Chapter 64: Elena Meets Damien
1045 Words
Elena's POV
My head was pounding. I felt like I'd been underwater, my ears muffled and every breath thick with fog. Voices echoed around me—soft and distant, but becoming clearer.
"Why don't we just kill her already?" a rough voice hissed.
"The boss said not yet," another replied. "Said she’s worth more alive."
My eyes fluttered open. The room was dim, and the air reeked of damp concrete and old wood. My arms ached from being tied behind me. When my vision cleared, I saw them—two men, both tall, filthy, and grinning like hunters circling prey.
One of them noticed I was awake and stepped closer. His grin widened as he crouched, his fingers brushing through my hair like I was some ragdoll.
"Awake, sweetheart?" he whispered, his breath foul and warm against my skin. His hand grazed my jaw and began trailing lower.
I nearly pucked!
I turned my head away, purely disgusted, and bit back the urge to scream. He leaned in, whispering things that made my stomach twist. His hand was sliding down my side when…
A loud c***k split the air.
The man cried out, his wrist bent at an unnatural angle. Behind him stood another man—taller, cloaked in black, his face cold, hidden behind a mask.
"Touch her again," he said in a low voice, letting go of the man’s arm, who now cradled it in pain.
The other men backed away quickly.
"Out," the man barked. "All of you. Useless rats, can't even complete a simple task."
They scurried like cockroaches, leaving the room one by one. My chest heaved, my heart still racing. He turned to me and knelt, untying the ropes from my hands.
"Who are you?" I whispered, voice hoarse.
He gave a small, almost amused smile. "Don't worry, I'm a friend. You should go now. They won’t stay gone for long."
I didn’t wait to ask more questions. I scrambled to my feet and ran. Down the hallway, through the rusted doors, ignoring the shouts behind me as someone screamed, "He's not the boss!"
I didn’t stop running.
The cool air hit my face as I ran until my legs gave out, crouching behind a tree, gasping for breath. Then, a car pulled up.
It was a sleek black one bearing the Alpha’s crest. Relief flooded my veins as the door opened.
"Miss Elena? Get in."
I didn’t ask who sent them—though I had a pretty good guess. I just climbed in, letting the soft seats swallow me as the car pulled away. Home…well, the mansion was just minutes away.
Once there, I stepped out and headed to the hallway. Just as I was about to go up the stairs, something caught my ear—a noise, coming from the training grounds out back.
I followed it.
Past the corridor, through the side garden, and then there he was. A blur of movement, sweat glistening on skin, his hair falling over sharp eyes. He twirled his spear with deadly precision, his body moving gracefully.
He stopped suddenly.
"Who's there?" he called out.
I hesitated, then stepped forward. "I heard noise. I thought I should come check it out."
He didn’t respond at first. He just moved fast—too fast. Suddenly, the spear was at my throat, pinning me lightly against a tree.
"Next time, don’t sneak up on me," he said with a laugh.
He dropped the spear and stepped back, pushing hair from his eyes. "Name’s Damien. Guess I’m your soon-to-be husband."
I blinked. This was not the man I had seen that day. His voice wasn’t demonic or echoing with rage. It was… normal. Annoying, even.
"You’re not how I imagined you’d be," I muttered.
"Good. I like disappointing people," he replied with a grin. "Now go inside. This isn’t princess business."
I walked over to the weapon stand and grabbed a bow. In one swift motion, I notched an arrow and let it fly—dead center.
Damien raised an eyebrow. "Impressive. Think fast."
Before I could move, he threw a spear. I ducked, grabbed it from the ground, and tried to throw it back—only to be stopped by his fist in my gut.
I gasped, doubling over, but then swung my leg and kicked him backward.
He stumbled, then laughed. "You’re full of surprises, aren't you?"
"You’ve got no idea," I shot back.
"Damien," a sharp voice called.
We both turned. The queen stood at the edge of the courtyard, her eyes like sharp knives.
"Inside. Now."
Damien’s whole body shifted. The smile dropped. His jaw tightened. But he obeyed.
She came down to him and whispered something in his ear—too quiet for me to hear—and then his face went pale. He turned and walked inside without another word.
The queen approached me. "You’ve had an eventful day, haven't you, princess?" she said simply.
"You could say that."
She smiled faintly. "Oh, I almost forgot. Someone’s here to see you. From your kingdom. He’s in the living room."
My heart skipped. "Who is it?"
"Why don't you go see huh?"
I nodded and headed inside. My boots echoed on the polished floor as I reached the living room, then stopped.
"Uncle Eli?"
He turned, and I ran into his arms.
"My dear girl," he said, holding me tightly. "I’ve missed you."
"What are you doing here? Is everything okay?"
His expression darkened.
"That’s why I came, Elena. A lot has happened since you left. Lucy sent me. She wanted you to hear it from someone you trust."
"What happened?" My voice shook.
He took my hands. "Your father’s brother is alive. He’s returned… and he’s taken the throne."
I stumbled back. "No… wait, what do you mean he's alive? Did he die before? Dad has a brother?!”
"Yes, but your Father killed him years ago—or so we all thought."
My head spun.
"So what did my mom say?" I asked.
Eli looked at me and asked me to sit down first as he explained everything to me in detail.
I got up and shouted, “What do you mean my mom's getting married to him?"
This has to be some sort of joke…
- Writer
