the door had closed behind her. The quiet inside the room f

trange. Like the room had been holding its breath the whole

t move fo

but they wanted to do something. Anything. He was not used to this

it. Calm. Steady. Unshaken. She looked him in the eye like she had no

ld have a

t did

ed so deep inside him he th

as dan

trolled. But Serena Vale walked into his space like she belonged the

back to

and moving under the sky, but his

hinking

still even when he tried to push her. Most people fl

tayed right w

halle

ubmit

.. wa

he was think

d to her. Not in a violent way. N

t... leane

a l

et Damien know i

ot happene

ince

everything

and closed his eyes. His breathing w

him telling him things

saw

felt

y

ened his

abinet. Inside were older files. Paper ones. Handwritten no

led out a thin black folder. N

Raven

d to the top page. She had the sam

w when he looked a

er that never

why he pulled

to remind himself of w

e had alr

ver let anyo

returned it to the ca

at behind

Deadlines. Things to contr

ghts stayed

ld not have b

tried t

ort from the European branch. Numbers. Projections.

not

lines on the page, but

with

na V

hen she did, her voice remained with him. She had walked into his office like it was so

part that u

ce. Fear. Greed. Ambition that they tried to dress up with charm. Damie

na felt

se she wa

he was qu

et made him

the report

o

not going

tall frame moved with control, but there was some

. There was a small panel hidden in the

was a

ust plain glass, sitting above a shelf where

at his own

ck hair. Pale blue eyes

rface, he could

ng buried. His past. His wolf. His

tle and no real power-was pulling something

ated

ed it t

wanted to se

mn

ed into a fis

. It was not about her being

bout the

d just under his sk

wolf had respond

hing not fully

not kno

would f

lway

rom the mirror and w

Serena Vale. Personal records. Travel logs. Family bac

," came t

ed the

n, this time wit

employee, he would handl

was somet

now before his worl

e once

ot be able

time he los

e had

the office wa

t heavy. Like the air

ed at the glass of water sitting on his

hinking

fa

osed to feel an

fe. Strong, thick, and high enough that no one

d walked straight through

he had q

ma

s she,

orld and make it feel like

is wolf r

an answer. Som

ve in chances. He believed i

hat did

ffice-thinking about a woman he had ta

a deep lo

ndows. Quiet cars. Soft lights. Ord

n ordinary life in

up again,

he glass of the wi

sky for a while. He d

g back to the way

af

impr

.. st

already been

e sh

would f

he smallest chance she was

ot just about b

somethi

hing

ing da

learned-danger al

ike sh

by the window

eflection in the glass looked sharp and

with feelings. He had buried them. Locked them

il

l to

ng someone. This felt heavier. It came with a sense of pull.

hat bother

id no

ed in and cha

A legend whispered more than told. About bonds that came after the fir

believed in

r wanted to

ght came back. Quiet,

omething more tha

losing con

window and walked

nking. No m

re what he

ans

sage to his global intelligence contact. The one wh

ed info

eded

needed

this was-it had

ng starts in a w

er end