His mate his obsession

chapter 5 The warning!

Maya’s POV

The door creaked open before I even thought to breathe.

And there he was.

Damon.

He stood tall in the dim corridor light, his shoulders broad enough to block it out completely.

His dark hair was tousled, his eyes sharp, stormy gray and unwavering as they met mine.

For a moment, the world tilted.

My lungs forgot how to work.

“You,” I managed, my voice trembling between disbelief and something I didn’t want to name. “How did you even find me?”

His gaze didn’t waver. “You left your purse in the hospital.”

I blinked. “So, you went through a lady’s purse?” I folded my arms, trying to sound braver than I felt. “Very un-gentleman-like of you.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Desperate times.”

He stepped forward, slow and deliberate, and I felt my heartbeat stutter.

The faint mark on my wrist pulsed again. It was soft, warm, alive.

I backed up a little. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Maybe,” he said quietly. “But we need to talk.”

Before I could respond, a weak voice drifted from behind me.

“Maya? Who’s that?”

My stomach clenched. “Mom, it’s…”

My mother appeared in the hallway, one hand on the wall for balance, her limp more visible under the yellow light.

Damon’s gaze immediately shifted to her, scanning, assessing, like he could see more than just her weakness.

“Are you all right, ma’am?” His tone softened instantly.

She blinked, caught off guard by his politeness. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

“Mom, please,” I said quietly. “You should be resting.”

Her eyes darted between us, curiosity written all over her face. “Who’s your friend?”

Damon hesitated. “Just someone she helped,” he said finally, voice smooth, controlled.

My mother frowned. “Oh… You’re the man from the accident, aren’t you?”

The moment she said it, Damon’s eyes flicked back to mine.

“Yes,” he said slowly. “She saved me.”

Her expression softened instantly. “You must have been terrified, both of you.”

Damon nodded slightly, but his gaze had already dropped to her limp. “You should be in a hospital.”

She gave a dry chuckle. “Hospitals are for people who can afford them.”

The words sank into the air like stones.

Damon’s jaw tightened.

He didn’t reply, but his eyes were dark, unreadable, but it spoke volumes.

“Mom,” I tried, but she waved me off.

She smiled faintly at him. “You didn’t have to come all this way just to say thank you.”

“That’s not the only reason I came,” he said, and his voice carried a quiet finality that made my stomach twist.

Before I could ask what he meant, the mark on my wrist pulsed again, but this time it was brighter, hotter.

“Maya,” my mother whispered. “Your wrist…”

I froze. “It’s nothing…”

She reached forward before I could hide it.

The crescent-shaped mark shimmered faintly beneath my skin.

Her breath hitched. “Oh, Moon above…”

“Mom…”

Her gaze darted to Damon, wide and knowing. “That’s the only thing strong enough to trigger the mark.”

My heart dropped into my stomach.

Damon didn’t look away. “It seems it is.”

I stepped back, shaking my head. “No. No, that’s wrong. I can’t… I’m not…”

“You’re my Luna,” he said simply, again.

The words hit harder than any blow, especially when my eyes caught Mom’s expression; half shock, half awe.

I wanted to deny it, to scream that he was mistaken, but the fire under my skin told another story.

The tether that had bound us from the first touch was still there, invisible but undeniable.

My mother looked between us, confusion and worry etched deep in her face. “Luna?”

He turned to her, steady, calm. “It means she’s my mate. My destined one.”

My throat went dry. “No,” I whispered, the word cracking in half. “I can’t be your Luna. You’re… you’re the Alpha.”

My mind clicked.

Standing right there… was the Alpha… of the Red Moon Pack.

The silence stretched.

I stared at him, unable to process what I was hearing. “You’re insane. I can never be your Luna” I said finally, my voice trembling despite my effort to steady it. “Do you hear yourself? You’re delusional.”

Something flickered in his eyes.

Maybe amusement, maybe, or something deeper. “Perhaps. But delusional or not, the bond is real.”

I folded my arms, trying to keep my voice firm. “Whatever bond you think this is, it’s not real. I don’t even know you.”

“You will,” he said, simply.

I blinked. “What?”

He took one step closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear. “You’re struggling. She’s sick.” His eyes flicked to my mom, then back to me. “You’re working yourself to exhaustion. I can make things easier.”

I frowned, wary. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He looked at me then, the air around him suddenly still. “It means,” he said softly, “you won’t have to fight alone anymore. You won’t have to choose between saving me and saving her.”

The pulse under my skin burned again, and my breath caught.

Before I could say anything, he added quietly, “Marry me, Maya.”

I blinked. Once. Twice. Then I laughed, a short, disbelieving sound that didn’t feel like mine. “Marry you?”

“You heard me.”

“You’ve lost your mind,” I said, shaking my head. “After everything that’s happened, you come here and, what? Propose? You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough,” he said firmly.

I stepped back, the weight of his gaze too much. “It’s time for you to go home, Alpha Damon.”

He didn’t move at first, only studied me quietly before finally nodding. “As you wish. For now.”

When he turned and left, I shut the door quickly, pressing my forehead against it as I tried to breathe again.

For a long moment, the apartment was silent.

My mother’s voice came softly from behind me. “He wasn’t lying, was he?”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.

The mark on my wrist was still glowing faintly.

***

The night air was cold when I finally stepped outside to throw out the trash, still needing air to think.

The streetlights flickered weakly, washing the road in dull yellow light.

I barely heard the footsteps until it was too late.

A figure stepped out from the shadows of the alleyway. It was tall, sleek, wearing black from head to toe.

Her perfume was sharp, almost metallic.

“Well, well,” she drawled, her voice laced with venom. “So, you’re the little human everyone’s suddenly talking about.”

I froze. “Do I know you?”

She smirked. “No. But you should know who you’re meddling with.” She took a step closer, her eyes gleaming with something feral. “Stay away from Damon. He’s not yours to claim.”

My pulse jumped. “You’ve got the wrong person.”

“Oh, I don’t think I do.” Her smile widened, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You may have his attention now, but if you know what’s good for you, you’ll walk away before you regret it.”

My throat tightened. “Who are you?”

“Someone who doesn’t give a warning twice,” she said simply, her voice dropping into a deadly whisper.

Then, with one last sharp look, she turned and disappeared back into the shadows.

I stood there frozen, the chill in my bones deeper than the cold wind.

And for the first time that night, I realized, whatever I’d been pulled into, it wasn’t just fate.

It was danger.