Chapter 5 Her Returned

• “Is it true? She’s coming back?” Damon’s Beta, Caleb, leaned against the doorframe of Damon’s office, he has curiosity written all over his face, yet a big part of him seems to be excited about every reaction he might find on Damon's face.
• Damon glanced up from the map spread across his desk, his jaw tightened. He just can take Caleb seriously, knowing how playful and annoying he is. “Who’s coming back?” He asked back trying to sound uninterested.
• Caleb raised a brow. “Don’t play dumb. I'm talking to your greatest love, whom you chose to reject, and now the one who's turning your biggest regret.”
• The name struck Damon like a thunderclap, though he quickly masked the flicker of emotion in his eyes. “What about her?” he asked flatly, though a surge of curiosity was also forming within him.
• “She’s attending the summit,” Caleb said casually, though his eyes were sharp. “Word is, she’s representing the Golden Moon territory. Apparently, they’ve grown stronger under her leadership.”
• Damon frowned, his mind racing. "Lily? Leading a territory?" It was almost laughable—except it wasn’t.
• “She’s just the envoy, right? Not the Alpha?” Damon asked, though his voice lacked conviction. What Caleb's telling him is so impossible, the last time he saw her, he really knows that she can't even save herself from humiliation.
• Caleb shrugged. “From what I hear, she’s practically running the place. They’re calling her ‘Luna Sovereign.’”
• The title sent a chill down Damon’s spine. He pushed away from his desk, pacing. “When is this summit?” he asked, with his brow furrowed a little.
• “Tomorrow,” Caleb replied, watching him closely. “Why? You nervous? Or... you're so excited to see her again?"
• Damon scoffed, though the knot in his stomach betrayed him. “Why would I be nervous? She’s just… Lily. I even rejected her once, and I can even do that twice.
• Caleb smirked. “If you think she’s still ‘just Lily,’ you’re in for a surprise.” Damon just rolled his eyes, and just continued what he's doing before Caleb just came in and messed up his quite heart.
• The grand hall buzzed with energy as representatives from neighboring packs filled the space. Damon stood near the head of the room, his eyes scanning the crowd.
• And then he saw her. She's so... different.
• Lily entered, her presence is commanding the room without a single word. Her long, midnight-black hair cascaded down her back, and her emerald-green dress hugged her figure with effortless grace. But it wasn’t just her beauty that stunned Damon—it was the power radiating off her, like a storm barely contained. He can't see the old Lily, the one whom he rejected and humiliated in the crowd. It looks like, his mate was already gone.
• “Is that…” Damon’s voice trailed off as Caleb stepped up beside him, with his mouth dropped open.
• “Yep,” he said, his tone smug. “Told you.”
• Lily moved through the crowd, her expression calm and unreadable. She exchanged polite nods and brief smiles with the other Alphas, but there was no hesitation in her steps. She knew exactly where she belonged.
• When her gaze finally landed on Damon, his breath caught. For a brief moment, he thought he saw something flicker in her eyes—recognition, maybe even pain. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by cold indifference.
• No—she shouldn't be affected anymore. She wants to remember all the pain he inflicted towards her. And she wants to put in her mind that he's not deserving of her forgiveness, and as if, he has a heart, or guilt.
• Damon swallowed hard, his chest seems to be tightening. He wasn't quite sure why yet. The air around him feels like it's burning, even though he doesn't seem hot at all. The sweat on his hands is cold and uncomfortable, but he doesn't mind the feeling of it.
• One thing is for sure, she wasn’t the girl he had rejected. This was someone else entirely.
• ~
• Damon waited until the crowd had thinned before approaching her. She stood near a balcony, gazing out at the moonlit forest.
• “Lily..." he said, his voice softer than he intended.
• She turned slowly, her eyes meeting his. They were the same deep, soulful eyes he remembered, but they no longer held the warmth he had taken for granted.
• “Alpha Damon,” she said, her tone is totally cool and formal.
• He winced at the title. “You don’t have to call me that.”
• “What would you prefer?” she asked, arching a brow. “Damon the Rejector? Damon the Ambitious?”
• Her words stung, but he forced a small smile. “You’ve changed.”
• “People do that,” she said, turning back to the view.
• He stepped closer. “Lily, I—” The words came in a low, rumbling whisper. He leaned forward. His eyes searched hers for something, anything other than the cold emptiness that seemed to be her only companion these days.
• “I don’t have time for this,” she interrupted, her voice is sharp. She want to act like this, she needs to. She doesn't want to feel weak in front of this crowd again, not even towards him.
• “I’m here for the summit, not for nostalgia. Not for someone unworthy."
• “Nostalgia?” He took another step, desperation creeping into his tone. “Is that all you feel when you see me?”
• She turned to him fully then, her eyes narrowing. “What I feel is irrelevant. You made your choice, Damon. And so did I."
• He was supposed to be her rock. A pillar on which she could rely, when her world had gone upside down and it all came crashing down around her. But he was a heartless mate.
• As she walked away, her step was confident, one question burned in Damon’s mind:
• How do I fix what I’ve broken?
• ---
• Lily’s transformation is undeniable, shifting the power dynamic and leaving Damon grappling with his own regret and newfound admiration. But her cold rejection sets the stag
• e for a deeper conflict—can Damon redeem himself, or has Lily truly moved on?