Claimed In Public
1005 Words
The room felt seconds away from exploding.
Logan stood near the entrance breathing heavily while Damien remained calm beside me, which honestly looked far more dangerous. Neither Alpha looked willing to back down, and unfortunately, I was standing directly between them.
Fantastic.
Logan’s eyes burned into Damien coldly. “I asked you a question.”
Damien slipped one hand into his pocket casually. “And I chose not to answer.”
The tension instantly worsened.
My wolf shifted nervously inside me while heavy Alpha energy filled the mansion. Even Ethan looked uncomfortable now, which probably meant things were officially bad.
Logan looked at me again. “Ava. Come here.”
The command in his voice made anger flare inside my chest immediately.
Three years.
Three years of hiding me like a dirty secret.
And now suddenly he wanted to act possessive?
Absolutely not.
I crossed my arms tightly. “No.”
Logan blinked once like he genuinely didn’t expect me to refuse him.
“Ava—”
“No.” My voice became sharper this time. “You don’t get to order me around after tonight.”
His jaw tightened instantly.
“You’re upset.”
I laughed in disbelief. “Wow. Really? What gave it away? Was it the cheating or the part where you told me to get rid of our baby?”
Silence crashed through the room.
Even Ethan slowly looked away awkwardly.
Good.
Let Logan feel uncomfortable for once.
Logan lowered his voice slightly. “This isn’t the place to discuss this.”
“Oh, now you care about privacy?” I asked bitterly.
His expression hardened.
Damien suddenly stepped forward slightly beside me.
Not aggressively.
Protectively.
And Logan noticed immediately.
Big mistake.
His eyes darkened dangerously. “Move away from her.”
Damien remained calm. “You lost the right to make demands the second you threw her away.”
The air suddenly became suffocating.
Alpha pressure slammed through the room hard enough to make my knees weaken slightly.
Logan growled low in his throat. “You think I won’t fight you?”
Damien’s expression barely changed.
“I think you’re emotional and making stupid decisions.”
Ethan muttered quietly from the corner, “This is definitely ending in violence.”
Honestly?
He was probably right.
Logan suddenly looked at me again. “You’re seriously staying here tonight?”
I lifted my chin slightly. “Yes.”
The answer clearly made him angrier than expected.
“Ava, he’s using you.”
Damien raised one eyebrow slowly. “Interesting accusation coming from you.”
Logan ignored him completely. “You don’t know him.”
“And apparently I never knew you either,” I shot back.
That finally hit him.
For the first time tonight, guilt flashed briefly across Logan’s face.
Good.
He deserved it.
“Ava,” he said more quietly this time, “I know you’re hurt.”
“Hurt?” I repeated softly. “You cheated on me, humiliated me, rejected our baby, and told me to disappear because I’d ruin your reputation.”
His silence confirmed everything.
I shook my head slowly while tears burned painfully behind my eyes again.
“I loved you so much,” I admitted quietly. “And you made me feel disposable.”
Something in Logan’s expression cracked slightly.
But honestly?
Too late.
Way too late.
Damien must have noticed me struggling because his voice became calmer beside me.
“You should sit down.”
The concern in his voice made Logan visibly tense again.
“I don’t need you taking care of her,” Logan snapped.
Damien finally looked annoyed. “Then perhaps you should have done it yourself.”
Ouch.
Even Ethan looked impressed by that one.
Logan stepped forward angrily, but before anyone could react, dizziness suddenly hit me hard.
The room spun slightly.
My hand immediately grabbed the nearest thing beside me.
Damien.
His arm wrapped around my waist instantly before I could fall.
“Ava.”
Everything went quiet.
Logan’s face changed immediately. “What happened?”
“I’m fine,” I muttered weakly.
Damien looked unconvinced. “You’re pale.”
“I said I’m fine.”
Which was obviously a lie because nausea rolled through me seconds later.
Pregnancy.
Stress.
No food until tonight.
My body officially hated me.
Damien guided me carefully toward the couch without removing his hand from my waist.
The small action somehow made the atmosphere even worse.
Because Logan looked furious.
Not normal angry.
Possessive angry.
His eyes locked onto Damien’s hand like he wanted to rip it off.
“You need a doctor,” Logan said immediately.
I stared at him blankly.
Now he cared?
Interesting timing.
“I’m not discussing this with you tonight.”
“Ava—”
“No.” My voice came out tired now instead of angry. “You don’t get to suddenly act concerned after telling me to get rid of our child.”
The guilt on his face returned instantly.
Good.
Let it haunt him.
Damien crouched slightly in front of me, his attention completely focused on my face. “Can you breathe properly?”
I nodded slowly.
“I’m okay. Just dizzy.”
His jaw tightened slightly anyway.
Logan noticed every second of the interaction.
And judging by the dangerous look on his face…
He absolutely hated it.
“Amazing,” Ethan muttered quietly nearby. “Now there are definitely feelings involved.”
Neither Alpha looked away from each other.
The tension between them felt sharp enough to cut skin.
Then Logan said something that made the entire room freeze.
“If you touch my mate again,” he said coldly to Damien, “I’ll kill you.”
Silence.
Complete silence.
And for the first time all night…
Damien Blackwood smiled.
Not a friendly smile.
Not a calm smile.
A dangerous one.
Then his dark eyes shifted toward me briefly before returning to Logan.
“Funny,” Damien said softly. “Because she doesn’t look like she wants you claiming her anymore.”
- Writer
