Chapter 269: Chapter 269 - Too bad for all of us, Seraphine’s still breathing

Chapter 269 - Too bad for all of us, Seraphine’s still breathing

Damon stood in the middle of the pack house training ground, the low hum of tired wolves still hanging in the air. The centenary pack never really slept easy after a storm like what happened a few hours ago.

"We pick this back up at four in the morning," he told them, voice steady. "Keep going till Seraphine’s confirmed gone for good."

He rubbed the back of his neck, already thinking about crashing into his bed. The moment he got the chance to do so, his phone lit up. Seraphine’s name flashed across the screen.

He answered fast, listened close to every word she gave him, then hung up. The second he stepped out of his room, he nearly collided with Ravyn slipping out of Bryan’s door down the hall.

Ravyn froze for a split second, eyes narrowing just a touch. Damon forced an easy grin and shrugged like it was no big deal. "Heading out for patrol too? We could run it together."

He was fishing, testing the waters, mind already turning toward how he could corner Raul without raising too many flags.

Ravyn opened his mouth to answer when Daisy came around the corner looking like death warmed over. Sweat slicked her forehead, her skin pale and clammy. She swayed a little on her feet, one hand pressed against the wall to steady herself.

"You head out with the other warriors," Ravyn told Damon, his voice heavy with worry. "If something big comes up, just reach me through the mindlink."

Damon gave a quick nod, watching as Ravyn carried Daisy to his room. Damon turned and headed out fast, grabbing his keys and sliding into his truck.

The drive across pack territory didn’t take long. Teddy’s place sat tucked back like most of the regular wolves’ homes, a squat two-bedroom bunker half-buried in the hillside, practical and tough against anything the woods might throw at them.

He killed the engine, walked up, and twisted the knob. The door swung open without a fight.

Right away, heavy breathing and soft, needy moans drifted out from the living room. Damon’s jaw tightened. "Raul," he called out, loud enough to cut through the sounds.

Raul jerked back from the omega bent over the sofa, eyes flying wide. The girl whipped her head around, fear flashing across her face the second she saw who stood in the doorway. "Beta Damon!"

"Get out," Damon said flatly.

The omega didn’t need telling twice. She yanked her clothes back into place with shaking hands and bolted past him, slamming the door behind her. The click echoed in the sudden quiet.

Damon crossed the room in two strides and drove his fist straight into Raul’s jaw. The guy stumbled backward and crashed onto the sofa cushions, hand flying up to his face. Blood already trickled from his split lip.

"You’ve been skipping training sessions left and right, and this is how you spend your nights?" Damon growled. "Messing around with omegas. I’ll make sure to mention it to the Alpha. Maybe he’ll decide the two of you should get hitched and make it official."

Raul’s face drained of all color. He sat up straighter, panic clear in the way his hands clenched the fabric beneath him. "No, no—Beta Damon, please. Don’t say anything to him. I’ll do whatever you want."

It wasn’t the Alpha that had him this scared. Damon could see it plain as day. Raul’s eyes kept darting toward the door like he expected Daisy to walk through it any second.

"You look terrified," Damon noted, tilting his head. "Funny, since you had balls enough to hire rogue assassins to go after Seraphine."

Raul went completely still, mouth half-open like the air had been punched out of him. His mind raced behind his eyes, and Damon could practically smell the sudden spike of worry rolling off him. The rogues couldn’t have talked. No way.

"Beta Damon, you’ve got the wrong guy," Raul tried, voice cracking just a little at the edges.

Damon’s annoyance built fast. He crossed his arms, staring down at the pathetic sight on the sofa. "I don’t have all night for this crap. First I walk in on you raw-dogging some omega without a care, and now you’re pretending you didn’t try to have Seraphine killed? Come on."

Something loosened in Raul’s posture. He squared his shoulders, a flicker of confidence creeping back into his expression. "Co-Luna will back me up on this."

Damon lifted one eyebrow, then let a slow smile spread across his face. He leaned against the wall, looking relaxed even though his muscles stayed tight.

"Sure, she might—if Ravyn’s the one dealing with it. But what happens when Alpha Voren gets involved instead? Look, just come clean with me. Tell me everything and I’ll figure out how to keep your ass out of the fire. I’m not exactly Seraphine’s biggest fan, but when stuff lands on my plate, I’ve gotta handle it right."

Raul bought it. Hook, line, and sinker. The tension melted from his shoulders as he bought into the idea that Damon hated Seraphine enough to let this slide. He even let out a short, nervous laugh.

"Since you’re on the same page as Co-Luna... yeah, I’ll tell you. She mind linked me with the plan. Told me to hire those rogue assassins and everything. She even sent the money straight to my account so I could pay them off."

Daisy. Again. Damon kept his face neutral, but something in Raul’s tone felt off, like the guy still held cards close to his chest. There was more to this little arrangement, and Damon could feel it in his gut.

"Too bad for all of us, Seraphine’s still breathing," Damon said, keeping his voice even. "So be straight with me. I need the full picture if I’m gonna protect you and make sure your dirty little secret stays buried. What exactly is going on between you and Co-Luna?"