The Silver Wolf (Diana and Talon) novel Chapter 89

Chapter Eighty Nine

“Beg…”

Cerberus’s voice echoed inside Damon’s mind-

Raw.

Desperate.

“Beg now… beg for our mate’s forgiveness…”

Damon could see him-

His wolf pacing, restless, unsettled.

Tail lowered-

Then wagging uncertainly.

Not in pride.

Not in dominance.

But in submission.

Cerberus lowered himself-

Head bowed-

Letting out a low, aching howl toward Willow’s wolf.

Forgive us…

We hurt you…

Damon closed his eyes briefly.

“Not now,” he answered quietly in their shared mind.

“Not here.”

Cerberus stilled.

“If we do it here..”

Damon continued.

“Her brother will be in the way.”

A pause.

“Her entire family will be in the way.”

His jaw tightened.

Cham

19

Chapte Espie N

“And Diana…

Cerberus growled low.

“She is not just any-wolf.”

Damon’s voice hardened.

“She is the one wolf we cannot fight.”

Not because of fear-

But because of truth.

“Not just because of strength,” Damon added.

“But because she is the Silver Wolf.”

Cerberus’s ears flattened.

“The Goddess will not allow harm to the Silver Wolf,” he said quietly.

“Only those who do not believe in Her laws would dare.”

Damon exhaled slowly.

“And I am not a fool.”

The room pulled him back.

“Did you hear me?”

Willow’s voice.

Sharp now.

“I want you to reject me.”

Her eyes locked onto his.

“Right here.”

“Right now.”

Damon met her gaze.

Steady.

Unmoving.

“Unfortunately…”

“I cannot give you what you want, my mate.”

The word mate landed heavier now.

Chan

2/9

Chapter N

will nut reject you.”

A pause.

“And I don’t think you truly want me to.

Willow’s brows furrowed.

“What do you mean?”

“I just told you I want you to reject me.”

Damon leaned back slightly.

Studying her.

“Did you stop and think,” he asked calmly,

“What happens after that?”

Willow’s expression hardened.

“Our kingdoms are on the edge of an alliance,” Damon continued.

“It is fragile.”

“It is new.”

“And both of us know…”

His voice lowered.

“What kind of danger is coming.”

The mention of it alone was enough.

Feral rogues.

Unpredictable.

Multiplying.

A threat neither kingdom could face alone.

“We need each other,” Damon said.

“Our strength.”

“Our forces.”

“Our unity.”

His eyes sharpened.

“Are you sure you want to be the reason that falls apart?”

30

hapter way

Willow’s chest rose sharply.

“That has nothing to do with us,” she snapped.

“Our mating has nothing to do with the alliance.”

“For you-maybe.”

Damon didn’t raise his voice.

Didn’t need to.

“But for me…”

“It has everything to do with it.”

A pause.

“Because if I leave this pack without my mate…”

His gaze darkened.

“I will cut the alliance.”

Silence.

“Remember this, Willow…”

His voice dropped.

“When war comes…”

“The ferals will not attack us first.”

“They will attack you. And we will not be there to support you. My pack, my strength, my support, will vanish together with our mating.”

Willow stared at him.

“That’s not true.”

Cerberus growled inside Damon.

“You are making her hate us more,” he warned.

Damon ignored him.

“You would do that?” Willow asked.

“End the alliance-knowing what’s at stake?”

Damon didn’t hesitate.

“In a heartbeat.”

The words were brutal.

Chain

49

Absolute

“I will not leave without my mate.”

Willow’s lips parted slightly.

“But you don’t even want me.”

Her voice cracked-

Just slightly.

“You wanted Diana.”

Damon exhaled slowly.

“I wanted her because she is the Silver Wolf.”

“The one prophesied to unite all wolves.”

A pause.

“And she chose your brother.”

His voice softened-

Just a fraction.

“And the Goddess…”

“…gave me you.”

Willow let out a hollow laugh.

“Wow.”

“Thank you for that.”

Her eyes glistened.

“So I’m what?”

“The consolation prize?”

Damon stilled.

He saw it then.

The way her eyes dimmed.

The way her shoulders tensed.

He had said the wrong thing.

Again.

510

Chapter fugley Re

But he couldn’t fix it now.

Not here.

Not when everything was at stake.

“So what do you want me to do?” Willow asked.

“Talk to my brother?”

“No.”

Damon leaned closer.

“I want you to leave with me.”

Her eyes widened slightly.

