Morning came quietly to the Lunar Fury Pack.
Golden sunlight filtered through the tall windows, slipping past the curtains and stretching across the room where Jacob lay. The warmth of the rising sun brushed against his skin, gently pulling him out of a deep and much-needed sleep.
For a moment, he didn't move.
He simply lay there, staring at the ceiling as he let his body wake at its own pace.
Slowly, he shifted.
A faint ache still lingered in his body, but it was no longer as unbearable as it had been the previous day. The sharp, biting pain had dulled into something more manageable—still present, still uncomfortable, but no longer enough to keep him completely still.
Jacob exhaled quietly.
Then, with care, he pushed himself up and leaned against the headboard of his bed. His gaze drifted toward the open veranda, where the morning light painted the world outside in soft gold.
"A new day…" he murmured under his breath.
The words felt distant, almost meaningless. Still, he forced himself to move. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he stood and made his way to the bathroom. The cold water against his skin helped clear his mind, washing away the remnants of sleep.
After a few minutes, he stepped out—
Only to freeze.
The Beta was standing inside his room.
Jacob's brows furrowed immediately. "Don't you know how to knock?" he snapped, irritation clear in his voice.
But the Beta, Kulas, didn't react to the tone. If anything, he looked completely unfazed.
"The Alpha is calling for you," Kulas said calmly. "Breakfast."
Jacob's expression hardened, as he heard Damon's name. "I'm not hungry," he replied flatly.
Without waiting for a response, he turned away and walked toward the veranda. The cool morning breeze greeted him, brushing against his face as he stepped outside. He closed his eyes briefly, letting himself feel the wind… the sunlight… the quiet.
For a moment, it felt peaceful.
But not for long.
Kulas followed him out and stood beside him, his gaze stretching across the vast lands of the Lunar Fury Pack.
"You know refusing the Alpha never ends well for you," Kulas said after a pause.
Jacob let out a quiet scoff. "When has he ever accepted refusal?" he shot back.
Kulas didn't answer.
That silence made Jacob turn his head slightly—only to find the Beta already looking at him.
Jacob frowned. "What?"
But instead of replying directly, Kulas asked, "What's your real reason for staying here?"
Jacob stilled.
Kulas continued, his voice quieter now but sharper. "Why do you endure everything the Alpha does to you?"
Jacob looked away.
"Aside from the guilt you carry over the former Alpha's death… is there another reason?" Kulas pressed once again.
Jacob's jaw tightened. "I don't like those questions, Beta," he said, his tone colder now.
He turned and walked back inside the room, but Kulas followed.
"I'm just wondering—"
"There's nothing to wonder about," Jacob cut him off. "I'm staying to repay my debt to this family."
Kulas studied him carefully, not believing what he had said. "Is that really all, Jacob?"
That question made Jacob snap. He turned sharply, glaring at him. "Believe whatever you want," he said harshly.
Before Kulas could ask anything else, Jacob walked past him and left the room, heading straight for the dining hall.
He didn't want to answer questions—
Especially the ones he couldn't even answer himself.
***
As soon as Jacob reached the ground floor, the Gamma greeted him with a respectful bow.
"Good morning, Sir Jacob. The Alpha is waiting for you at the dining table."
Jacob gave a brief nod and continued walking. The moment he stepped inside the dining room—
He saw him.
Seated at the far end of the long table was the man Jacob avoided… and could never truly escape.
Damon.
"You took so long," Damon said coldly, his sharp gaze cutting through Jacob. "What were you and the Beta talking about?"
Jacob suppressed the tension building in his chest. "He just asked a few things," he replied calmly, taking his usual seat beside Damon.
But Damon's eyes darkened. "Don't give me a reason to forbid even the Beta from going near you."
Jacob's head snapped toward him, shocked written on his face. "There's no reason for you to do that, Damon," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Beta Kulas is the only friend I have in this pack—"
"Exactly." Damon's voice dropped, low and dangerous. "Don't ever do anything that will make me forbid him from being close to you."
Jacob's hands clenched under the table.
No.
That was too far.
Even if he and Kulas are always arguing, Jacob still considered him a friend. And more importantly—
He was the only one Damon had allowed to get close to him.
"I would never do what you're thinking," Jacob said, his irritation clear.
"I'm warning you, Jacob," Damon replied. "You know exactly what will happen if I see you crossing the line with my Beta."
Jacob let out a frustrated breath. "Do you really think I'd do that?" he shot back.
Damon's words grated on him.
As if he were someone shameless.
"As if you've forgotten—I'm a man," Jacob added sharply. "I'm not someone who would throw himself at another man."
The tension snapped.
Jacob pushed his chair back and stood.
"Maybe it's better if I go back to my room," he muttered, turning away.
"Sit."
One word.
That was all it took.
Jacob froze.
His stomach twisted, and his heartbeat quickened instantly.
"Sit," Damon repeated, his tone colder now. "Or I'll make you."
Jacob closed his eyes briefly.
There was no point resisting.
With a tight jaw, he returned to his seat.
The rest of breakfast passed in suffocating silence.
The air in the dining room felt heavy, thick with tension. Damon's presence alone was enough to make it hard to breathe.
Jacob tried to eat normally—
But the weight of Damon's dark aura made it nearly impossible.
As soon as breakfast ended, Jacob wasted no time leaving the dining room.
He needed air.
Space.
Something that didn't feel like a cage.
He made his way to the garden and settled beneath a large tree—the same place he used to sit when he was younger.
Back then, he would watch the pups play.
Back then…
Things were different. A faint sadness crossed his face. He never truly got to enjoy his childhood. Not after what happened to his family. Not after Damon began keeping him away from others once they grew close.
"Uncle Jacob!"
The bright voice broke through his thoughts.
Jacob turned—and a genuine smile finally appeared on his lips.
Mica.
She ran toward him with excitement, her small figure full of life.
"Slow down," Jacob said with a soft laugh.
"Uncle, I've been looking for you!" she said, slightly out of breath. "The Beta said you weren't feeling well."
Jacob smiled gently. He reached out and helped her sit comfortably beside him.
"That's true," he said. "I wasn't feeling well, so I stayed in my room for a few days."
As he looked at her, something warm stirred in his chest. When he was younger, he had always wished for a little sister.
He never got one.
But somehow—
Mica filled that empty space. She wasn't his sister by blood. But to him, she felt like family.
They sat together quietly for a while until other pups joined them, inviting Jacob to play.
And for once—
He said yes.
Time passed quickly.
Laughter filled the air as Jacob played with them, the heaviness in his chest easing little by little.
For a few hours—
He felt free.
***
Later, as the sun climbed higher, Jacob returned to resting under the same tree. The pups had gone home for lunch, leaving the garden quiet once again.
He leaned back, eyes closed.
Then—
He felt it.
A presence.
Familiar.
He didn't need to open his eyes to know who it was.
His senses had sharpened over time, especially when it came to certain people.
"The Alpha is calling for you," came the voice. "His friends—and their mates—have arrived."
Jacob's eyes slowly opened.
And just like that—
The brief peace he had found disappeared.