The Pack's Daughter (Aysel and Magnus) novel Chapter 220

**Chapter 220**

Damon felt an electric jolt shoot through him the instant his gaze landed on Celestine. It was as if a long-dormant ember had flared back to life within his chest—a sensation he hadn’t experienced since the tense negotiations that had led to her early release from the Moonshade Detention. For what felt like an eternity, he had gone to great lengths to avoid her presence, dodging her scent like it was a dangerous trap. Each interaction had been meticulously avoided, cloaked in a veil of excuses and distractions.

His father had stripped him of certain decision-making powers, handing over prized territories to Serena Draven, leaving Damon to navigate a minefield of obligations and expectations. Every step he took felt like a careful dance, a negotiation fraught with unspoken rules. Only his mother had had the gall to formally sever the betrothal with Celestine, forcing Damon to stand back, a silent observer of a relationship that had once held so much promise.

Yet, despite the years that had passed, the shared memories between him and Celestine were not so easily erased. There was no animosity lingering in the air; if anything, she had always grasped the depths of his feelings for Aysel better than anyone else ever could. Now, as he stood in this matchmaking gathering, confronted by her presence, he felt exposed and awkward, caught in a web woven from duty and instinct.

He found himself frozen, unsure of how to respond to the woman who had once been so integral to his life.

Beside him, Judy of the Thunderfang Pack, her golden fur glimmering under the soft light, shifted slightly. She had released her grip on his arm, her curiosity piqued as she scanned Celestine with keen interest. The whispers of the crowd had reached even her—Celestine Ward, recently freed from confinement, moving with a grace that concealed a tempest of emotions beneath the surface. Judy’s sharp eyes flicked between Damon and the approaching figure, silently gauging how he would react.

To anyone else observing, Celestine seemed to glide past Judy, her demeanor radiating a familiarity that set Damon on edge. Their arms brushed together, and for a fleeting moment, it felt as though the years of separation had melted away. A casual onlooker might have mistaken them for mates, perfectly in sync under the moonlit sky of the marketplace.

But Damon’s instincts roared to life. He instinctively stepped back, feeling the protective growl simmering in his chest quiet as he fought to regain his composure. Celestine halted, a flash of hurt igniting in her amber eyes, and for a heartbeat, the world around them faded into a muted backdrop.

Silence stretched between them, thick and palpable, until Celestine’s lips formed a self-deprecating smile, a mix of amusement and pain. “Even you despise me now,” she uttered softly, her voice tinged with bitterness that cut through the air.

Damon shook his head reflexively, desperate to deny her words. “I don’t—”

“You don’t need to say anything,” she interrupted, her tone suddenly sharper, like a fang snapping shut. “I know that in this world, aside from Dariusz, no one stands by me without conditions.”

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