Rejected Omega: Claimed By Her Ex's Uncle

Can’t trust another Kingsley

Reina’s POV

“Zayne is my nephew,” Damon revealed as he closed the distance between us. He reached out and gently took the photo frame from my trembling fingers, his thumb brushing over the glass. “I believe this was taken when he visited me here in the capital; he must have been fifteen at the time.” A smile played on his lips, a rare look of familial affection that made my stomach twist into knots.

But then, the smile vanished. His golden eyes locked onto mine, searching for an answer. “But why are you asking about him? He became the Alpha only yesterday.” He stepped into my personal space, his presence suddenly looming. “Don’t tell me he’s the one who hurt you. Did he bully you? Did he use his status to make your life difficult?”

The darkness that flooded his expression was terrifying. It was the look of a man ready to tear the world apart for a slight against what was his.

“No,” I whispered. I couldn't bring myself to tell him the humiliating truth that Zayne hadn't just bullied me; he had shared my bed and my heart while whispering promises to another woman, then discarded me like a broken toy. What good would the truth do now? I was finally out of that pack; I didn't want to bring Zayne's thoughts into my mind again.

“Why have you gone so quiet, Reina?” Damon’s voice dropped. When I didn't answer, he snapped his fingers sharply in front of my eyes, pulling me back from the brink of my memories.

“It’s nothing.” I reached out, my movements stiff, and took the frame back to place it on the shelf.

The buried pain in my chest began to resurface. Before I could move away, I felt the solid heat of Damon’s chest press against my back. He didn't grab me, though. His hot breath fanned against the shell of my ear, sending a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with fear.

“You’re upset,” Damon whispered. “When you asked about Zayne, you looked more than surprised. You looked haunted.”

I tilted my head away. “Because I didn’t expect to get married to his uncle,” I said, trying to sound indifferent. “It’s a small, cruel world, isn’t it?”

“Reina, what are you hiding from me?”

Damon’s voice had lost its warmth, turning stern and authoritative. When I remained silent, he caught my face in his hands, forcing me to look toward him, though I kept my gaze fixed on his collarbone, refusing to meet those piercing golden eyes.

“Tell me what Zayne did to you. I swear on my honor, I will punish my nephew if he has hurt you for even a single moment,” Damon pronounced with deadly seriousness.

“Are you serious?” I challenged, a bitter laugh bubbling up in my throat. “Why would you punish your own family for a mere person like me? You barely know me.”

“Why do you always refer to yourself as someone of no use?” Damon growled, his grip on my face tightening ever so slightly, not to hurt, but to anchor me. “Reina, that is not how you speak of yourself. You are my mate. You are the Luna of Damon—”

“I am not your mate! I am not!” I screamed, the words tearing out of me with an angry edge.

I shoved against his bare chest with every ounce of strength I had, catching him off guard. The tears I had been fighting since we arrived finally spilled over my cheeks. I didn't wait for his reaction; I walked past him and bolted from the room.

“Reina!”

Damon’s voice thundered through the hallway, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. I was sick of it, sick of the empty promises, the lofty titles, and the vows that were meant to be broken. Zayne had called me his world once, too. He had promised me a lifetime of protection right before he threw me away like trash.

If his own nephew could be that cruel, what chance did I have with the Warlord? This brief, fragile sense of safety I’d felt was gone, replaced by the cold realization that I was just a pawn in another Kingsley’s game. I felt ruined, shattered, and utterly alone.

~~~~

Damon’s POV

I grabbed the first shirt I could find in the closet, not even bothering to button it properly, and followed the trail of Reina’s scent. I met Sebastian halfway down the grand staircase; he looked more ruffled than I had ever seen him.

“My Lord, Madam has run outside,” he reported quickly. “I tried to stop her, but she didn't listen. I have sent the guards after her.”

“Good,” I barked, vaulting over the last few steps.

I burst through the front entrance. Reina was surprisingly fast, her desperation giving her a speed that seemed to evade the perimeter guards. I tracked her through the manicured gardens, my wolf surging forward, guided by the scent.

I cut through a row of hedges and stepped directly into her path. She skidded to a halt, her chest heaving as she struggled for air.

“Reina, I am sorry,” I began. “I don’t know what came over you. But I swear on my life, if Zayne has hurt you, even for a second, just tell me. Is he the man... Is he the one who rejected you? Is he the one who cheated?”

I hated bringing up her trauma, but the pieces were clicking together with a sickening crunch. I took a slow step toward her.

“Don’t come near me!” she cried out, her voice cracking. “I—I can’t trust another Kingsley. I loved Zayne from the time I was a child. There was never a moment when I didn’t. He was the first person who was ever kind to me. We were fated mates! He promised me the world. He vowed his protection.” She let out a jagged, broken sob. “But he cheated on me. He threw it all away.”

The confession hit me like a slap, but what hurt me more was Reina’s tears. My own nephew had dismantled the spirit of the woman standing before me. The rage I felt toward Zayne in that moment surpassed anything I had ever felt on a battlefield.

I heard Reina sob as she spoke further. “Because I was an illegitimate daughter of my father, a respected alpha, I was abandoned when all I needed was my mate. I was of no use to him. I was nothing but a burden. Are you sure the bond you speak about now will stay the same even after some time? One Kingsley has already broken me; will the second Kingsley do the same?”

“I told you I hate being compared. Do you think I would have even bothered marrying you if I had to look into those factors, Reina? I am a man who built my name without anyone’s support. Zayne will have to pay for the crime he has committed. Blood relation or not, I won’t spare those who will hurt you, Reina. This vow will stand true till my last breath. If you want Zayne’s head, I will bring it to you. The Black Shadow Pack will face the wrath of Damon Kingsley for treating his mate badly. That is my pledge to you.”