Dark Moon Rising

Chapter 7 - Megan's POV

The electric sensation from his touch lingered on my skin long after he released my hand. I flexed my fingers, trying to make sense of what I'd just felt. It wasn't painful, but it was... intense. Like every nerve ending had suddenly come alive.

"What was that?" I whispered.

"The beginning of the mate bond," Damien said gently. "It gets stronger the more time we spend together, the more we touch."

I took an instinctive step back, and something that looked like hurt flashed in his green eyes before he quickly masked it.

"Hey," Max called from behind us. "Not to break up the supernatural romance moment, but we should keep moving. Samuel's wolves have noses just as good as yours, Alpha."

Damien nodded curtly, but his eyes never left mine. "Are you okay?"

The question seemed to hold more weight than just asking about my physical state. Was I okay? I'd been running for months, had been kidn*pped, nearly assaulted, and now I was apparently mated to a man I'd known for less than an hour.

"I'm fine," I lied.

His jaw tightened like he knew I wasn't being truthful, but he didn't call me on it. "Let's go."

The rest of the walk to his truck passed in relative silence. I found myself stealing glances at him when I thought he wasn't looking, trying to reconcile this protective stranger with the idea that he was supposedly my destined mate. He moved with predatory grace, constantly scanning our surroundings, and I noticed how he positioned himself between me and any potential threats without making it obvious.

When we finally reached the vehicle—a massive black pickup truck that looked like it could drive through a brick wall—I hesitated.

"Second thoughts?" Damien asked, his hand on the driver's door handle.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere safe."

"That's not an answer."

He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "My pack territory. It's about an hour north of here."

"Your pack." The words felt strange in my mouth. I'd been alone for so long that the idea of being around other wolves was both terrifying and oddly appealing.

"They won't hurt you, Megan. You're under my protection now."

"And what if I don't want your protection?"

The question hung in the air between us. Max cleared his throat awkwardly and climbed into the back seat, clearly wanting no part of this conversation.

"Then you can leave whenever you want," Damien said finally. "But at least let me keep you safe until we figure out why Samuel wants you so badly. And why you can't access your wolf."

The mention of my missing wolf sent a familiar ache through my chest. "What if there's nothing to figure out? What if I'm just... broken?"

"You're not broken." The fierce certainty in his voice made me look up at him. "You're something else entirely. Something special."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because the Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes. She wouldn't have mated us if you weren't exactly who you're supposed to be."

I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to believe him so badly it hurt. But I'd spent too many years being disappointed to trust that easily.

"One night," I said finally. "I'll come with you for one night. But if I want to leave tomorrow, you won't stop me."

"Deal."

He opened the passenger door for me, and I climbed in, immediately surrounded by his scent. The cab of the truck smelled like pine and rain and something uniquely him that made my stomach flutter in ways I didn't want to analyze.

As we drove through the darkening forest, I found myself relaxing for the first time in months. The steady rumble of the engine and Damien's calm presence were oddly soothing, and before I knew it, my eyelids were growing heavy.

"Sleep," he said softly. "I'll wake you when we get there."

"I don't—"

"When's the last time you felt safe enough to actually sleep, Megan?"

The question hit me like a physical blow. I couldn't remember. Even before my mother disappeared, we'd always been running, always looking over our shoulders.

"I'll keep you safe," Damien promised, and something in his voice made me believe him.

I closed my eyes and, for the first time in months, let sleep take me.