Chapter Fifty Six - The Attack - Maya's POV

Before I have a chance to protest,, someone is coming down the hallway and looks as if they are hunting for Damian. Simon quickly joins him, his steps faster than the other man. His face is grim. 'We have another problem." Damian rolls his eyes before turning to face them. 'We just talked, so now what?." 'Scouts caught sight of movement near the northern border again. It's not just vampires this time." I interrupt Damian before he can speak. 'What do you mean, not just vampires?" Simon glances at Damian before answering me. 'It looks like one of the rival packs is making a move. And they brought something with them?" 'Something?" Damian asks before looking at me. I can tell by his rigid posture he doesn't really want me hearing this, but he has no choice. Simon nods. 'We don't know what it is, but the wolves on patrol got spooked and came back. They said they weren't moving from the border. It's as if they are just standing there, waiting for something." Damian's eyes flick to mine and I know what he's about to do. 'No, you can't just lock me away again." 'It's for your own good," he says, his voice low. 'You will stay here. No matter what happens. I don't want you leaving this room." 'And if I refuse?" I ask, but then my gaze flicks to the left and locks onto Simon. Something about the way he is looking at us makes me not trust him. I don't know what it is, but there is something wrong. It's like he wants Damian to get killed. 'You will stay here," Damian says sternly. 'You don't have a choice and I'm not risking you." My gaze drifts back to Damian's, shooting him a seething glare. 'I'm probably going to be in danger here as well." He won't budge and I know it. No matter how badly I don't want to stay here and what I think, he's going to do whatever he wants and thinks is best. My breath catches in my throat the longer we stare at each other, but Simon clears his throat, distracting him. 'We need to go. Now." Damian says nothing as he turns and goes into the room beside mine. When he comes back out within a minute, he has a knife in one hand and has completely stripped bare. 'Damian," I whisper, but he doesn't leave just yet. He comes to me, pushing the dagger into my hand. 'Lock the door after Evelyn arrives. And if anything comes through this door that isn't me, don't hesitate to use this. Evelyn can fight as well." I grip the dagger, but am unsure about what to say. Instead of saying goodbye, he leaves with Simon and I'm left there gawking. As I watch them leave, I catch sight of Evelyn heading straight for me down the hallway. But I can't tear my eyes off Damian. Then Simon looks over his shoulder at me and smirks. Something about this feels so wrong. Evelyn reaches for me and frowns after noticing my distant gaze. 'What's wrong?" 'Something about this doesn't feel right," I murmur. 'Simon looked back at me and smirked." She exhales. 'He was probably teasing Damian through the bond about you. I'm sure your worry amuses him." Though I know she's trying to sound reassuring, she's not very convincing. 'Come, let us go into your room for a bit. It's late and you should go back to sleep," Evelyn urges. I let her lead me into the room and shut the door. Things still don't sit right with me, but I have a choice. I have to accept it. 'Why don't you go lie down? You look a bit pale," she says as she comes to stand beside me. 'We'll stay in this room until he gets back.' My fingers tighten around the dagger involuntarily. Why do I feel like I won't see him again? What if he doesn't come back? This is probably a trap, and he just walked into it. I do as Evelyn says and tuck myself back into bed. The dagger lies on the pillow next to my head. It doesn't bring me much comfort, though. Hours tick by. I sleep as much as I can, but most of the time, I just lie awake, looking at the ceiling. The room is far too quiet for my liking. When Evelyn senses me awake sometime around dawn, she finally says, 'He'll be fine, you know? He's tougher than you think and has survived some pretty dire scrapes." I don't respond. Instead, I let the emotions bubble within me. I'm not sure he'll be fine. Something terrible might have already happened to him. Then I hear it. A distant howl echoing. It sends a chill down my spine. Evelyn stands, so I sit up on the bed and we both stare at the door. I know she hears something, and it doesn't take long until I do, too. Footsteps. They're heavy and slow. With one last thump, I know they are just outside the door. A single, deliberate knock fills the silence. We both are frozen to the spot. Damian wouldn't knock. He'll just bust through, if he really wants to. Evelyn motions, stepping toward the door with a cautious, predatory grace. 'Who's there?" The doorknob twists and a low growl hums from the other side. Then a forceful slam rattles the door on its hinges when they discover it's locked. Evelyn mutters a curse under her breath before shouting, 'Move back!" I reach for the dagger on the pillow and get ready. The door splinters as something large crashes through it. When the wood settles, a large wolf with red eyes looks up at me from the wreckage. Evelyn, in a flurry of movements, begins shifting. 'Run if you get the chance," she hisses. But I know there is no running from this. There is only the bathroom, which is a dead end or through the door he just broke through.