I spent the entire night staring up at the ceiling of my room, completely unable to sleep. My mind kept replaying every single word Damian had said to me in the hall.
Did he really mean what he said?
Damian was right about one thing, Kael did have a soft spot for me. I had noticed the subtle shifts in Kael's behavior, the way he supported me , the way his gaze lingered a second too long and the way he had stepped in to protect me from Lawson. But I never in a million years imagined Damian would ask me to use that against him.
What was his true motive? Hearing him lay out that dark plan had left me simultaneously shocked and thrilled. Seducing Kael was not just a wild idea, it was the absolute best way to get close to him, uncover the hidden truth behind my past life's murder and deliver the ultimate revenge.
Yet, part of me was still conflicted and uncertain. I needed to know if Damian was truly serious before I took a step I could never undo or maybe it was just a test to see if I'd actually do it....after all he assumed so once he'd do it again. i decided I was going to confront him first thing in the morning.
Early the next morning, I waited near the side entrance of the pack house where Damian usually finished his routine. Right on cue, the heavy doors pushed open and he stepped inside.
He had just come back from his morning run, and he looked like an absolute snack. His dark hair was damp, his skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat and the heavy, intoxicating spike of his cedar scent filled the quiet space instantly. His thin shirt clung tightly to the broad, hard muscle of his chest, making him look unfairly hot.
I swallowed hard, stepping out into his path.
" Damian....may I please have a chat with you."
He ran a hand through his hair as if he were was on a mission to drive me insane.
i cleared my throat and spoke "Did you really mean what you said yesterday?"
Damian looked at me , his dark eyes locking onto mine. "Do you think I waste my breath on jokes Aria?"
Without another word, he took three long, deliberate steps forward, closing the distance between us until my back hit the cold stone wall.
He backed me right into the corner, trapping me completely.
Damian raised his large hands, pressing his right palm flat against the stone right beside my ear, while his left hand came down to rest firmly on the dip of my hip. His warm fingers gripped me tightly through the thin fabric of my dress, digging in just enough to make me gasp. He leaned in so close that his damp shirt pressed against my chest, and I could feel the intense, radiating heat rolling off his broad body.
"Do I look like I am joking to you?" Damian murmured softly, his deep, husky voice vibrating right against my sensitive skin. "Look at me and tell me if you think I am playing."
He lowered his head until his lips were hovering just millimeters away from mine. Every time he spoke, his warm breath brushed over my mouth, teasing me, making it feel like he was about to lean in and kiss me deeply right then and there.
"Damian..." I whispered feeling small, my breath hitching in my throat.
"I meant every single word," Damian whispered, his eyes dipping down to my lips before rising back to meet my gaze. "I want you in his bed, Aria. I want you driving him completely out of his mind until he cannot think about the pack, the throne or anything else."
"And if I say no?" I gasped out, my hands trembling against the cool stone behind me.
"You will not say no," he purred, his left hand slowly sliding up from my hip to cup the side of my waist, pulling my body flush against his hard thighs. "You want this just as much as I do don't you ?"
My heart slammed wildly against my ribs, a sudden surge of electricity shooting through my spine.
"You need to do exactly as I say," Damian continued, his thumb tracing slow, heavy circles into my skin through my dress. "Seduce him. Make him lose his focus and no one can ever find out about this. Not the guards, not the pack and definitely not Natalie. If she finds out, she will ruin everything. Do you understand me?"
"I understand," I breathed, barely able to keep my voice steady.
"Good girl," Damian murmured, his voice dropping into a dark, thick growl that sent a dangerous shiver straight down my body.
His lips brushed against the soft spot right beneath my ear, his breath hot against my neck. "Come to the courtyard at three o'clock today. No training today. Instead, I will give you the full plan. I am going to send a dress to your room before then. You must wear it and look your absolute best. I want you looking so delicious he will not be able to keep his eyes off you."
"What kind of dress?" I managed to ask, my eyes fluttering shut for a fraction of a second.
"The kind that leaves nothing to his imagination," Damian whispered against my skin. " And trust me your body is more than perfect just the way it is..."
He lingered for one agonizing second longer, his lips skimming along my jawline as he let out a low, satisfied breath. Then, he finally pulled his hand from my waist and stepped back, turning on his heel to walk down the hall without looking back.
I slid an inch down the stone wall, pressing my thighs tightly together as a sudden, intense wave of heat and wetness pooled between my legs.
My breath came out in short, ragged gasps, my core throbbing with a sharp, ache. It was the exact same overwhelming, throbbing sensation I used to feel whenever Kael would get dangerously possessive over me in the past, pinning me down and claiming every inch of me.
I stood there alone in the quiet corridor, my cheeks burning and my chest heaving out of control, completely questioning myself and everything my body was reacting to.