Chapter 3
1184 Words
Serena awoke to the sharp sound of knocking at her door. Her entire body protested as she sat up, her muscles sore from the grueling tasks of the day before. The door creaked open, revealing Lena’s stern face.
“Get up,” Lena said briskly. “You have work to do.”
Serena sighed, pushing herself off the narrow cot. The thin blanket fell away, leaving her shivering in the cold morning air. She quickly dressed in the plain garments Lena had given her, the coarse fabric chafing her skin.
As she followed Lena into the dimly lit hallway, Serena couldn’t shake the unease lingering in her chest. The growls she’d heard the previous night echoed in her mind, and Damon’s furious warning replayed over and over.
The morning passed in a blur of chores—hauling water, scrubbing floors, and enduring the whispered comments of the staff. The other workers avoided her, but their furtive glances spoke volumes.
“She’s got his attention,” one muttered as Serena passed.
“Won’t last long,” another replied.
Serena clenched her teeth, refusing to let their words get under her skin. Damon’s coldness had already drained her; she didn’t need their disdain to add to her misery.
---
By midday, the tension in the fortress was palpable. Serena was kneeling in the kitchen, scrubbing the floor, when the air shifted. The heavy presence that always accompanied Damon’s arrival filled the room, and she looked up to see him standing in the doorway, his sharp gaze fixed on her.
“Come with me,” he ordered, his tone brooking no argument.
Serena wiped her hands on her apron and stood, following him silently through the fortress. She kept her eyes on his broad back, her heart pounding with every step.
He led her outside to the training grounds, where pack warriors were sparring. The clang of swords and grunts of exertion filled the air. Serena hesitated, unsure why Damon had brought her here.
“What is this?” she asked, breaking the silence.
“You need to understand the world you’re in now,” he said without looking at her. “This isn’t a palace. Strength is everything here.”
She bristled at his tone but said nothing, watching as two warriors circled each other, their movements precise and deadly.
As the sparring continued, a figure broke away from the group and approached them. Serena recognized him immediately—Cain, one of Damon’s most trusted enforcers. His tall frame and scarred face were intimidating, but it was the hostility in his eyes that made Serena’s stomach churn.
“Alpha,” Cain said, inclining his head toward Damon. His gaze flicked to Serena, and his lip curled in disdain. “What’s she doing here?”
“She’s observing,” Damon replied coolly.
Cain’s eyes narrowed. “She doesn’t belong here.”
Before Damon could respond, Cain’s focus shifted entirely to Serena. His voice dropped into a sneer. “A spoiled alpha’s daughter playing maid. How the mighty have fallen.”
Serena’s jaw tightened, but she refused to look away. “I don’t need your pity.”
Cain’s laugh was cold and cruel. “Pity? You’re not worth it.”
“Enough,” Damon growled, stepping between them. His dominance rolled off him in waves, silencing the murmurs of the other warriors. “Get back to training.”
Cain hesitated, his eyes flicking between Damon and Serena. The tension was thick, but finally, Cain turned and stalked away.
Serena exhaled, not realizing she’d been holding her breath. She glanced at Damon, surprised to see his hands clenched at his sides, his knuckles white.
“Why did you bring me here?” she asked, her voice quieter now.
Damon turned to her, his expression unreadable. “Because you need to learn. This isn’t your father’s pack, Serena. No one will protect you here.”
His words stung, but she refused to let him see her vulnerability. “I don’t need protection,” she said stubbornly.
Damon’s lips curved into a humorless smile. “We’ll see.”
---
The sun was beginning to set when the attack happened. Serena had returned to her room, grateful for a moment of solitude. She was seated on the cot, trying to ignore the dull ache in her muscles, when the door suddenly burst open.
Cain stood there, his face twisted with fury.
“What do you want?” Serena demanded, rising to her feet.
“You don’t belong here,” he spat, stepping closer. “You’re a weakness this pack can’t afford.”
Before she could react, Cain lunged at her. She stumbled back, fear gripping her as his hand closed around her arm.
“Let go of me!” she shouted, struggling against his grip.
But Cain was too strong. He shoved her against the wall, his face inches from hers. “No one wants you here,” he growled. “Not Damon, not the pack. You’re nothing but trouble.”
The door slammed open again, and this time it was Damon. His eyes blazed with fury, his wolf on the surface.
“Step away from her,” Damon commanded, his voice low and deadly.
Cain turned, his expression defiant. “I’m doing what you won’t,” he said. “Getting rid of her before she—”
He didn’t finish. Damon moved faster than Serena thought possible, slamming Cain into the ground with enough force to make the walls shake.
The two men grappled, but Damon was stronger, his wolf giving him an edge. His growls filled the room, primal and terrifying.
Serena pressed herself against the wall, her heart racing. She’d never seen Damon like this—completely unhinged, his control shattered.
“Mine,” Damon’s wolf snarled, his glowing eyes locked on Cain. “Touch her again, and I’ll kill you.”
Cain froze, his face pale. “Y-You can’t mean—”
“Out,” Damon growled, releasing him.
Cain scrambled to his feet and fled, leaving Serena alone with Damon.
She stared at him, her chest heaving. “What was that?”
Damon didn’t answer. He turned to her, his eyes still glowing faintly. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head, her voice failing her.
His gaze softened for a fraction of a second, but then he straightened, his cold mask slipping back into place. “Stay in your room,” he ordered.
As he turned to leave, she found her voice. “Damon.”
He paused, his back to her.
“What did you mean when you said... I was yours?”
For a moment, she thought he wouldn’t answer. Then he turned, his eyes meeting hers.
“Forget I said anything,” he said harshly before walking out and slamming the door behind him.
Serena sank to the floor, her heart pounding. This had better not be what she thinks it is, she had been praying to the moon goddess for a mate but it can't be him right?
Because if she was his mate then the bond is nothing but a curse.
- Writer
