Chapter 3

Lyanna's POV

"I must be overthinking this," I told myself. "Damon loves me. We're about to have our Luna ceremony."

I took off the dress, changed into my regular clothes, and started preparing dinner. This had been our routine for three years—every evening I would prepare his favorite foods.

Today I put in extra effort. I made his favorite roast and honey cake. I wanted to use this to remind myself that everything was still the same as before.

Darkness fell, but Damon still hadn't returned.

Usually he'd be home by now. Why was he so late today?

I paced around the room, my heart racing. Their "private conversation" had been going on for three hours. Would ordinary friends have so much to talk about?

Finally, I heard footsteps outside.

I immediately ran to the door and opened it expectantly.

"Damon! You're back!" I forced a smile. "I made your favorite roast..."

But when I saw his expression, I stopped mid-sentence.

He looked troubled, his eyes unfocused—nothing like the gentle Damon I knew.

"Sorry, Lyanna." He wouldn't meet my eyes. "I might not have time for dinner tonight."

What?

"Why?" I asked in disbelief. "Didn't we agree? And with the Luna ceremony coming up, we have so much to discuss..."

"I know, but there's something more urgent right now." He cut me off, sounding irritated. "There are pack matters that need handling."

Pack matters? But this afternoon he was clearly having a private conversation with Seraphina.

"What matters are so urgent?" I pressed.

Damon hesitated. "Border patrol arrangements. We might need to adjust personnel assignments."

Border patrol?

"Then let me come with you," I offered. "As someone about to become Luna, I should understand these things too."

"No!" He refused urgently. "These matters are complicated. You don't need to worry about them."

His quick, firm refusal made me even more suspicious.

"Damon, what's wrong?" I reached out to touch his face. "You look exhausted."

But he stepped back, avoiding my touch.

That gesture stabbed into my heart like a knife.

"I'm just a little tired," he said. "I need to handle the pack business. You should rest early."

With that, he started to leave.

"Wait!" I called after him. "How is Seraphina? You two talked for so long."

At the mention of Seraphina's name, Damon's body visibly stiffened.

"She's... she's sick," he said, turning back to look at me with a complex expression. "She might need someone to take care of her for a while."

"Then let me help!" I immediately offered. "I know some medicine. Maybe I can help. And as a pack member, I have a duty to care for sick packmates."

"No!" Damon's reaction was more intense than I expected. "Absolutely not!"

I was stunned. Why not? If Seraphina was really just his old friend, why wouldn't he let me take care of her?

"Why not?" I asked, the unease in my heart growing stronger.

"Because... because her illness might be contagious," Damon stammered. "I can't let you take that risk."

Contagious?

"Then aren't you afraid of getting infected?" I challenged. "Why can you take care of her but I can't?"

Damon's face grew even more troubled. "Because I'm an Alpha. I have a stronger constitution."

This explanation sounded forced, but I didn't know how to argue against it.

"Alright," I reluctantly nodded. "Then go ahead. But be careful, don't overwork yourself."

Damon looked relieved and quickly left the room.

I stood in the doorway, watching his hurried departure, my heart a mix of emotions.

Back in the room, looking at the dinner that had gone completely cold on the table, my eyes began to burn.

This was the first time in our three years together that he hadn't eaten the dinner I prepared for him.

I sat at the table, mechanically eating the cold food, but I couldn't taste anything.

My mind kept replaying everything that had happened today. Seraphina's sudden appearance, the way Damon looked at her, their private conversation, and now canceling our plans to take care of her...

Could all of this really just be coincidence?

I remembered what Emma had said in the fitting room: "You left so suddenly back then, Damon was heartbroken for so long!"

Back then? When? Why had Damon never mentioned this person to me?

And if she was really seriously ill, why did she look healthy and vibrant this afternoon at the fitting room, nothing like a sick person?

The more I thought about it, the more wrong it seemed.