Damian POV
Walking into my office, I felt a surge of anger wash over me that I and my wolf couldn’t understand. I wanted more than anything to claim her as mine and make it to where she couldn’t leave. But then I would open my mouth and do nothing but push her away.
I was a f u c k i n g fool to think that this mate bond or whatever s t u p i d nonsense it was actually held meaning.
Ivy was right about one thing, though. I’m the only Alpha in history that rejects the idea of having a mate, and that was something that most didn’t appreciate.
As I approached my liquor cabinet, I didn’t stop myself from reaching for the amber-filled bottle, pouring myself a glass to down my sorrows. It had become the only thing I could do lately to dampen my mind from thoughts of her.
Her sweet and gentle nature always pulled me in, and when the fiery spark in her came to life, my wolf and I were automatically turned on.
Just thinking about her in that way made my d i c k throb with anticipation over the day I would finally get to have her. If she even let me.
Lost in my thoughts, my phone rang to life, and with a groan of irritation, I pulled it from my pocket to see that Allison was calling.
“Hello?” I replied, annoyed by her continuing pestering.
“Damian, I’m just letting you know we will be back late tonight instead of tomorrow.”
Rolling my eyes, I sighed, “okay and why were you calling me to tell me this?”
“Well, because I want to see you when I get there.” She replied with amusement, lacing her tone. Disgust filled me, thinking about how many times she tried to hint to me that she and I would be strong together. I was older than the others when we went to live with her and considering that Allison was nothing but power-driven… I knew her end game.
“I will be in bed, Allison.” I stated firmly, “Ivy and I have a lot to do tomorrow before we leave.”
“Ivy?!” she shrieked, “I thought you got rid of that little useless b i t c h, Damian.”
A warning growl left my lips at her words. “Watch how you speak about her. She is still my mate.”
Laughter filled the other side of the phone, and I knew her and Zane coming back was going to cause nothing but problems. “Mate? Last time I checked, you and the others lost your mate. It’s time you get rid of that little harlot and take a chosen mate, Damian.”
I didn’t miss the way she emphasized the words chosen mate.
Deciding to save my battles for another day, I hung up the phone, gripping it tightly in my hand. I had no doubt that when Allison got back with Zane, she was going to cause issues with Ivy.
I only hoped Ivy would be able to stand her ground.
Because if she wants to be Luna one day–she will have to deal with Allison.
***
Ivy POV
Waking the next morning, I expected the arrival of my father. Damian had said that he was to arrive sometime today, and as much as normal girls would be excited–I was not.
Fully dressed, I left my room and made my way down to the kitchen to make coffee. The sounds of voices carried towards me, and two of them weren’t supposed to be here yet.
As I rounded the corner, I came face to face with Allison and my father. Both of their eyes fell upon me with disgust.
“What the hell are you doing in here?” Allison snapped.
Her words brought my attention back to the present. “I’m sorry what?”
Narrowing her eyes, she sneered, “I said, what are you doing in here? You have your own place to live, and my house isn’t the location.”
My father stood there with a smug look on his face that disgusted me. He was really going to allow her to talk to me like that. As if I was the issue.
“I don’t know who you think you’re talking to like that, but if you have an issue, you need to talk to Damian because the last time I checked, HE is the Alpha, and this is HIS house.”
“How dare you speak to her like that!” my father yelled, causing me to flinch at the moment. “You will never speak to her in such disrespect—”
Rage burned through me that he was taking her side on this. All I ever wanted was for my father to actually care about me, and even now, he didn’t. He was nothing but a disappointment.
“No!” I scream, slamming my hand against the counter. “Neither of you will speak to me the way you are. You do not have a say in my life, and you will have respect for me.”
I wasn’t sure where the courage came from to confront them in that way, but before I could do anything, a slap rang through my ears as I realized my father had slapped me.
As soon as it happened, a roar echoed from Damian’s office, and I watched as he flew into the kitchen, pinning my father to the wall, seething in anger. “You dare touch her!”
Fear soared through me, seeing Damian this way. He was partially shifted, and the power that dripped off him was enough to bring Allison to her knees.
“Stop!” she cried out. “What are you doing? This girl is nothing! We are your family.”
Damian’s eyes turned slowly towards Allison with venom dripping from his fangs, “neither of you are my family. Pack your s h i t and get out of my house now. You are no longer welcome here.”
Throwing my father, I watched as he landed on the floor, and Damian stepped back to stand beside me. “You can’t do that!” Allison shrieked. “This is my house!”
“That’s where you are wrong, Allison.” Damian snapped, “this is my house and you are lucky that banishment is the only thing you are getting. Attacking a Luna usually means death.”
“She is NOT a luna!” My father roared, getting to his feet. “She is not mated to you.”
Laughter erupted from Damian as he slowly glanced at me. “Do you want the honor of telling them?”
Taking a moment, I thought over his words and what he meant. He was asking me if I wanted the pleasure of sharing with them that the mate bond wasn’t actually gone, and as much as I wanted to rub that in her face, I couldn’t.
“No–” I replied calmly with a smile on my face, “they don’t deserve that news. Let them find out in a few months when the news spreads.”
Never had I stood up to someone like this before. Let alone a p a r e n t, and that feeling alone was amazing. For so many years, I dealt with the b u l l s h t sent my way from my father, and for him to break my heart the way he did–he deserved this.
“Come with me. Let’s go to my office. We have things to discuss.” Damian replied as he took my hand and pulled me from the kitchen.
The touch of his hand upon mine sent sparks through my skin. If you would have asked me a few weeks ago to believe Damian would ever stand up for me, I would have laughed at you.
A few weeks ago, we hated each other and wanted nothing to do with one another.
Now everything was different, and just the touch of his skin upon mine made me second guess everything I thought I knew.
As my eyes gazed up at the back of his head, I felt the urge to ask him if he cared about me, but at the same time, it felt wrong and I knew that I couldn’t.
Stopping inside his office, he dropped my hand and left me just inside the door. “Sorry about that.” He mumbled as he took a seat at his desk, “I didn’t want to wake you to tell you they were here.”
“When did they get here?” My eyes met his for the briefest of moments, and I watched as an exhausted look crossed his face.
“Last night.” He replied, “they got home early.”
Nodding, I walked towards the chair across from him and took a seat. I should have known that Allison and my father wouldn’t be happy with me being here. Allison had hated me from the moment I entered her home, and I had no idea why.
“Why does she hate me so much?” It was a question that had plagued me for years, and as he stared at me, I got a feeling I wasn’t going to like the answer.
“Because she wants to be the Luna of this pack.”
“What?!” I exclaimed with disgust. “She raised you like her own children, though. That’s disgusting.”
“I agree, but in her eyes, she feels it’s her right. One she will never have, I might add.”
At least that was something both of us could agree on. Allison was a twisted individual, and she had shown her true colors for the last time. I was just glad Damian stood by my side through the argument.
Looking down at his desk, I noticed a map and plane tickets. Curiosity filled me as I realized the map was of Mexico. “Where are we going? Are they in Mexico?”
Taking a moment to consider what I said, he chuckled, “I wish it was that easy. One of them is.”
“Which one of them?” I asked with an exasperated sigh.
More than anything, I had hoped they would be together, but I knew they weren’t.
Everything that had happened had been too much on them, and they went insane trying to kill the pain they were feeling. Pain that I helped to create with the bond being broken.
Had I listened to Damian’s warning so long ago, none of this would have happened.
As I waited for his answer, he looked at me with a small smile.
“It’s James.” He chuckled, “he is living the party boy life in Cancun, Mexico.”
