---- "Alpha," one of them said quietly. 'We should get you back to Ironwood Pack. Your wounds need proper treatment." Damon didn't respond. He stared at the medical kit I'd left behind, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. "She threw away five years like they meant nothing," he whispered. "Maybe they didn't mean anything to her," another warrior said bluntly. "Maybe they never did." Damon's head snapped up, rage flashing in his eyes. " Don't you dare-"" But the anger faded as quickly as it came, replaced by hollow despair. "No," he said quietly. ''They meant everything to her. That's why losing them hurt so much." The warriors helped him to his feet, but Damon's legs could barely support him. "Alpha, you need medical attention," his Beta urged. ---- "What's the point?" Damon muttered. "She's gone. She's really gone." Two years later, the contrast between our lives couldn't have been starker. Isat in the sunlit nursery of our home in Stormfang Pack territory, holding my newborn daughter. The baby's tiny fingers wrapped around mine, and I felt complete in a way I never had before. Garrett entered the room, his footsteps soft so as not to wake the baby. He had just returned from an Alpha King council meeting, but his first priority was always us. "How are my girls?" he asked, settling beside me on the rocking chair. "Perfect," I said, leaning into his warmth. "She's been sleeping for hours." Garrett's finger traced our daughter's cheek with infinite gentleness. ''She has your nose." "And your stubborn chin," I laughed softly. ---- "That's not stubborn, that's determined," Garrett protested with mock seriousness. Our peaceful moment was interrupted by the doorbell. Garrett frowned. We weren't expecting anyone, and our security usually announced visitors. "T'll check," he said, kissing my forehead before leaving. He returned moments later with a puzzled expression, carrying an ornate gift box. "It was just sitting on the doorstep," he explained. " No delivery person in sight." I noticed the card attached and my blood ran cold when I read the sender's name. "It's from Damon Blackwood," I said quietly. Garrett's jaw tightened. "Should I dispose of it?" I shook my head. "Let me see it first." I opened the card with one hand while holding our