Chapter 1 - Damien

Three Years Later

Being alpha isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Today, like most days, I’m staring at the reports stacked on my desk, the irritation building with every passing second. Shifters are dying, and no one knows why. Or at least no one’s willing to admit it. The neighboring packs are tossing accusations our way, like we’ve forgotten how to run our own territory. Meanwhile, I’m here trying to keep this whole damn situation from spiraling into chaos.

The worst part? I can’t shake the feeling that we’re missing something huge.

I push the papers aside and glance out the window. Giant redwoods surround my cabin, dense and quiet. Peaceful, unlike the compound back at the pack’s main grounds in the city. Out here, I can breathe. No noise, no pack members hounding me to fix every tiny problem. Just me and the trees.

If it were up to me, I’d spend all my time here, away from the tech company our pack owns and operates, away from city life. I handle as much as I can remotely, but there are still days when I’m dragged into the city to play alpha and CEO. The slow pace of life out here suits me better. It’s where I can think.

I roll my shoulders, trying to loosen the tension that’s been clinging to me like a bad rash. Alec, my best friend and the guy who should be standing beside me as beta, has been distant for months now. The fact that he turned down the beta position when I took over still doesn’t sit right with me. He’s been avoiding me, and no matter how many times I’ve tried to ask him why, I get the same vague answers.

A knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts, and I already know who it is. “It’s open.”

Alec steps in, and his expression is closed off, just as it’s been ever since Jade left. His eyes flick to the mess on my desk before landing back on me.

“You’re still hiding out in here?” He crosses his arms and leans against the doorframe like he’s been dragged here against his will. “Can’t keep avoiding the city forever.”

I snort. “You’d avoid it, too, if you had to deal with the crap I do.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Like I don’t already?”

“Could’ve fooled me.” I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest to mirror his posture. “You’ve been pretty scarce lately. Not exactly jumping in to help.”

Alec’s jaw tightens, and for a second, I think he’s going to snap back. But instead, he walks over to the window and starts staring out at the trees, just like I was a few minutes ago. He’s quiet for too long, and it sets my wolf on edge.

“What’s going on with you, man?” My voice comes out sharper than I mean it to, but I’m done tiptoeing around this. “You’re not yourself.”

He doesn’t respond right away. Just keeps looking out at the forest like the answers are hiding somewhere between the trees. When he finally turns to face me, his expression is guarded, and I can tell he’s trying to figure out how much to say.

“I’m just dealing with some stuff, Damien. It’s nothing to do with the pack.”

“If it’s not about the pack, then what the hell is it about?” I ask impatiently. “We’ve got people dying, Alec. This isn’t the time to go off the grid.”

He rubs the back of his neck and shifts from foot to foot. “I know. I’m not trying to disappear, but—”

“But what?”

He doesn’t finish the sentence, and my frustration spikes. Alec has been my right-hand man for years. He’s always had my back, no questions asked. And now? Now he’s acting like there’s something pulling him away. Something more important than his responsibility to this pack.

“Look,” he says, finally meeting my gaze, “I’ll help however I can. But I’m not taking the beta position.”

I stand up, pushing my chair back with more force than necessary. “You’ve already said that. What I don’t get is why. If this is about Jade—”

Alec’s entire body tenses, and I know I’ve hit a nerve. Jade. I haven’t brought her up once in three years, not since the day she left, but I’d be a fool to pretend she wasn’t at the center of all this. Her banishment fractured more than just her place in the pack. It fractured Alec, too.

“This isn’t about Jade,” he insists, his voice hard.

“You sure about that?” I step closer, not backing down. “Because ever since she left, you’ve been different. And you had every intention of serving as my beta until after she left.”

“Damien, don’t.”

I keep my gaze locked on him. “You’re pissed at me. Is that it?”

His fists clench, and for a second, I think he might actually take a swing at me. But he takes a deep breath and forces himself to calm down. “It’s not about her. And even if it was, that’s none of your business.”

My wolf bristles at the way he says it, like I don’t have the right to ask. Like she wasn’t part of this pack—part of my pack—before everything went to hell. But I’m not about to push this any further. Not now, at least.

“Fine,” I grit out. “But I need you to step up. I’m not letting this place fall apart just because you’ve got personal shit going on.”

Alec’s expression softens for a moment, and he looks more tired than I’ve ever seen him. “I’m not trying to leave you hanging, man. I’ll be around when you need me.”

I don’t respond right away. Instead, I glance out the window, trying to shake the frustration that’s been digging at me for weeks. The trees sway in the wind, and for a second, I wish I could disappear into them. Just run until everything makes sense again. But that’s not how this works. I’m alpha. I can’t afford to check out, even when it feels like everything is crumbling around me.

“You hear about the psychic?” I ask, changing the subject.

Alec frowns. “The one in Glory Town?”

“Yeah. The neighboring packs are talking about going to see her. Apparently, she’s got some kind of ability to see things. Visions, or whatever.”

He crosses his arms again, looking skeptical. “You really think a psychic is going to solve this?”

I shrug. “I don’t know, but I’m out of options. We’re blaming each other, and if this keeps up, we’re going to end up in a full-on war. If seeing her gives me any kind of lead, I’ll take it.”

Alec sighs, shaking his head. “I’ll see what information I can dig up about her. When are you going?”

“Soon. I’ve got a few things to wrap up here, but after that, I’m heading out.”

He gives me a long look, like he’s debating whether to say something more. But whatever it is, he keeps it to himself. “All right. Let me know what you find.”

“I will,” I reply.

With that, Alec turns and heads for the door. He hesitates for a second, then leaves without another word.

