Morning came too fast. Felicia woke Max with gentle touches, her hand soft on his shoulder. Danny was still sleeping, his breathing deep and even, so she left him alone.
"Stay in the room today." She kept her voice barely above a whisper. "Don't go into the corridor."
Max nodded, his eyes serious with understanding. He climbed back onto his bed and picked up his toy wolf without asking why.
Felicia stepped into the corridor and pulled the door closed behind her. Damien was already there, positioned against the wall like he'd been waiting for hours. She crossed to him with measured steps.
"The isolation happens quietly." Her tone was flat and controlled. "No scenes."
Damien nodded once. "I need you present. So the pack sees your authority."
Felicia studied his face for signs of manipulation. Found only practical strategy. "I'll be there."
She paused, then added sharply, "But you don't use me as a shield."
Damien's expression didn't change. "Understood."
One word. Clean acceptance without defense or explanation. Felicia gestured toward the stairs, and they walked together. Damien fell into position half a step behind her, not trying to lead or walk beside her.
The interrogation room was small and cold. Stone walls, one table, three chairs. Felicia entered first and took her position beside the table. She didn't sit, keeping the height advantage.
Two guards brought in the suspect. He was young, maybe twenty-five, with nervous eyes that darted between her and Damien. His hands fidgeted at his sides, fingers twitching.
"This is a formal procedure." Felicia's voice cut through the room. "Answer the questions."
The warrior swallowed hard. His adam's apple bobbed in his throat. "I didn't do anything wrong."
Felicia didn't respond to that. She just looked at him, waiting. The silence stretched, heavy and uncomfortable.
"Where were you at midnight three days ago?" Damien's question came out neutral, no accusation in his tone.
The warrior's eyes widened. "I was... I was on patrol. South boundary."
Felicia checked the log in front of her. "You signed in at the north gate."
"I meant north. I got confused." The words tumbled out too fast, too desperate.
Damien moved to stand in front of the door. Not aggressive, just present. Blocking the only exit without making it obvious.
"Answer shortly." Felicia's voice stayed even, but steel ran underneath it.
The warrior's breathing picked up. His chest rose and fell rapidly, and sweat beaded on his forehead despite the cold room. "I was where I was supposed to be."
"Who else has access to the security panel?" Damien asked.
"I don't know. Maybe Marcus? Or Stevens?" The warrior's hands clenched into fists. "I don't keep track of everyone."
Felicia leaned forward slightly. "You accessed the panel at two in the morning. Explain."
The warrior's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. "I was checking the rotation schedule."
"That's not your assignment." Felicia's tone dropped several degrees colder.
"I was just looking. I swear I didn't do anything." The excuses started pouring out, words running together in panic. "I was curious about the new protocols and someone said there were changes and I wanted to see if—"
"No." One word from Felicia, spoken without raising her voice.
The warrior stopped mid-sentence. His face went pale, all color draining away. The silence pressed down on all of them.
Damien didn't move from the door. Didn't add pressure or threats. Just stood there, solid and immovable.
"Who told you to check?" Felicia asked.
The warrior's resistance crumbled. His shoulders sagged, and his voice came out barely audible. "Elder Marcus. He said there was something I needed to verify."
Felicia picked up her pen and wrote the name down. Her handwriting was precise, controlled despite the adrenaline pumping through her system. "Take him to holding."
The guards moved immediately. The warrior didn't resist as they led him out, his head hanging low. The door closed behind them, and suddenly the room felt too quiet.
Felicia walked into the corridor. Her legs felt strange, unsteady, and she realized her knees were trembling. But she kept her spine straight, her shoulders back, refusing to show the weakness.
Damien followed her out. He took one step closer and stopped. Not touching, not even reaching out. Just there, a steady presence at her side.
"You were precise." His voice was quiet, meant only for her. "Calm."
Felicia's hands formed fists at her sides. "Not calm. Control."
Damien nodded. He didn't argue or try to reframe what had happened. Just accepted her correction.
"We need to move fast." Felicia's mind was already racing ahead. "Before the network realizes we have him."
"Do you want Lucien?" Damien's tone stayed professional and neutral. "To intercept the intermediary?"
The question hit her. He was offering to bring in another Alpha, someone who'd been present in their lives before. No jealousy, no territorial resistance.
"Yes." Felicia met his eyes. "But only on speaker. And with me present."
"Agreed." No hesitation, no suggestion that she didn't need to supervise.
Felicia felt her body shift slightly. She was standing closer to him than usual, close enough to see the silver flecks in his dark eyes. Close enough that the space between them felt charged.
He didn't reach for her. His hands stayed at his sides, fingers loose and unthreatening. He didn't try to use the proximity for anything, didn't lean in or close the gap further.
The moment stretched. Two seconds, three. Felicia's pulse kicked up, awareness spreading across her skin. But she didn't step back. Didn't create distance just because they were close.
Damien's expression stayed carefully neutral. Whatever he was feeling, he kept it locked down. He didn't move forward, didn't break the fragile trust of the moment.
Felicia turned and walked back toward her wing. Her footsteps were steady despite the trembling in her legs. Damien followed half a step behind, maintaining exactly the distance she'd established.
They were building something. Brick by careful brick, moment by controlled moment. And for the first time, she was starting to believe it might not collapse under the weight of what they'd been before.