CHAPTER 14: The Rogue Returns
684 Words
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*CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA*
*CHAPTER 14: The Rogue Returns*
_∼
*Day 44*
The bond felt wrong.
All day.
Static.
Like a bad signal.
Damon felt it too.
He came home early.
“Something’s off,” he said.
“What?”
“I don’t know. The territory feels... watched.”
We didn’t know how right he was.
---
*10:47 PM. Kitchen.*
I was making tea.
Alone.
Damon was on a call in his office.
The lights flickered.
Then died.
Generator didn’t kick in.
“Clara?”
No answer.
Footsteps.
Behind me.
I turned.
And froze.
Him.
One of them.
The rogue.
From 42 days ago.
The one Damon thought he killed.
Scar across his face.
Eyes black.
Smiling.
“You look good, little omega. All claimed up now?”
I couldn’t breathe.
“Where’s Damon?”
“Oh he’s busy. I made sure of that.”
He moved.
Fast.
Hand around my throat.
The bond EXPLODED.
Pain.
Damon’s pain.
Because he felt me.
“LET HER GO!”
Damon.
Door broken off the hinges.
The rogue threw me.
I hit the counter.
Air knocked out.
Then Damon was on him.
No words.
No warning.
Just rage.
They crashed through the kitchen.
Table. Chairs. Glass.
Blood.
Not mine.
His.
The rogue’s.
But Damon was hurt.
Stitches opened.
Side bleeding.
“ABI! GET OUT!” Damon yelled.
I didn’t.
I ran to him.
The rogue grabbed a knife.
From the block.
Went for Damon’s back.
“NO!”
I jumped.
Between them.
The blade went into my shoulder.
Not deep.
But it burned.
Everything went quiet.
---
*After.*
I don’t remember much.
Damon screaming.
His hands on me.
“Don’t you touch her. DON’T YOU TOUCH HER!”
Guards.
Police.
Ambulance.
The rogue dead.
Damon killed him.
With his bare hands.
And me.
In Damon’s arms.
“Stay with me, brave girl. Stay with me.”
---
*Hospital. 2am.*
4 stitches.
Superficial.
Lucky.
Damon wouldn’t leave.
Sat on the bed.
Me in his lap.
Bandaged.
Shaking.
“I’m sorry,” he kept saying.
“For what?”
“For not getting there faster. For letting him in.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“It was.”
He was crying.
Damon Blackwood.
Crying.
“I thought I lost you. Again.”
“You didn’t.”
“I almost did.”
He buried his face in my neck.
Right over the mark.
“I can’t lose you, Abi. Not now. Not ever.”
“You won’t.”
---
*Morning. Day 45.*
We went home.
New security.
New cameras.
New everything.
Damon didn’t go to work.
Didn’t leave my side.
Not for 24 hours.
He slept in my bed.
No, OUR bed now.
Arm around me.
Checking I was breathing.
On day 2, he finally talked.
“I’m moving the pack here,” he said.
“What?”
“To the estate. All of them. If they want me, they go through 200 Alphas first.”
“That’s extreme.”
“So is someone trying to kill you.”
He looked at me.
Eyes dark.
“I’m done being careful, Abi. I’m done playing defense.”
---
*Night. Day 46.*
We were on the floor.
Again.
Our spot.
Me leaning on him.
His chin on my head.
“My shoulder hurts,” I whispered.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault.”
“It is.”
Silence.
Then:
“Abi.”
“What?”
“If I ever have to choose between the company and you, I choose you.”
“Damon—”
“Every time. You. Always you.”
He kissed my hair.
“My mate.”
The word didn’t scare me anymore.
It felt like home.
---
*11:59pm. Text.*
*Unknown: I put 20 guards on your door. Don’t be mad.*
*Me: I’m not mad. I’m safe.*
*Unknown: Good. Because I can’t do that again. Almost losing you.*
*Me: You won’t. I’m not going anywhere.*
*Unknown: Promise?*
*Me: Promise. Forever.*
Bound by his name.
For 50+ chapters.
And someone tried to take me from him.
They failed.
---
_END OF CHAPTER 14_
- Writer
