Chapter 2: Claimed by a Lie
1094 Words
“Someone else did.”
The words didn’t just echo in Aria’s ears they shattered every last piece of stability she had left.
Her breath came out uneven. “That’s not possible,” she whispered, shaking her head. “There is no one else. You’re the only Alpha”
“Enough.”
Damian’s voice dropped, colder this time. Sharper.
But there was something else beneath it.
Something unstable.
His gaze burned into the mark on her collarbone like it offended him just by existing. Slowly, dangerously, he reached out.
Aria flinched.
His hand paused mid-air.
For a split second just a split second something flickered in his expression.
Then it hardened again.
“Don’t,” she said, her voice trembling despite her effort to sound strong.
His eyes snapped to hers.
“And why not?” he asked quietly.
Aria swallowed. “Because you already made it clear I mean nothing to you.”
The words should have felt empowering.
Instead, they hurt.
Damian stepped closer.
Too close.
“You talk too much for someone who was just thrown out of her pack,” he murmured.
Before she could react
His fingers brushed her collarbone.
Aria gasped.
The moment he touched the mark, a surge of heat exploded through her body sharp, electric, overwhelming. Her knees buckled, and she would have fallen if his hand hadn’t shot out to grip her waist.
“Damian!”
Her voice broke as another wave hit her.
Her wolf stirred violently inside her, restless, desperate… responding.
To him.
His grip tightened.
And then
A low growl ripped from his chest.
Not human.
Not controlled.
Possessive.
Aria froze.
His eyes had changed.
The gold was brighter now. Wilder.
Hungry.
“What… did you do?” he demanded, his voice rough, like he was fighting something inside himself.
“I didn’t do anything!” she cried, trying to push away, but her body betrayed her leaning into his touch instead of resisting.
It was wrong.
Everything about this was wrong.
“You expect me to believe that?” he snapped.
Another pulse shot through her, stronger this time.
Aria whimpered.
And Damian felt it.
She knew he did.
Because his expression darkened.
“This mark is reacting to me,” he said slowly, dangerously. “Which means”
He stopped.
His jaw clenched.
Like he didn’t want to say the words out loud.
Aria’s heart pounded.
“Which means what?” she whispered.
Silence stretched between them.
Heavy. Suffocating.
Then
“It means,” Damian said, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper, “that whatever this is… it’s tied to me.”
Aria stared at him.
“That doesn’t make sense,” she said quickly. “You said you didn’t mark me”
“I didn’t.”
“Then how”
“I said I didn’t,” he repeated, his tone final.
The air grew tense again.
Aria wrapped her arms around herself, trying to steady her shaking body. “Then maybe it’s a mistake,” she said. “Maybe it will fade.”
The moment the words left her mouth
Something shifted.
Damian went still.
Dangerously still.
“Say that again.”
Her heart skipped. “I said… maybe it will fade”
“It won’t.”
The certainty in his voice sent a chill down her spine.
“You don’t know that,” she shot back, frustration bubbling through her fear. “You rejected me, remember? So whatever this is it has nothing to do with you.”
The lie tasted bitter.
Because her body still reacted to him.
Because her wolf refused to calm down.
Because deep down
She didn’t believe her own words.
Damian took another step forward.
Aria stepped back.
He followed.
She retreated again.
Until her back hit the cold wall behind her.
Trapped.
Her breath quickened.
“Nothing to do with me?” he repeated, his voice low and dangerous.
His hand slammed against the wall beside her head.
Aria flinched.
“You think I don’t feel it?” he growled.
Her eyes widened.
“Every time you breathe,” he continued, his gaze locking onto hers, “my wolf reacts.”
Her heart stuttered.
“That shouldn’t be happening,” he said, more to himself now, his jaw tight. “Not after I rejected you.”
Aria’s pulse pounded in her ears.
“Then let me go,” she whispered. “If I mean nothing, then why are you still here?”
Silence.
Damian’s eyes searched hers.
Intense.
Conflicted.
Dangerous.
For a moment
Just a moment
She thought he might actually let her go.
Then
“No.”
The word dropped like a verdict.
Aria’s breath caught. “What?”
“You’re not leaving,” he said flatly.
Her stomach dropped.
“You already threw me out,” she reminded him, anger flashing through her fear. “You made it very clear I don’t belong”
“That was before.”
Before?
Before what?
Before the mark?
Before this connection?
Before he started acting like
“You don’t get to decide my life!” she snapped, pushing against his chest.
Big mistake.
His hand shot out, grabbing her wrist.
Firm.
Unyielding.
“Everything about you,” he said quietly, his voice darkening with something possessive, “just became my problem.”
Aria’s heart raced wildly.
“I’m not your problem,” she said, her voice shaking.
“No,” he corrected slowly.
His grip tightened slightly.
“You’re something far worse.”
A chill ran down her spine.
“What does that even mean?”
Damian’s gaze dropped briefly to her stomach.
So fast she almost missed it.
Almost.
Her breath hitched.
Why would he look there?
Before she could ask
Footsteps approached.
Fast.
Urgent.
Both of them turned.
A guard rushed into the courtyard, his face pale.
“My Alpha”
He stopped abruptly when he saw Aria.
Then his eyes dropped.
To her mark.
Fear flashed across his face.
Damian noticed.
“What is it?” he demanded.
The guard hesitated.
And that hesitation was enough to make the tension snap.
“Speak,” Damian growled.
The guard swallowed hard.
“There’s… there’s someone at the gate.”
Aria frowned.
“At this hour?”
The guard’s voice dropped.
Shaken.
“She’s claiming to be your mate.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Explosive.
Aria’s heart stopped.
Slowly
Very slowly
She turned to look at Damian.
But he was already staring at her.
His expression unreadable.
Dangerous.
And then
The guard delivered the final blow.
“She has a mark too.”
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