Things haven’t been right between us since Jade left, and I’m starting to wonder if they ever will be.

I sit back down at my desk, but my mind’s already somewhere else. I don’t trust this psychic crap, but at this point, I don’t have any better ideas. If there’s even the slightest chance she can help me figure out what’s killing my people, I’ll take it.

Because if I don’t get answers soon, we’re screwed.

***

I’m halfway to Glory Town before I realize how tense I am. My knuckles are white around the steering wheel, and the sound of my engine humming is the only thing keeping my head from spinning too far out of control. Seeing a psychic is the last resort, and I know it. Hell, everyone knows it. But with the pack on edge and shifters dying, I’m desperate. And desperate people do stupid things.

Like driving two hours through the mountains to see some woman who claims she can see the future.

I drive through the narrow, winding roads that lead to Glory Town. The deeper I get into these woods, the more the pressure in my chest builds. I glance at the nav system on the dashboard. Almost there. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious. I’ve never believed in this psychic nonsense, but if there’s even a small chance she can help, I’ll take it. Because at this point? I’ll take any lead I can get.

The road finally opens up into a clearing, and just ahead, I spot a small, unassuming cabin tucked into the trees. A single light glows in the window, barely visible in the late afternoon gloom. This must be the place.

I park the truck and climb out, slamming the door shut harder than necessary. The cool air hits my face, clearing some of the fog from my mind as I walk up to the cabin. The wood beneath my boots creaks with every step. The whole thing looks like it might collapse under the weight of a strong gust of wind, but there’s something almost… peaceful about it. Almost.

I knock once, twice, and then the door opens. And that’s when my entire world tilts sideways.

Jade.

She’s standing there, staring at me like I’m the last person she expected to see. To be fair, I feel the same. Her hair’s longer now, and the dark brown strands frame her face. She looks different. More grounded. But those eyes, those warm brown eyes that I haven’t been able to get out of my head for three years, are colder than I remember.

“What the hell are you doing here, Damien?” she hisses.

I can’t find my voice. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. My brain is too busy trying to process the fact that Jade is the psychic. My Jade. The girl I banished from my pack. The girl who—

“I asked you a question,” she says, cutting through my thoughts.

“I—I didn’t know it was you.” The words sound pathetic, even to me, but it’s true. Alec hadn’t said a word about where Jade ended up, and now I’m wondering if he knew exactly who this psychic was and chose not to warn me.

Her eyes narrow, and she folds her arms across her chest. “Well, now you do. What do you want, Damien?”

I’m still trying to get my bearings, trying to wrap my head around the fact that Jade—the outcast, the girl I hurt—is standing here, apparently running a psychic operation and using magic without apology. My gaze sweeps over her, looking for any signs of the girl I once knew. But this version of Jade is different. Harder. Stronger.

Her innocence is gone. I took it.

“Look, I came here because I heard you could help,” I finally manage to explain. “Shifters are dying in Starfire Hollow. I need answers.”

She raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “And you think I’m going to help you?”

“I don’t have a choice, Jade,” I snap. “We’re running out of time. You think I want to be here?”

She flinches slightly, and for a moment, I think I’ve crossed a line. But then she steps aside and gestures for me to enter. “Fine. I’ll give you a reading, but that’s it. Don’t expect anything more.”

I step inside the cabin, and my heart is still pounding. The place is small but cozy, with shelves lined with strange objects—crystals, candles, herbs I don’t recognize. A fire crackles in the fireplace, but there’s an odd chill in the air despite it. Probably coming from Jade.

She moves to a small table in the corner and motions for me to sit. I do, feeling strangely out of place in this environment. Jade sits across from me, but her face is unreadable as she reaches for a deck of cards.

“This won’t take long,” she says, shuffling the deck with practiced ease. Her hands move smoothly, almost hypnotically, and for a moment, I’m distracted by how steady they are. Like she’s done this a thousand times.

I clear my throat, forcing myself to focus. “You’ve been using your magic?”

Her eyes flick up to mine, but she doesn’t answer. She just lays out the cards in a neat spread between us. “Close your eyes,” she instructs.

I hesitate, but when she shoots me a glare, I comply. My eyes shut, and I take a deep breath, trying to ignore how close she is, how the faint scent of her—lavender and something else—fills my senses.

“Now, just breathe,” she says, her voice softer now, more focused. “Let me see.”

I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel, but I do it, anyway. Breathe… in, out. My heart pounds, and I can feel my wolf stir restlessly inside me, uneasy with the whole situation.

A few seconds pass in silence. And then, I feel it—her hand brushes against my arm, just the faintest touch, but it’s like a jolt of fire rushing through my veins. My eyes fly open just as a vision slams into me.

Her vision.

I see Jade, standing strong, magic swirling around her like a force of nature. She’s powerful—more powerful than I could’ve imagined. And she’s… she’s leading. Not just herself, but my pack. Our pack. There’s a strength in her I never saw before, a potential unlike anything I’ve seen in anyone. She could be the key to everything.

The vision fades, leaving me breathless. I blink, trying to get her frame to stop swaying as I stare at her. She’s watching me with wide eyes, like she’s just realized what happened.

“You saw it, didn’t you?” she asks.

I nod slowly, almost without realizing it. I may not understand why or how, but one thing is clear: Jade is exactly what my pack needs. She’s powerful. And I need her back.

Without thinking, I jump to my feet with my decision made. “You’re coming back with me.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. You’re coming back to Starfire Hollow. You’re going to help the pack.”

She blinks, and for a split second, I think she’s going to laugh. Her lips twitch, but then her expression hardens, and the air between us thickens.

I can see the defiance building in her eyes, but I don’t care. I’m not leaving here without her.