Claimed By An Alpha

Chapter 12: Claimed By The Pack

The entire pack house was buzzing by sunset.

Word had spread.

_The Alpha marked her._

_She’s sleeping in his room._

_He said “mine” at the gates._

Lila was nervous. She stood in Damon’s room in a dress Maya picked out. Deep black. Soft fabric. It showed the mark on her neck perfectly.

Damon walked in and stopped dead.

His eyes dragged over her. Slow.

“f**k,” he breathed.

Lila blushed. “Is it too much?”

Damon crossed the room in 2 steps. He didn’t answer with words.

He cupped her face and kissed her.

Deep. Claiming. Like he was reminding himself she was his.

When he pulled back, his eyes were dark. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect. And in 10 minutes every wolf here is going to know it.”

He took her hand. Laced their fingers.

The training grounds had been turned into a circle. Torches. 200 wolves.

All of Blackthorn.

And at the front: Damon.

He led Lila to the center. The whispers died the second he raised his hand.

Damon’s arm went around Lila’s waist, pulling her flush to his side. Possessive.

“This is Lila Carter,” he said. Voice carrying. Alpha command. “My mate. My Luna.”

The crowd erupted. Some shocked. Some cheering.

Kade was in the back, face twisted.

Damon ignored him. He looked down at Lila.

“Kneel,” he whispered, just for her.

Lila did.

Damon stepped behind her. His hands came to her hair, pulling it to the side to bare her neck. To bare _his mark_.

A growl rumbled in his chest as he looked at it. Then he leaned down and pressed a kiss right over it.

The crowd went silent.

When he stood, he kept one hand on her shoulder.

“She is under my protection. Under my name. Hurt her, and you answer to me. Disrespect her, and you answer to me. Love her, and I will love you back.”

He pulled Lila to her feet and kissed her again.

Right there. In front of everyone.

It wasn’t a quick peck.

It was slow. Deep. His hand in her hair. Hers on his chest.

The kind of kiss that said _she’s mine and I’m hers_.

When they broke apart, the pack was roaring.

Damon turned her to face them, arm still around her waist.

“Blackthorn, meet your Luna.”

“Luna!” the pack chanted.

Lila’s eyes watered.

After, Damon didn’t let her go. Not once.

He introduced her to elders with his hand on the small of her back.

He fed her from his plate at the feast.

Every time another male looked at her too long, Damon’s arm tightened.

By midnight, Lila was overwhelmed. In a good way.

Damon noticed. He leaned down and murmured in her ear, “Come on, Luna. Let’s get you out of here.”

Back in his room, the door closed.

The second it did, Damon had her against it.

“Kissing me in front of the pack like that was dangerous,” Lila whispered, breathless.

Damon’s eyes were wild. “Good. Let them see. Let everyone see.”

He kissed her again. Harder this time. Desperate.

His hands were everywhere. Lifting her. Holding her. Like he couldn’t get close enough.

“I’ve wanted to do that since the day you walked in,” he said against her lips. “Claim you. In front of everyone.”

Lila’s heart was racing. “You did.”

Damon carried her to bed. Laid her down gently. Then came over her, caging her in.

He kissed her jaw. Her neck. Right over the mark.

“Mine,” he growled. “My Luna. My mate. My everything.”

Lila threaded her fingers through his hair. “Yours.”

The night was slow. Sweet. Hot.

Kisses that lasted forever. Touch that was reverent and possessive at the same time.

Whispers. Promises. Damon holding her like she was the only thing in the world.

And when it was over, he pulled her into his chest and wouldn’t let go.

“Best day of my life,” he whispered.

Lila smiled into his shoulder. “Mine too.”

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