The Rejected Mate

Chapter5

Chapter 5

Damon's POV

I could still smell the fear in the room when I stepped inside. Lyra stood frozen, her hand was hanging midair, her eyes widened as if she couldn’t believe I had caught her.

Selene was standing opposite her, she was trembling and there was a smear of blood at her wrist where Lyra had grabbed her.

The sight of it made something in me snap.

“Lyra.” I growled again, this time on a lower darker tone.

She dropped her gaze instantly. “Damon, I didn’t mean-”

“You touched her.”

“I was only-”

“I said you touched her!” The roar came from deep inside, more beast than man. My control slipped for just a second.

Lyra flinched back even when Selene took a step away from me. The wolf in me pushed harder against the surface. It did not like anyone near our mate, not even my Lyra.

Especially not her, I forced myself to breathe slowly.

“She is under my protection.” I said finally, my voice was cold.

“You will not raise a hand against her again.”

Lyra bowed her head, but her eyes still burned. “Understood.”

I turned from her, my chest was tight with anger “Leave.”

She hesitated. “Damon-”

“Now.”

Lyra stormed out, slamming the door behind her. The silence that followed was deafening. I could still hear Selene’s uneven breathing behind me.

I did not turn, I couldn’t because if I did, I might do something reckless like reach for her, like let the bond pull me closer.

Instead, I said as I tried to put my emotions in order “You should not have provoked her.”

“She came at me first.” She said in a quiet steady voice.

“I do not care.” I said, keeping my tone even.

“You are in my house you do not make enemies you can not fight.”

“I did not ask to be here.” She shot back.

Her words silenced me, I glanced at her then, and for a second, our eyes met. The defiance there was mixed with exhaustion and something deeper that hit harder than I expected.

I looked away. “Stay in your room.” I muttered, walking out before my wolf could betray me again.

**********

Lyra’s return celebration was held in the evening in the main hall. I hadn’t planned it. She had been gone for weeks on patrol duty, handling border threats and keeping the rogues from moving too close.

The hall was filled with candlelight, filled with laughter and music. I stood at the head table, the Alpha they expected composed, unreadable, untouchable.

Lyra was standing at my side, all smiles now, as if the scene in my house had never happened. She laughed with the others, her hand occasionally brushing my arm like a silent reminder that everyone saw her as my partner.

But my eyes went elsewhere. Selene was sitting alone at the edge of the hall, she was dressed plainly, her eyes were fixed on the floor. The bond burst between us. It was faint but insistent and I ignored it.

She should not have been here but Ronan insisted the guards couldn’t keep her locked up during a full pack gathering without drawing suspicion.

Lyra raised her glass. “To the Nightshade Pack.” She said, smiling sweetly. “And to our Alpha, who never falters.”

Applause followed, I forced a tight smile and lifted my own glass. A servant filled it again. It was a red wine shining under the light.

I reached for the glass and that was when I saw her.

Selene stood up suddenly, her eyes widened. She was pale like her face was whiter than snow. Her eyes flicked from my glass to one of the servants, then back to me.

Before I could speak, she moved very fast she crossed the room, shoving past chairs and startled wolves.

“Don’t drink that!” She shouted and the room froze.

I frowned, lowering the glass. “What?”

But she did not stop, she snatched the cup from my hand and before I could stop her, she drank it.

“Selene-!”

I shouted her name but it was too late, she coughed once then again and again. And then the glass slipped from her fingers, shattering against the floor.

Blood spilled from her lips and the hall erupted in screams.

“Selene!” I caught her before she hit the ground.

Her body convulsed in my arms, her eyes were rolling back, blood staining the corner of her mouth.

“Get the doctor!” I barked, my voice was shaking with an anger that I could not contain.

“Now!” I growled, my wolf threatened to take control.

Lyra was standing near us. She was frozen in place, the color draining from her face due to the shock Ronan shoved past her, and he started shouting orders.

I pressed a hand against Selene’s throat. Her pulse was weak, fading fast.

“Stay with me.” I growled. “Don’t you dare-”

Her fingers twitched against mine, and she whispered, her voice was faint and trembling, “I told you… not to drink it…”

Then her body went limp, my chest went cold. The hall turned into chaos around me shouting, footsteps, panic.

Someone had tried to kill me and she had taken the poison instead.