Claimed By The Alpha King

Chapter Six: Damien

I stared at the guard.

Then at Lucien.

Then back at the guard.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Damien was here?

Why?

After everything he had done?

Lucien's expression remained cold.

"Bring him in."

The guard nodded and left.

I immediately stood up.

"I don't want to see him."

Lucien looked at me.

"Then don't."

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Lucien sat down calmly.

"It means nobody is forcing you."

Easy for him to say.

He wasn't the one whose mate had publicly rejected him.

A few minutes later, footsteps echoed outside.

Then the door opened.

Damien walked in.

The moment I saw him, my chest tightened.

Not because I still loved him.

But because the memory still hurt.

His eyes immediately landed on me.

For a second, relief flashed across his face.

As if he was happy to see me.

I almost laughed.

Almost.

"What are you doing here?" I asked coldly.

Damien looked uncomfortable.

Very uncomfortable.

"I came to talk."

"Then leave."

His face darkened.

"Elena."

"No."

The room became silent.

Damien looked shocked.

Maybe because I wasn't crying.

Maybe because I wasn't begging.

Maybe because I wasn't the same girl anymore.

His eyes moved around the room.

Then landed on Lucien.

For the first time, I noticed the jealousy in them.

Real jealousy.

"You're staying here?" Damien asked.

Lucien looked bored.

"Obviously."

Damien clenched his fists.

I almost rolled my eyes.

Now he wanted to act possessive?

After rejecting me?

Please.

"I made a mistake."

The words surprised me.

For a second, I thought I heard wrong.

"What?"

Damien looked at me.

"I made a mistake."

I laughed.

A bitter laugh.

"You rejected me in front of the entire pack."

Damien looked away.

"I know."

"You chose Sophia."

His jaw tightened.

"I know."

"And now you're saying it was a mistake?"

Damien didn't answer.

Because there was no good answer.

The room became silent.

Then Lucien suddenly spoke.

"What exactly do you want?"

His voice was calm.

Dangerously calm.

Damien looked at him.

Then at me.

"I want Elena back."

The room froze.

Even I froze.

Then I laughed.

This time for real.

"You can't be serious."

"I'm serious."

I shook my head.

"You rejected me."

"I know."

"The bond is broken."

"I know."

"Then what exactly do you want from me?"

For the first time, Damien looked desperate.

"I wasn't thinking clearly."

I stared at him.

This was the same man who humiliated me in front of hundreds of people.

Now he wanted a second chance?

Absolutely not.

"I don't forgive you."

Damien's face fell.

Good.

For once, he knew how it felt.

Then Lucien stood up.

The atmosphere immediately changed.

His golden eyes locked onto Damien.

"Leave."

Damien frowned.

"I'm talking to Elena."

Lucien took one step forward.

Just one.

Yet the room suddenly felt colder.

"You've said enough."

Damien's fists tightened.

For a second, I thought he might argue.

Then he remembered who he was talking to.

The Alpha King.

The strongest Alpha alive.

Damien slowly looked at me.

"Elena."

I didn't answer.

"I'm not giving up."

I rolled my eyes.

Too late.

Way too late.

Then Damien finally left.

The moment the door closed, I released a breath.

I didn't even realize I was holding it.

Lucien sat back down.

As if nothing happened.

I looked at him.

"Thank you."

The words surprised both of us.

Lucien raised an eyebrow.

"For what?"

"For kicking him out."

A small smirk appeared on his face.

"I wasn't helping you."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Then why did you do it?"

Lucien looked at me.

For a long moment, he said nothing.

Then he spoke.

"Because he was annoying me."

I laughed.

The first real laugh I had in days.

For some reason, Lucien stared at me.

Not saying anything.

Just watching.

My smile slowly faded.

"What?"

Lucien remained quiet.

Then suddenly stood up.

His expression had changed.

The amusement was gone.

Completely gone.

I followed his gaze.

He was looking at the window.

A chill ran down my spine.

"What is it?"

Lucien didn't answer.

A low growl escaped his throat.

His wolf.

The door suddenly burst open.

One of the guards rushed inside.

His face was pale.

Terrified.

"Alpha King!"

Lucien immediately stepped forward.

"What happened?"

The guard swallowed hard.

Then pointed outside.

"They've crossed the border."

My heart started racing.

"They?"

The guard looked at me.

Then back at Lucien.

His voice shook.

"The hunters."

The room fell silent.

And for the first time since arriving at the estate.

I saw genuine concern in Lucien's eyes.