Concerned

"Alpha Damien, I can assure you. Whatever this she-wolf has told you, is a lie. She's known to be a liar, just like her mother," the old Alpha was getting annoyed too.

He was practically gritting his teeth as he spoke.

"She didn't tell me anything," Damien scoffed, "But the evidence is pretty telling, Bayzil. Scars all over her body, and the way your border patrol treated her. I think that's more than enough reason for me to take her. And if that isn't enough…"

"She's my mate."

The look of shock and horror in the old Alpha's eyes put a satisfied smirk on Damien's face.

"Is that enough reason for me to take her away, Alpha Bayzil?"

With that, Damien turned back and made his way out of the circle. None of the wolves dared to stand in his way. It was known amongst the werewolves that the fated mate bond was sacred and superseded almost everything else.

No one could stand in its way.

Just as Damien made it out of the circle of wolves, Alpha Bayzil spoke again.

"Do you understand what you've done, Alpha Damien? Is she really worth it?" He roared in anger.

Damien didn't even reply. Actions spoke louder than words. He made his way safely across the border of Nightmoon, through the neutral zone and back to his own pack grounds where Seth and the others were waiting.

"Call for the healers, my mate needs medical attention at once," Damien ordered as he made his way back to the house.

Everyone was stunned by their Alpha's words. Previously, Safira's identity had only been a rumor or a whisper. Now there was no denying it. She was his mate and there was no denying it.

Damien carefully placed Safira down on the bed. Her injuries were extensive and he did not have time to wait for the healers to arrive. So, he grabbed a few supplies and began dressing her wounds.

It pained him to see the wounds that littered her body. Old wounds and new criss crossed over each other like old friends. It was heart wrenching.

'They will pay for this, every last one of them,' Yukon growled in the back of Damien's mind.

The wolf always had a taste for blood. Knowing that their mate had been in so much pain and so close to them was agonizing. If not for his pack, Damien would have tore Alpha Bayzil where he stood.

'What matters now is that she's safe with us,' Damien replied as he gently dabbed the wet cloth to clean the open wounds.

He was quick to notice the branding on Safira's lower back. To know that there were those out there horrid enough to do something like this to another angered Damien even more.

He turned around to wash the cloth in the basin of water he had prepared. It had already been dyed red. Sometime later, the healers arrived and they took over. But Damien never left the room. He wasn't about to leave Safira alone at her most vulnerable.

By the time all was said and done, night had already fallen. But there was something more pressing about Safira's condition.

"If she had her wolf… her healing would be a lot quicker," the lead healer chose his words carefully as he spoke, knowing that he could easily incite the Alpha's anger.

"Or if she's mated and marked," Another added in a soft whisper.

Damien knew the options from the get go. Safira still had not gotten her wolf. Without her permission, he was not about to mate or mark her. It was going to be her decision. As simple as that.

"What other options do we have," he asked while crossing his arms.

Everyone knew what that meant. The Alpha wanted an answer and he wanted it quick. The healers exchanged looks. They had already given all the options they knew of to speed up the process.

"Perhaps the Moonlight Spring in the Moon Temple would help, my Alpha," one of the healers spoke up.

The Moonlight Spring was well known for its healing properties. But few had ever been allowed to use it. Even grievously wounded Alphas in the past had been rejected at the temple gates. Only those who received the blessing of the Moon Goddess herself would be allowed to use it.

Looking back at Safira, Damien could tell she was in a great level of discomfort. He was not about to move her until she was ready for travel. Even if he were to bring her there on wolf back, it would still be a strenuous journey for her to make.

"We'll leave as soon as you've deemed her ready for travel."

"As you wish, Alpha Damien."

Before he could rest himself, Seth mind-linked him. The elder council wanted to speak with him. He already had an inkling this would happen. While he didn't want to leave Safira's side, he knew the council didn't like waiting either.

So, after kissing her on the cheek and promising to return as soon as he could, he rushed off to the Town Hall, where the council meetings were usually held. He arrived in wolf form, shifting back into his human form as he made it through the doors. Everyone bowed to him as soon as they saw him.

No one dared to lift their heads to greet him. When he entered the council room, everyone stopped talking. Damien took his usual seat at the head of the table.

"Alpha Damien, we're so glad you're able to join us," one of the elders was the first to greet him, before cutting straight to the chase, "We would like to know more about this she-wolf whom you've claimed to be your mate."

"Please understand, this is the first time any of us had heard about it and we're curious to know how it all came to be," another added.

Damien leaned back in his chair and allowed every member of the council to say their piece. He had always been a fair Alpha, willing to listen to the elders for their wise council. He knew he was considered a young leader, one without much experience.

But the more he listened, the more angry he became. They're words were guided by misconceptions and rumors that had been floating around for some time. The most popular of them all insinuated that Damien was bewitched by Safira, and that she was a powerful witch who masked her scent to present as a wolf.

Once he'd heard enough, Damien asked, "Have all of you finished?"

Silence throughout the room.

It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

He leaned forward, "I'm going to take that as a yes. Now, allow me to clarify a few points."