Third Person's POV Damon stiffened the moment he saw Celestine. There was an unease curling in his chest, one he hadn't felt since he'd negotiated her early release from the confinement of the Moonshade Detention. Since then, he had avoided her scent, avoided her presence, every interaction carefully blocked with excuses. His father had stripped him of certain decision-making authority after Damon had secretly redirected a prized territory to Serena Draven. His own movements within the pack had become careful and measured, each step a delicate negotiation. Only his mother had gone in his place to formally end the betrothal with Celestine, leaving Damon to watch from a distance. Yet the years of shared memories could not be erased so easily. No lingering animosity existed between him and Celestine; if anything, she had always understood the depths of his heart for Aysel better than anyone. Now, faced with her here in the open, at a matchmaking gathering, Damon felt exposed, awkward, caught between duty and instinct. He froze, uncertain how to respond. Judy of the Thunderfang Pack, golden-furred and eyes sharp, shifted beside him. She had released her grip on Damon's arm, curious, scanning Celestine. The rumors had reached even her ears-Celestine Ward, recently freed from confinement, walking with a calm that masked the storm within. Judy's eyes flicked between Damon and the approaching figure, watching for how he would act. From an outsider's perspective, Celestine ignored the Golden Alpha entirely, brushing past with an air of closeness that put Damon immediately on edge. Her arm brushed his as if the years had never passed. A casual observer would mistake them for mates, perfectly paired in the moonlight of the marketplace. Damon's instincts flared. He stepped back abruptly, the protective growl in his chest quieting as he struggled for composure. Celestine froze, hurt flashing in her amber eyes. Moments passed, silence stretching between them. Then Celestine's lips curved into a self-deprecating smile, a shadow of amusement and pain. "Even you despise me now," she said softly, voice carrying a bitter edge. Damon shook his head reflexively, wanting to deny it. "I don't-" "You don't need to speak," she cut him off, her voice suddenly louder, sharp as a snapping fang. "I know that in this world, besides Dariusz, no one stands by me without conditions." She turned away, poised to leave, each step echoing against the tiled floor. But then her chest heaved violently, her paws clutching at her ribcage, and she collapsed. "Celestine!" Damon reacted instinctively, catching her before she hit the ground. His claws flexed beneath his palms, steadying her fragile form. "Let go!" she hissed, teeth gritting, lips trembling against his fur. "Are you sick again?" Damon's brow furrowed, nostrils flaring, the scent of panic and blood mixing in the air between them. "This has nothing to do with you, Alpha Damon," she gasped, each word punctuated by a tremor in her chest. Nearby, Judy's eyes widened, stunned by the raw drama unfolding. Even Aysel, sipping a spiced cream tea, watched with keen interest, whiskers twitching with curiosity. Storekeepers, too, couldn't hide their fascination; gossip flavored the air like a strong musk. "What is happening here?" murmured one, eyes glinting with predatory intrigue. "Damon!" Judy's voice rose, sharp and insistent, pulling him back from the haze of instinct. Damon's senses flared. Celestine's warmth pressed against him, her pulse erratic beneath his fur. Reality struck: since his father had returned Quentin-a previously hidden son-into the pack's fold, Damon had accepted the arrangement for a political union. Judy represented the strongest alliance, her pack connections and pure lineage valuable for consolidating power. Judy, daughter of the Thunderfang Pack's head, simple and pliable, had been the chosen mate for this occasion. Her parents had hesitated at first, wary of Damon's past missteps, but his mother's assurances and his polished Alpha demeanor had swayed them. Damon had maintained a careful balance, aloof yet available; Judy had been persistent, nudging the union forward. Today had promised confirmation of their bond. Then Celestine appeared, igniting every Alpha instinct, a reminder of past claims, of past fire. Damon's amber eyes darted between them, heart thrumming like a wolf's drumbeat in the night. He could not abandon Judy-not now, not when alliances and authority hung in the balance.