Chapter 9

Avia's POV

The fir trees towered above us like cathedral pillars, their branches blocking out most of the moonlight. My heels sank into the soft earth with each step, forcing me to grip Dr. Harper's arm tighter than I wanted to.

"Careful, Mrs. Cross." His voice was low, professional. "The path gets uneven here."

I barely heard him. My mind was still stuck on that name.

Damon Lester.

The voice matched. It was him. The same cold, controlled tone that had haunted my memories. And if the voice matched, then—

No. Don't think about it. Not now.

But my body wasn't listening. My palms were slick with sweat inside my gloves. My heart hammered so hard I could feel it in my throat.

We rounded a bend, and the forest opened up.

I stopped walking.

The clearing ahead looked like something out of a fever dream. Massive white tents stretched between the ancient firs, their fabric glowing from within. Crystal chandeliers hung from iron frames, casting fractured light across long tables laden with food. Champagne glasses caught the firelight from dozens of torches planted in the ground.

Wolves in evening wear.

That's what they looked like. Alphas in tailored suits, their Lunas dripping with jewelry that probably cost more than most people's houses. The younger wolves clustered in groups, their laughter carrying across the clearing like wind chimes.

I'd been to these gatherings before. Hated every second of them.

But tonight, I couldn't even summon the usual dread. My entire focus had narrowed to a single point.

Is he here?

"Mrs. Cross?" Dr. Harper's hand steadied me. "Are you alright? You look pale."

"I'm fine." The lie tasted like copper. "Just... the bandage is tight."

His eyes flicked to the gauze wrapped around my forehead. For a second, I thought he might call me out. But he just nodded.

"Let's find you somewhere to sit."

We moved into the clearing. Immediately, I felt the weight of eyes turning toward us. Conversations paused mid-sentence. A few heads tilted together, whispering.

Of course they're staring. I probably looked like I'd crawled out of a car accident. The midnight blue gown that had seemed elegant in my closet now felt like a costume two sizes too dramatic. And the bandage—God, the bandage made me look like I'd lost a fight.

Which, technically, I had.

"Avia!"

I turned. Isabella was gliding toward us, her pink gown shimmering like fish scales. Her smile was all teeth.

Shit.

"Oh my God, what happened to your head?" She reached out as if to touch the bandage, and I stepped back instinctively. Her hand dropped, but the smile stayed fixed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine." She turned to the cluster of young women behind her—wolves I vaguely recognized from other Pack events. "Ladies, doesn't she look unwell?"

Murmurs of agreement. Sympathetic head tilts that felt anything but.

Isabella's gaze dropped to my dress. "And this gown... is it vintage?"

The way she said vintage made it sound like thrift store.

"It's from last season," I said flatly.

"Oh." Her eyes widened in mock surprise. "I just thought—well, with the Cross family's resources, you'd have access to current collections. But I suppose not everyone prioritizes fashion."

One of the women behind her—a blonde with a face like a porcelain doll—giggled into her champagne glass.

I should have said something. Should have smiled and delivered some cutting remark that would put her in her place. Eleanor would have. She'd have turned Isabella's condescension into a joke and walked away with her dignity intact.

But I couldn't.

Because my throat was closing up. Because the women were still staring at me, their eyes cataloging every flaw in my dress, every imperfection. Because Isabella's smile was growing wider, feeding off my silence.

"It's really fine," Isabella said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Old habits die hard, I suppose. Or maybe Alexander just forgot to give you an allowance. We understand."

One of the women behind her giggled. Quickly covered it with a cough.

My face burned. The bandage on my forehead suddenly felt huge. Obvious. Like a sign announcing how pathetic I was.

"If you'll excuse me," I said, already turning away.

I didn't wait for a response. Just walked. Fast. Toward the edge of the clearing where the trees were thicker and the shadows deeper.

Dr. Harper caught up to me at the edge of the tent. "Mrs. Cross—"

"I need to sit down."

He guided me to a chair near one of the support poles, partially hidden from the main crowd. I sank into it, my legs suddenly weak.

"Can I get you water?"

"No. Just... give me a minute."

He hesitated, then nodded and stepped back.

I pressed my gloved hands against my thighs, trying to steady my breathing. The clearing was filling up now. More wolves arriving in clusters, their scents mixing into a overwhelming wall of musk and perfume and power.

I scanned the crowd, looking for Alexander.

Not because I wanted to see him. Because I needed to know where he was. Needed to avoid him.

But he wasn't in sight.

A ripple of movement near the center of the clearing caught my attention. The crowd was parting, making way for someone.

Victoria.

She stood in the middle of the space, her emerald gown catching the torchlight. Her dark hair was swept up in an elaborate twist, diamonds glittering at her throat. She looked every inch the Luna—powerful, elegant, untouchable.

She raised a champagne glass, and the conversations around her died.

"Welcome, everyone." Her voice carried across the clearing without effort. "Thank you for joining us tonight for the Full Moon Hunt."

Polite applause.

"As many of you know, Alpha James is currently overseas handling important business matters." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "So I'll be hosting tonight's festivities in his stead."

More applause. A few wolves exchanged glances.

Victoria continued. "The Hunt will proceed as tradition dictates. Ten badges have been hidden throughout the deeper forest. The Alpha who retrieves the most badges will be honored as tonight's victor."

She paused, letting the weight of that sink in.

"The forest is vast. The badges are well-concealed. And the competition—" Her smile sharpened. "—will be fierce."

A few Alphas in the crowd straightened, their wolves already rising to the challenge.

I barely registered any of it.

Because that's when I felt it.

A shift in the air. A change in pressure, like the moment before lightning strikes.

The crowd near the entrance started murmuring. Heads turned. Conversations stopped mid-word.

Someone was arriving.

I couldn't see who from where I sat. But I could feel it—that electric charge that came with serious power entering a space.

My wolf stirred. Not in challenge. In recognition.

No.

I stood up without thinking, my chair scraping against the ground. Dr. Harper looked at me in alarm, but I ignored him.

The crowd parted.

And there he was.

Damon Lester.