Chapter 13 The Alpha’s Return
The storm broke before dawn.
Thunder rolled over the valley, and with it came the scent of danger—sharp, electric, undeniable. The pack stirred uneasily in their dens, their instincts howling of change.
By midday, the Silver Moon Hall trembled with whispers.
A stranger had crossed the border.
No one dared stop him.
Selena stood on the terrace, cloak billowing in the wind. Beneath the dark hood, her eyes glimmered like molten silver. She could feel him before she saw him—the familiar energy, the unmistakable arrogance in every footstep.
Then he appeared.
Damian Voss.
He walked through the courtyard like he still owned it—his tall frame draped in a black coat, his smile sharp as a blade. The rain slid down his raven hair, glinting under the pale light. Behind him trailed two guards, both trembling with effort to match his pace.
When his gaze lifted to hers, Selena’s breath caught despite herself.
He hadn’t changed. The same ruthless beauty, the same predatory grace—but his eyes… his eyes burned colder than before.
“Luna,” he drawled, voice smooth as silk. “You look radiant in grief.”
The words sliced through the air. The watching wolves bowed low, uncertain whether to kneel for their Luna… or their old Alpha.
Selena descended the steps slowly, every movement measured. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“Why not?” he asked lightly. “This was my home once. My throne.”
Her jaw tightened. “You abandoned it. You abandoned us.”
His smile didn’t waver. “Abandoned? No, my love. I was betrayed.”
The murmurs grew louder. Selena’s hand clenched at her side. “You lost your claim when you broke the oath.”
“And yet…” Damian stepped closer, the power rolling off him in invisible waves. “Here I stand, and the Moon itself hasn’t struck me down. Maybe it remembers who its true Alpha is.”
Aiden watched from the far edge of the crowd, heart pounding. He didn’t need to ask who the stranger was—the way Selena’s body went rigid told him everything.
He could feel her fear through the bond neither of them had spoken aloud.
“Leave,” she said, voice trembling only slightly.
Damian laughed softly. “Still so proud. Still pretending you can rule without me.”
“I can.”
“Really?” He tilted his head. “Then why does your pack tremble when I breathe?”
She took a step forward, meeting him eye to eye. “Because they remember your cruelty.”
His smile vanished. “Cruelty built this pack. Mercy made it weak.”
Lightning split the sky, throwing their faces into stark relief—her fury, his cold delight.
“You’ll never lead them again,” she said. “Not while I breathe.”
“Then perhaps,” Damian murmured, “we should test which one of us the Moon favors.”
The air thickened as his aura expanded—ancient, oppressive, Alpha to the core. Wolves in the crowd fell to one knee, unable to resist the instinctive submission.
Selena stood her ground, her silver power rising in defiance. The two forces collided, rippling through the courtyard like a shockwave.
Aiden staggered as pain shot through his chest—the mark beneath his skin burning white-hot. He bit back a cry, clutching at his heart.
Loyal Beast… the Alpha has returned.
The whisper echoed in his mind.
Damian’s gaze flicked toward him, eyes narrowing. “Ah,” he said softly. “So this is the little pet I’ve heard about.”
Aiden froze under that piercing stare.
Selena stepped between them instantly. “He’s under my protection.”
Damian’s grin widened. “Of course he is. You always did have a weakness for broken things.”
Aiden felt heat crawl up his neck, but he stayed silent.
Selena’s eyes flashed. “You will not touch him.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Damian said, his tone almost mocking. “Not yet.”
He turned to the watching pack. “Hear me, Silver Moon! I, Damian Voss, return not as a ghost—but as your rightful Alpha. The blood of your ancestors runs in my veins. The Moon knows my name.”
His voice boomed across the courtyard, heavy with power and promise.
Kael bowed his head, torn. Others followed, one by one, their loyalty wavering like candle flames in the wind.
Selena’s fury blazed. “You think you can walk back and take everything?”
Damian’s eyes glinted. “Not think, my Luna. Know.”
He leaned close, his whisper meant only for her. “You should have left that boy in the dirt. He’ll be the reason you lose everything.”
Her breath hitched, but she didn’t back away. “Maybe he’ll be the reason I don’t.”
For the first time, Damian’s expression faltered—just a flicker, but enough.
He smirked to cover it. “We’ll see.”
He turned, raising his hand toward the storming sky. “Tomorrow, I claim the Trial of Dominion. The Moon will decide who leads. You have until dawn to prepare your defense… or surrender.”
Selena’s voice was low, lethal. “I’ll never surrender to you again.”
“Then you’ll fall with him,” Damian said softly, his gaze flicking to Aiden one last time.
Then, without another word, he vanished into the storm—his laughter echoing long after he was gone.
The courtyard remained still.
Selena stood in silence, hands trembling just slightly.
Aiden stepped forward, his voice gentle. “Luna… who is he really?”
She looked at him, and for the first time, her mask cracked. “He’s everything I lost… and everything I fear.”
Lightning flashed again, and thunder swallowed the rest of her words.
In that moment, the silver mark on Aiden’s chest pulsed once more—brighter, fiercer, alive.
Somewhere in the darkness, the Moon watched.
And it knew—
this was only the beginning of the war for her soul.
Cliffhanger: The Trial of Dominion begins at dawn… and only one bond will survive the coming storm.
