Chapter 10 - Damien
664 Words
The moment I descended those stairs, every instinct I possessed screamed that she was here.
My mate.
The scent that had been driving James wild was intoxicating—vanilla and honey mixed with something uniquely hers that made my chest tighten with possessive need.
The man I'd been holding by the throat—Max, he'd called himself—was clearly protecting her. Even now, gasping for breath, he positioned himself between us like he actually stood a chance against an Alpha.
I had to respect that.
Even if it irritated me.
But then she stepped out from behind one of the crates.
Everything else ceased to exist.
The decrepit basement.
The rogue scent.
The meeting.
Even James's constant growling.
All of it faded into background noise.
There was only her.
She was smaller than I expected, maybe five-foot-five, just like Samuel had described. Her long brown hair fell around her shoulders in tangled waves, and her blue eyes—goddess, those eyes—looked like a storm rolling across the ocean.
Fear lingered in them.
But so did defiance.
Even with the slight tremble in her hands, she stood tall.
Strong.
Beautiful.
Mine.
Mate, James whispered reverently.
For the first time in hours, he was completely calm.
"My name is Damien, and I am your mate, my dear," I said, forcing my voice to remain gentle despite the possessive growl threatening to escape. "Now, what is your name, and why are you in a place like this?"
She stared at me as though I'd suddenly grown a second head.
"Your... your mate?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
I immediately noticed the slight southern drawl.
It suited her.
"That's impossible," she continued. "I would know if... I mean, I don't have..."
Pain flashed across her face before she cut herself off.
Confusion.
Fear.
Heartbreak.
There was a story there.
A painful one.
Before I could ask, Max struggled back to his feet.
"Megan, we need to leave. Now."
The name settled into my mind instantly.
Megan.
Beautiful.
It fit her perfectly.
"If he found you, Samuel can't be far behind."
Samuel.
The name hit me like a punch to the chest.
My wolf instantly growled.
Every piece of the puzzle suddenly snapped into place.
The Alpha meeting.
Samuel's obsession.
The description he'd given earlier.
The way James had reacted the moment Samuel started talking about her.
This wasn't Samuel's mate.
This was mine.
And Samuel had been hunting her.
A dangerous growl rumbled deep within my chest.
I looked back at Megan.
The fear in her eyes.
The exhaustion.
The bruises on her wrists.
The way she instinctively positioned herself closer to Max, clearly expecting me to be another threat.
Rage exploded inside me.
Not at her.
Not at Max.
At Samuel.
Everything that male had said during the meeting had been a lie.
He didn't love her.
He wanted to possess her.
Control her.
Own her.
James's lips peeled back from his teeth.
Mine.
The word echoed through both of us.
No.
Not mine.
Not like Samuel meant.
She wasn't property.
She wasn't a prize.
She was my mate.
And somebody had spent years making her run.
I took a slow breath and forced my anger back down.
The last thing she needed was another Alpha growling at her.
"Megan," I said quietly, keeping my eyes locked on hers. "I'm not going to hurt you."
She immediately looked skeptical.
Honestly, I couldn't blame her.
A strange male had just appeared out of nowhere, nearly killed the only person currently helping her, and announced they were destined mates.
Not exactly the best first impression.
Behind her, Max shifted nervously.
"We don't have time for this," he said. "Samuel will come looking."
I nodded.
For once, the rogue and I agreed.
Because if Samuel was anywhere nearby, he was about to discover something very important.
Megan wasn't his mate.
And if he wanted to take her from me...
He'd have to kill me first.
- Writer
