---- 21 Everyone froze. The silence stretched on for several heartbeats. Then Marcus burst out laughing, but it sounded forced. "Impossible! How could the Alpha fall in love with Sage Rivers? He's Damon Blackwood! He doesn't fall in love-he conquers!" "But what if he did?" David asked quietly. "What if somewhere along the way, the hunter became the hunted?" Before anyone could respond, a cold female voice cut through their discussion like a blade. "Stop guessing. He's just heartbroken and drowning his sorrows." Everyone spun around to find Lydia Ashford standing behind them. She must have entered through the back entrance-a privilege granted to her as Damon's supposed future mate. Her expression was stern, her designer clothes ---- immaculate despite the late hour. But her eyes... her eyes carried a mixture of pain and mockery that made the pack members step back instinctively. "Miss Ashford," Marcus said nervously, automatically bowing his head. "Why are you here so late?" Lydia sneered, the sound sharp and bitter. "Why can't Ibe here? Didn't you all say Sage Rivers already rejected Damon's bonding application? Don't forget, he and I still have an engagement arranged by our packs. He belongs to me now. What's wrong with me coming to check on my future mate?" The pack members exchanged uncomfortable glances. Everyone knew the engagement had been arranged for political reasons, not love. "Miss, perhaps you should come back tomorrow," Thomas suggested diplomatically. "The Alpha's ina bad mood-you shouldn't provoke him when he's like this." "Provoke him?" Lydia's voice suddenly rose, causing ---- several pack members to flinch. "You think I'm here to provoke him?" She laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Do you know what your precious Alpha did yesterday?" she continued, her voice growing sharper with each word. "He announced in front of all the elders of Ironwood Pack and Ashen Peaks Pack that he wanted to cancel our marriage alliance!" The pack members' eyes widened in shock. "The Ashen Peaks Alpha disagreed, of course," Lydia continued relentlessly. "He appealed directly to the current Alpha King. Even the Alpha King himself advised Damon not to break a sacred marriage contract between allied packs. But did he listen?" She paused for effect, enjoying their rapt attention. "He refused. He stood there, bloodied and defiant, and told the Alpha King that he'd rather die than marry me. So the Alpha King had no choice but to enforce werewolf law. Nine hundred and ninety-nine silver lashes for breaking a blood oath. And even ---- threatened to revoke his Alpha rights and powers if he persisted." The pack members stared at her in horror. "But surely the Alpha backed down then?" Marcus asked weakly. "Surely he-" "He took every single lash," Lydia said coldly. "And still insisted on canceling our engagement." Thomas stepped forward urgently. "We need to see his wounds. If they're untreated-" "Oh, they're untreated," Lydia confirmed. "He's refused all medical attention. Says he deserves the pain." Without waiting for permission, several pack members rushed into the living room. They found Damon exactly where they'd left him, but now they could see the blood seeping through his shirt. Marcus carefully opened Damon's suit jacket, revealing the devastation beneath. His back was covered with bloody whip marks, some still actively