own decisions. 'I'll be back," I mutter, the words almost to myself. 'I'll take care of the pack. It'll be fine." Simon doesn't respond immediately, but his gaze lingers on me, full of unspoken concern. 'I hope you know what you're doing, Damian." I turn away, walking toward the door with the weight of the house on my shoulders. The walls feel like they're closing in, and I can't shake the sense that whatever is coming, whatever has just been unleashed, is going to be worse than anything I anticipated. As I step into the hallway, I keep my pace steady, my mind already running through the possibilities of what could be behind this breach. But in the back of my mind, Maya's face keeps coming to the forefront. I can't keep running from her, and I know it. But I have to deal with this first. I have to make sure the threat in the house is neutralized before I can truly focus on her. I can't risk losing everything, not now. I move swiftly, heading toward the study where part of the breach occurred. The hallway feels longer now as the silence presses down on me with every step. The mansion, which once felt like a fortress, now feels like a trap. Every shadow seems to hide another threat, another enemy waiting to strike. I reach the study, the door still ajar, and the mess inside is more chaotic than I imagined. Books lay scattered across the floor, a chair lies knocked over, the lockbox still hidden in the drawer. But the rest of the room is a disaster. I don't have time to clean it up now. No, the pack needs me, so I push out the call and tell them to meet me in the dining hall. As I turn from the study, I glance one last time at the chaos left behind. Evelyn will probably come while I meet with the pack to straighten what she can, but I hate it. I move swiftly down the hallway, my mind already turning, focusing on what I can control. The mansion has been breached, someone inside has gotten far too close, and it isn't a coincidence. The rogue activity near the borders is one thing, but the internal threat is something else entirely. I reach the dining hall with a quick pace, my thoughts swirling, but I can't afford to let my focus falter. The pack will be here soon, and I need to make sure I have a clear plan. I can't lose control of this situation. I stand at the head of the long dining table, my back straight, my posture commanding, waiting for the wolves to gather. Their faces appear one by one, eyes flicking to me as they take their seats. There's no talking, just the shared understanding that something has gone wrong. Some stand near the back of the room once the seats are filled. Their eyes never leave my face. They're watching, waiting. Simon is the last to enter, his usual casual demeanor replaced with a grim expression. He doesn't say anything at first, just nods and joins some others standing nearby. I clear my throat, ready to address them all. 'Listen up," I start, my voice cutting through the indistinct murmur of the pack settling into their seats. 'We've had a breach. Someone inside the house knows too much, and I don't trust anyone at this point. We're locking everything down. Double patrols and secure every perimeter. I don't care who's on watch, just make sure no one gets through. No one is leaving this estate until I say so. There will be a buddy system. Watch each other's backs, but also watch for a threat within." The pack exchanges looks, the weight of my words settling in. These wolves, my pack, trust me to lead them, but now everything feels uncertain. They know the dangers of the outside world. What they don't know is how deep this problem runs. Who inside is working against us? And who is getting too close to the truth? I almost regret mentioning it because whoever did this will hide even more now, if they're within these walls. There's no going back now, though. 'You're all aware of the rogue activity," I continue, my eyes locking on Simon, who is already nodding. 'That's still our priority, but something tells me this breach isn't just about the rogues. We've got a rat among us. Whoever was in the study knew exactly where to go and what to take. We need to find out who it is, and fast." One of the pack members, a younger wolf named Liam, leans forward, his voice low. 'You think it's someone from the inside, Alpha? No one would do that." I nod, my jaw tight. 'That's the only explanation. Someone who knows the layout of this mansion and knows when I'm not in certain areas. And now, they've taken something they shouldn't." The room falls silent, each of the wolves processing the weight of the situation. Simon speaks up next, his voice calm but urgent. 'What do you need us to do?" As I exhale, I lean forward slightly. 'I need you to trust me. I'll be keeping an eye on everyone, but I need you all on alert. No one goes anywhere alone. We'll deal with this threat quickly, but we can't afford to make mistakes." Simon nods again, his gaze unwavering. 'We'll move as one. We always do." I don't respond, but the look we share speaks volumes. The pack will do their job, but I know this isn't just a physical battle. Wolves can fight any external enemy, but the real danger is something I'm not prepared to face. The betrayal creeping closer, the truth I'm still running from, and the responsibility of protecting Maya. But I don't have the luxury of time. Maya's safety, the prophecy, and the survival of my pack all depend on what I do next.