“We leave now.”

“Go to my kingdom.”

His voice lowered.

“Be my Luna.”

Willow’s expression hardened.

“And if I refuse?”

Damon held her gaze.

“Do you really have to ask?”

Silence.

“We leave now,” Damon continued.

“Conall has everything prepared.”

“Right now?” Willow asked.

“I need to tell my brother.”

“No.”

Damon’s voice sharpened.

“If you tell him…”

“He will not allow it.”

“And the alliance will break.”

A beat.

Clam

We leave

“Then, once we are outside…”

“You mind link them.

“Tell them you chose this.”

“Tell them you want to see where this bond leads.”

His voice softened-

But the control remained.

“Then you can speak to them, from my territory.”

“Just make sure…”

His eyes darkened.

“…your brother does not declare war.”

“Because if he does-”

“Nothing good will come from it.”

Willow stared at him.

“You’re asking me to lie.”

“To pretend this is what I want.”

Her voice rose slightly.

“Are you out of your mind?”

“Do you want war?” Damon countered.

“Because I will not back down.”

“And when that happens-”

“The ferals will attack.”

“Both of us.”

“And I cannot promise your kingdom survives.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Willow’s anger burned in her eyes.

But beneath it-

2

Chapter fight Ne

There was something else.

Conflict

Cerberus shifted uneasily.

“She will not forgive us,” he said quietly.

“Not now,” Damon answered.

“But she will.”

A pause.

“She is kind.”

His gaze softened just slightly.

“And we will earn it.”

“No matter how long it takes.”

Willow inhaled slowly.

Then-

“I’ll go with you.”

The words were quiet.

But final.

Damon stilled.

“But understand this,” Willow continued.

Her eyes hardened.

“I will make you regret this.”

“For using me.”

“For taking my choice away.”

Her voice dropped.

“For turning my life into something I didn’t choose.”

Silence.

Damon held her gaze.

“I expect nothing less, my mate.”

Cha

Chapter Ninety-

Chapter Ninety

Willow looked intently at Damon.

Her eyes-

Burning.

Not with love.

Not with longing.

But with anger.

And something far worse.

Disappointment.

The kind that cut deeper than any blade.

“You hurt our mate.”

Cerberus’s voice echoed inside Damon’s mind.

Low.

Accusing.

Damon closed his eyes briefly.

“I know.”

But there was no time to dwell on that.

Not now.

“Cerberus,” Damon said, forcing his focus back.

“We need to take her to our territory.”

His jaw tightened.

“Where her brother cannot take her away from us.”

A pause.

“Once we’re there…”

His voice softened-

Just slightly.

“We will do everything we can to make her forgive us.”

Cerberus stilled.

Clam

Chapter Ninet

Listening.

“What we need right now…”

Damon continued,

“…is time.”

“Time to be with her.”

“Time without interference.”

“Time to show her this bond is real.”

That it wasn’t obligation.

That it wasn’t pity.

That it was hers.

Damon inhaled slowly.

He had been blind.

So focused on prophecy.

On power.

On what he thought he needed-

That he failed to see what the Goddess had already given him.

And it took almost losing her-

For him to finally understand.

But understanding wasn’t enough.

Now-

He had to prove it.

And for that-

He needed time.

Time alone.

Without Talon’s fury.

Without Diana’s judgment.

Without anyone standing between them.

“When are we leaving?”

Cam

2010

<Chapter Ninety-

Willow’s voice cut through his thoughts.

Damon looked at her.

Her expression unreadable now,

Closed.

“Right now. Conall already prepared everything. We can leave anytime.”

A pause.

Willow nodded slowly.

“Then let me say goodbye.”

Her voice was calm.

But there was something behind it.

Hope.

Hope that he would give her-

Just this one thing.

Damon’s chest tightened.

“I’m sorry, my mate.”

Her eyes flickered.

“But I can’t allow that.”

Silence.

“As I said…”

Damon continued carefully,

“Once we are outside your territory…”

“You can mind link them.”

“But I cannot let you speak to them face to face.”

He exhaled.

“Talon and I…”

He shook his head slightly.

“Let’s just say…”

“I am at the very top of his hatred list.”

Cha

370

Chapter Ninety-

“And if he finds out I’m taking you-”

His voice hardened.

“He will not let you leave.”

Willow stared at him.

“So you’re not letting me say goodbye.”

Her voice dropped.

“Do you know what that’s called, Damon?”

Damon didn’t look away.