Chapter 239 A Father’s Warnings
Alpha Damian’s POV
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Finished
Flourish’s hand trembled around the phone, the message still glowing on the screen. If you want to see your mother alive, take off Damian’s mark and come beneath Stonehedge alone.
I read it over her shoulder, and something cold and furious settled into my chest. “No.”
“Damian-”
“No.” I took the phone from her hand. “Whoever sent this wants you isolated. That’s the entire point.”
Before she could argue, the growl came again from somewhere beyond the dining room, low enough to make every wolf in the building go still. I pulled her behind me and reached for my phone, already calling Magnus while the lawyers crowded against the far wall.
“Get everyone out through the eastern exit.”
Magnus answered immediately. “What about you?”
“I’m staying until I know what we’re dealing with.”
Flourish grabbed my arm. “I’m staying too.”
“No.”
“You told me you wouldn’t leave me behind.”
“I said I wouldn’t leave you unprotected.”
The distinction irritated her, but before she could argue further, the growl came again, followed by a heavy impact against the wall outside. The lawyers flinched.
Eugene stared at me. “What is that?”
“I don’t know.” I hated saying those words with her standing beside me. Her wolf was already awake, tension running hard through our bond.
Magnus arrived seconds later with warriors behind him. “Alpha.”
“Get the civilians out.”
He nodded and started moving the lawyers toward the emergency corridor. Flourish stayed put. “I said I’m coming.”
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Chapter 239 A Father’s Warnings
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Finished
I gave up after a moment. “Stay close.”
We moved into the corridor together, but it was empty. No attacker, no creature, only a deep scratch running across the wooden floor near the entrance. Magnus crouched beside it.
“Whatever made this was here.”
“How long ago?” Flourish asked.
“Minutes.”
I studied the mark. No fresh blood, no scent strong enough to identify what had made it. My phone vibrated. Rhys.
“Talk.”
“Alpha, the thermal cameras are back online.”
“And?”
“No movement around the building. Nothing.”
I glanced at the scratch again. Something had been here and left without triggering the security
system.
“Keep monitoring.”
I ended the call and looked at Flourish. “We’re going home.”
She didn’t argue this time. She looked tired. So was I. The last twenty four hours had brought Elara’s disappearance, the attack, Marvolo, and now this threat demanding she remove my mark and walk into Stonehedge alone.
I wanted one night where she could sleep without another threat waiting for her.
We reached Stonehedge shortly after midnight. By our rooms, she was barely speaking, stopping near the doorway.
“Damian.”
“What?”
“Thank you.”
I didn’t answer right away. She looked at me with tired eyes. “I know you keep trying to protect
me.”
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Chapter 239 A Father’s Warnings
“I’ll keep doing it.”
\er
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Finished
A small smile crossed her face before she disappeared into her room. I stayed in the hallway a moment longer before walking away.
My phone rang before seven the next morning. Alpha Garret.
“Alpha Garret.”
His voice was tense. “We need to talk about Selene.”
I sat upright. “What happened?”
“She went after Flourish again.”
My expression hardened. “I thought that matter had been handled.”
“So did I.” He exhaled heavily. “I’ve already spoken to her.”
“And?”
“She’ll make a public apology.”
I stayed quiet, and he went on. “I want to be clear, Damian. I will not allow her to keep creating problems for Flourish.” It was the first time I’d heard him sound genuinely angry about it. “Make sure she understands the consequences.”
“I will.”
The call ended, and I stared at my phone for several seconds. Whatever issues existed inside Garret’s family were no longer something I could ignore.
Flourish was my mate. Anyone who deliberately harmed her would answer to me.
I got dressed and went downstairs. Flourish was already at the table, surprised to see me. “You woke up early.”
“I usually do.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You normally leave for training before this.”
“I skipped it.”
“Why?”
I pulled out the chair across from her. “Because you were planning to leave early.”
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Chapter 239 A Father’s Warnings
Her eyes widened. “I wasn’t.”
“You were.”
She looked away, and I almost smiled. She was terrible at pretending. “Eat.”
“I’m eating.”
“You’re moving food around your plate.”
She sighed. “You notice too much.”
“I have to.” The words came out naturally, and they made her quiet.
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Finished
I watched her for a moment. There was still fear in her eyes from the night before, even as she tried to hide it. “Flourish.”
She looked up. “What?”
“You don’t have to pretend you’re fine around me.”
“I know,” she said, lowering her gaze to her plate. “I just don’t want to become someone who is always afraid.”
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