Chapter 4

Damon looked like he was about to shift right there, rage pulsing under his skin, the Alpha’s aura filling the room like a storm. Sloane was radiating a different aura, one that would make one tremble to the core. This woman used to bow her head, keep quiet, obey her Alpha’s every order. But now? Sloane Veyra, his Luna, stood tall with fire in her eyes. She didn’t lower her gaze, didn’t flinch under his dominance. For a moment, he felt like the Luna he thought he knew had been replaced by a stranger. And that shook him more than claws ever could. Lyra hurried between them, wringing her hands. Her voice trembled, soft but insistent. “Sloane, thank the Moon for the thirty-day cooling period. You frightened me just now! Don’t worry, I’ll find another to care for Alpha Damon. And Caleb, he’s just a pup. He didn’t mean what he said. Don’t hold it against him. Kids don't know how to hide their feelings.” Sloane knew Lyra was a manipulative creature, she tried to act timid, but from inside she was a feral cat. Damon’s snarl faded into a cold, bitter laugh. So that was it. Sloane dared to challenge him because the Council’s law gave her thirty days. If she vanished before then, the bond wouldn’t sever. The thought that she might slip free sent a ripple of unease through his chest. But unease turned to irritation, then to fury. “This woman tried to trick me, a fool.” Damon growled internally. She hadn’t learned a damn thing after all these years, still playing her games, still testing his patience. “Fine!” His voice cracked like thunder, laced with Alpha command. “Bring it on. But you know the deal, there is no coming back from this. And if it is, then it will have to go through my way.” “Who do you think you are?” Sloane’s lips curved into a sharp, humorless smile. “Whoever breaks first, loses. And I don’t lose, Damon.” The ancient law chafed her like silver chains, if not for it, she’d already be free of him. But if the Moon wanted her patience tested, then she’d endure it. She turned on her heel, tossing one last look at the trio. Caleb immediately darted behind Lyra, his little body trembling. He thought his mother was coming to snatch him away. But Sloane only smirked, a cold edge in her eyes, and walked off. Lyra looked nervously at Damon. “Alpha… aren’t you going to stop her?” “She’s just in a mood,” Damon said with a dismissive wave, though his jaw tightened. “I am not going to give her attention. She does these kinds of things to gain attention, and I have none to spare. Once she realises that there is nothing I will do, then she will come crawling back to me. That would be a scene to behold.” “You’re the Alpha,” Lyra urged softly. “Sometimes even you must bow a little.” Damon let out a low, mocking chuckle. His claws half-formed, curling against his palms. “Me? Chase after her? No. I am Alpha Blackthorn. I don’t do such things. She will come back, and I can guarantee you that.” But even as he said it, the echo of her defiance burned through him like a challenge in the blood. ** Back at the hospital, Sloane threw herself into work. Her research on moon-healing, the way lunar cycles affected shifter recovery, was nearly finished, so she passed it along to her mentor. Not long after, the head of the department summoned her. The woman had guided generations of wolves in both medicine and spirit. She adjusted her spectacles, looking at Sloane with quiet warmth. “This paper’s strong. It ties perfectly to the aid mission the High Council is sending abroad.” She sighed. “Too bad your family situation complicates things…” Sloane’s eyes lit up. “Doctor, do you mean… there’s an opportunity to train overseas?” She nodded. “Right in your field of study. But you’ve always turned down the summons, haven’t you? Seven, eight times by now. I almost stopped offering, assuming you have better things to do. I am really sorry.” Shame flickered across Sloane’s face. She’d always hurried home to cook for Damon and tend to Caleb. She had become a mere shadow of those two. And truth be told… she had considered it. But it was her heart that was linked to Blackthorne’s. No more. “Doctor,” she said, voice steady, “I want to accept your proposal this time.” “You’re saying, you’re actually leaving?” The doctor was stunned. Sloane took a deep breath. “I’ve disappointed you before. But give me this chance, and I’ll prove myself worthy. I won’t let you down.” She frowned. “And what of your Alpha? Your pup?” She didn’t know much of the Alpha beyond whispers of his coldness. To her, it seemed like Sloane was forever weighed down by a husband and child too heavy for her spirit. “I can help you with them.” she whispered. Sloane blinked. She sighed. “No need to hide it, child. If your Alpha or your son suffer some… mental issues, there’s no shame in seeking help.” Sloane thought back to the Hall that morning, the severed bond papers, the look on Damon’s face. A bitter smile touched her lips. “They’re… yes, you could say their minds aren’t well.” The doctor's eyes softened with even deeper sympathy. “But I severed the bond today.” She froze. “You… what?” For a heartbeat, she seemed conflicted, then nodded firmly. Life was forward motion, not chains. “Then don’t worry about anything else. Pack your satchel. At dawn, you leave for Shadowcrane territory.” Relief and fire lit Sloane’s chest. “Thank you so much. I’ll never be able to repay you for this.” The doctor blinked again. Was it just her imagination, or did Sloane’s aura gleam brighter now, like a Luna bathed in moonlight, finally remembering her own power? ** Sloane boarded the plane the next morning, feeling a little lighter than usual. There was nothing holding her back. This was her new beginning. No Damon, no Lyra, and no Caleb. Her favorite smell was of freedom, and she was never going to get bored of it. As soon as she settled into her seat, she pulled out her notes of case studies on lunar healing patterns, already preparing for the work ahead. But an hour into the flight, the speakers crackled with urgency: “Emergency in the Alpha’s cabin. If there are any Healers or Doctors onboard, please assist immediately.” The cabin erupted in a ripple of panic. Human passengers thought something had gone wrong with the vessel itself, but Sloane knew better, the scent of fear rolled thick through the air, sharp as iron. A flight attendant rushed down the aisle. Sloane rose at once, her Luna’s aura steady. “I’m a healer from the Blackthorn territory. I’ll help.” Relief washed over the attendant’s face as she led Sloane toward the front. But the moment they entered the business-class section, Ava bristled. The air was suffocating with dominance. Bodyguards in black stood like statues along the walls, their silver eyes glinting. Their stares were blades, warning her that one wrong step could mean blood. Sloane kept her head lowered, respecting their rank, and followed the attendant deeper inside. At the center, a boy no older than eight clutched his throat, gasping, his cheeks flushed crimson. His small claws scratched at his skin in panic, his shift threatening to break loose under the stress. This was unusual. Shifting happens once the wolf turns eighteen. Sloane’s heart clenched. He was not ready for the pain of shifting. Without hesitation, she darted forward, scooping him into her arms with the speed of instinct. She laid him flat, murmuring low in the old tongue, her palms glowing faintly with the Moon’s blessing. A quick spray of her herbal mist cleared his throat passage, and then she pressed firm against his belly to help force the blockage out. Immediately, a growl ripped through the room. One of the bodyguards bared his teeth, his voice a snarl. “What do you think you’re doing? If anything happens to Master Volkov, you’ll answer with your life!”