CHAPTER 119: 119- NOT EVER

119

~Damon’s POV

"Oh, so you are threatening us?" Kael asked.

"Like I said, it’s a promise and not a threat."

Rowan leaned back in his chair, not even trying to hide the smug look on his face. "Since you decided to act like you’re not part of this family anymore, then let’s fight like strangers then!"

Kael crossed his arms. "Exactly. You’ve been moving on your own for weeks, Damon. You’re never around when we talk about the future of this pack."

"That’s not true," I snapped, glaring at both of them. "I’ve been busy handling problems you two keep ignoring."

"Busy handling problems," Rowan scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is that what you call it? Or do you mean busy decorating Lisa’s room like she’s the queen of this pack?"

I blinked, genuinely thrown off for a second. That was the last thing I expected to hear in this conversation. "What does Lisa’s room have to do with this?" I asked slowly, narrowing my eyes.

Kael leaned forward, his elbows on the table, every muscle in his jaw tight. "It has everything to do with this!" His voice was louder now, enough to draw a few uneasy glances from the elders seated nearby. "You went ahead and set up her room without even consulting us. Do you think this is your kingdom? That you can just do whatever you want without talking to your brothers?"

Heat began to crawl up my neck. "Don’t twist this," I said sharply. "Lisa needed a better place to stay. That’s all this was."

Rowan slammed his palm onto the table, the sound echoing across the room like a gunshot. Several elders flinched; one even shifted back in his seat as if bracing for a physical fight. "You didn’t even ask!" Rowan’s eyes were blazing now, nostrils flaring with every word. "You didn’t even mention it until after you’d done it. That’s the same thing you’re accusing us of now!"

"That’s not the same thing!" I shot back instantly, leaning forward so we were almost nose to nose. I could feel my pulse pounding in my temples.

"Yes, it is," Kael said coldly, each word deliberate, cutting through the room like a blade. "You’re angry because we didn’t include you in the decision about Belinda. But you didn’t include us in your decision about Lisa. So don’t act like you’re the victim here."

His words hit the air heavy, and I could hear a couple of the elders shifting uncomfortably in their seats, their robes rustling softly. A few leaned toward each other, whispering under their breath, their eyes darting between us like they were watching a storm roll in. The tension in the council chamber was thick....thick enough to choke on. It coiled around us, settling on every shoulder in the room.

Rowan, seated to Kael’s left, leaned back in his chair with a slow, smug smirk curling his lips. "If you can make decisions without us, Damon," he said, his tone dripping with challenge, "then so can we."

I took a step forward, my voice dropping low enough to almost growl. "You’re playing with fire."

Rowan’s smirk didn’t falter, but Kael’s eyes narrowed, unblinking. "And you think you’re not?" he shot back, his tone like sharpened steel. "You’ve been walking around here acting like we’re in your shadow. Like you’re the only one who can protect this pack."

"Maybe because I am the only one who sees the danger coming," I shot back, my voice rising. "While you two are busy planning your little ceremony for Belinda, I’m out there making sure we can break our curses!"

Rowan leaned forward, his voice cold. "And while you’re doing that, you’re forgetting that a Luna is just as important. The pack needs stability. They need to see us united. Not this..." He gestured between the three of us. "...this constant fighting."

Kael nodded. "Belinda becoming Luna is what’s best for the pack right now. Whether you like it or not."

I laughed bitterly. "Best for the pack, or best for you two?"

Rowan’s eyes narrowed. "Careful, Damon."

I pushed my chair back slightly, the legs scraping the floor. "No. I’m not going to ’be careful.’ I’m done sitting here while you make decisions behind my back."

One of the elders, Elder Morin, finally spoke up. "Enough! The three of you are Alphas of this pack. The people look to you for leadership. Not... this." He waved his hand between us. "This is shameful."

Elder Harun added, "We understand there are disagreements, but if you cannot resolve them without tearing each other apart, you will destroy this pack from within."

Kael glanced at the elders, then back at me. "You’re not leaving this room until we settle this."

I stood slowly, leaning my hands on the table. "I’m not leaving until I get an answer. Who gave you the right to set a date for the Luna crowning without me?"

Rowan crossed his arms. "We did. And the council approved it."

That made my blood boil even hotter.

"The council approved it? Without speaking to all three Alphas?" I growled, my eyes locking on the elders. "So you’re taking sides now?"

One of the elders, the oldest among them, shook his head slowly. "We are not taking sides, Alpha Damon. This is not a matter of choosing one over another."

"Could’ve fooled me," I snapped.

Another elder leaned forward. "Besides, Lisa is just a human. She does not fit to be the Luna. You know as well as we do that the Luna has always come from the Beta’s family. That tradition stands."

My jaw clenched so hard it hurt. "Tradition?" I scoffed, stepping closer so they could see the fire in my eyes. "Tradition doesn’t make a Luna worthy. Strength does. Loyalty does. And if you can’t see that in Lisa, then maybe the problem is your outdated rules, not her."

Kael crossed his arms, his voice sharp. "It’s not just the council, Damon. You went ahead and decorated her room without consulting us. Without consulting your brothers. You acted like our say didn’t matter."

"And it doesn’t," Rowan cut in, his voice low but venomous. "Because you’ve already decided that your human girl is more important than your pack, your family, and our laws."

The tension between us was thick enough to choke on. I could see in their eyes that they expected me to back down. But I wasn’t going anywhere. Not now. Not ever.