The car ride back to Silver Moon Pack felt like a death march.
Nora sat in the back of Damien's SUV, staring out the window at the passing trees. Marcus drove. Damien sat in the passenger seat, occasionally glancing back at her with hopeful eyes.
She ignored him.
The Council's ruling was final. Seven days. She had to give Damien seven days to prove they belonged together, or the rejection would be permanent.
Seven days felt like an eternity.
They crossed into Silver Moon territory just as the sun began to set. The familiar landmarks made Nora's stomach twist. The old oak tree where she used to read as a child. The creek where she and Emma caught fireflies in summer. The packhouse rising in the distance.
This had been her home for twenty-two years.
Now it felt like a prison.
"We've prepared your old room," Damien said as they pulled up to the packhouse. "Everything's exactly as you left it."
"How thoughtful," Nora said flatly.
They got out of the car. Pack members had gathered on the lawn, watching. Nora recognized most of them—people she'd grown up with, trained with, considered family.
None of them had defended her when Damien rejected her.
She held her head high as she walked past them.
"Nora!" Emma pushed through the crowd and threw her arms around her. "Thank the Goddess you're okay."
"I'm fine," Nora said, hugging her back.
"You look amazing," Emma whispered. "Different. Stronger."
"I am stronger."
"Good," Emma said. "You're going to need it. Damien's been... intense since you left."
"Define intense."
"Let's just say there's a reason Sienna left town," Emma said darkly.
Before Nora could ask more, Damien appeared at her elbow.
"Let me show you to your room," he said.
Nora pulled away from Emma. "I know where my room is, Damien."
"I'd like to walk you there anyway."
It wasn't a request. It was an Alpha command, subtle but present.
Nora's wolf bristled. She almost refused just to spite him. But she was here for seven days. Might as well pick her battles.
"Fine."
They walked through the packhouse in silence. Nothing had changed—same wooden floors, same family photos on the walls, same scent of pine and wolf.
Her room was on the third floor, overlooking the forest. When Damien opened the door, Nora's breath caught.
He hadn't lied. Everything was exactly as she'd left it. Her books on the shelf. Her favorite blanket on the bed. Even the half-finished painting on her easel.
But there were additions.
Roses. Everywhere. Red roses, white roses, pink roses. They covered every surface, filled every vase.
"I remembered they were your favorite," Damien said.
"They were my mother's favorite," Nora corrected. "I actually prefer wildflowers."
Damien's face fell. "Oh. I didn't—"
"You never asked," Nora finished.
An awkward silence filled the room.
"Nora," Damien started, "I want you to know that I'm going to do everything I can these next seven days to prove—"
"Don't," Nora interrupted. "Don't make promises you can't keep. Just... give me space tonight, okay? I'm tired."
Damien looked like he wanted to argue. But he nodded.
"Okay. I'll be right down the hall if you need anything."
"I won't."
After he left, Nora locked the door and collapsed onto her bed.
Seven days.
She could survive seven days.
Her phone buzzed. A text from Kael.
How are you holding up?
Nora smiled and replied: About as well as expected. The room is full of roses.
Kael: Your favorite?
Nora: Not even close.
Kael: Figures. Call me if you need anything. Anything at all.
Nora: I will. Thank you.
She set her phone down and stared at the ceiling. Tomorrow would be day one of Damien's campaign to win her back.
She had no idea what he'd planned.
But she knew one thing for certain.
It wouldn't work.
The next morning, Nora woke to knocking.
"Nora?" Damien's voice. "I made breakfast. Can I come in?"
Nora groaned and checked her phone. 6 AM. Of course.
"Give me five minutes," she called.
She quickly showered and dressed in jeans and a simple shirt. When she opened the door, Damien stood there with a tray laden with food—pancakes, bacon, eggs, fresh fruit, coffee.
"Breakfast in bed," he said with a hopeful smile.
"I'm not eating in bed," Nora said. "But I'll take that downstairs."
She grabbed the tray and walked past him toward the kitchen. Several pack members were already up, preparing for the day. They all stopped and stared when Nora entered.
She sat at the table and started eating. The food was good—Damien had always been a decent cook.
He sat across from her, watching.
"What?" Nora asked.
"Nothing," Damien said. "I just missed this. You. Me. Breakfast together."
"We never had breakfast together," Nora pointed out. "You always ate with your warriors."
"Well, maybe that's something I want to change."
Nora took a sip of coffee. "Damien, can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"Why now?" Nora asked. "Why do you want me back now? You had four years to appreciate what we had. What changed?"
Damien was quiet for a long moment.
"I saw you with Blackwood," he finally admitted. "The way he looked at you. The way you looked at him. And I realized what an idiot I'd been."
"So this is about jealousy," Nora said. "Not actually wanting me."
"No! That's not—" Damien sighed. "Losing you made me realize how much you meant to me. How much I took you for granted."
"That's not good enough, Damien."
"What do you want me to say, Nora?"
"Nothing," Nora said, standing up. "Because there's nothing you can say that will change my mind. This week is a formality. That's all."
She left the kitchen and went outside to clear her head.
The morning air was crisp and cool. Nora walked toward the forest, needing to be away from the packhouse, away from Damien's suffocating attention.
She didn't get far.
"Well, well. If it isn't the prodigal princess."
Nora turned to see Claire, her former best friend, leaning against a tree.
"Claire," Nora said coolly.
"Heard you were back," Claire said. "Forced to spend a week with Damien. That's got to sting."
"I'm managing."
"I bet." Claire pushed off the tree and walked closer. "You know, you've got a lot of nerve showing your face here. After everything."
"After everything?" Nora laughed. "Claire, I didn't do anything wrong. Damien rejected me. Remember?"
"Yeah, and then you ran straight to Kael Blackwood," Claire said. "Everyone knows you two are together now. You moved on pretty fast."
"Kael and I aren't together," Nora said.
"Right," Claire said sarcastically. "You just live in his territory, train with him every day, and let him fight your battles for you."
"What's your point, Claire?"
"My point is that you're not the victim you pretend to be," Claire said. "You got rejected and instead of handling it with grace, you threw a tantrum and left. Now you're back, acting like you're too good for all of us."
Nora stepped closer, her wolf rising to the surface.
"Let me make something very clear," she said quietly. "I don't owe you or anyone else in this pack an explanation for my choices. Damien rejected me. I accepted. I moved on. If that bothers you, that's your problem, not mine."
Claire's eyes widened slightly—she could sense Nora's power now, the Alpha energy radiating from her.
"You're different," Claire said.
"I'm better," Nora corrected. "Now if you'll excuse me."
She walked past Claire into the forest.
But Claire called after her, "It won't last, you know. Whatever you have with Blackwood. He'll get tired of you eventually, just like Damien did."
Nora didn't respond.
But the words stung more than she wanted to admit.