Chapter Twenty
1553 Words
Selene’s heart pounded, but she kept her voice light. “I was simply—”
“You were trying to humiliate Ava,” Damien cut her off. “Don’t lie to me.”
Selene swallowed. Damien never interrupted people unless he was done playing games.
“I was only making a point,” she tried again. “Ava doesn’t belong in this world. You know that better than anyone.”
Damien’s expression didn’t change.
But his presence did.
The air in the office felt heavier, suffocating.
Selene shifted uncomfortably, feeling the full weight of his authority.
“Listen to me carefully, Selene,” Damien said, his voice dangerously quiet. “Stay out of Ava’s way. Whatever problems you have with her—drop them.”
Selene’s lips parted in disbelief. “You’re— you’re defending her?”
“I’m giving you a warning.”
Selene clenched her fists.
Ava had done something to him. She could feel it.
But she wasn’t about to back down.
“Damien,” she softened her tone, stepping closer. “I’m just looking out for you. For our people. For the promise you made.”
Damien’s jaw tightened at the mention of the promise.
Selene took that as a sign to keep pushing.
“She’s human. She doesn’t understand our world. And she never will.”
Damien exhaled sharply, as if holding back his frustration.
“She doesn’t need to understand our world,” he said. “She just needs to be left alone.”
His meaning was clear.
Selene was running out of chances.
For the first time, she felt something close to fear.
---
Selene left Damien’s office with her head held high, but inside, she was seething.
Damien had never spoken to her like that before.
And all because of Ava.
Fine.
If Damien wanted to defend his human mate, let him.
But Selene wasn’t going to stand by and watch her take everything.
She would just have to be smarter.
And this time…
She wouldn’t get caught.
Ava sat quietly in the hospital room, the steady beeping of machines filling the silence.
Her mother, Eleanor, looked fragile in the hospital bed, her usually warm face pale under the harsh lights. Beside her, their father, Gregory, lay unconscious, his head wrapped in bandages.
It had been weeks since the accident, but the police had found nothing.
No suspects. No leads. Just an "unfortunate accident."
Ava didn’t believe that.
She had replayed the situation over and over in her mind. Her parents were careful drivers. There was no way this was a simple accident.
But without proof, there was nothing she could do.
For now, she focused on being strong for her family.
---
The door creaked open, and Vivian stepped in, carrying a cup of coffee.
“You haven’t left this room all day,” she said, setting the coffee in front of Ava.
“I’m fine,” Ava murmured, not looking away from their parents.
Vivian sighed and pulled up a chair beside her.
“You need to rest too, Ava,” she said gently. “You can’t run the company and stay here 24/7.”
Ava knew her sister was right. Ever since she left the bookstore to join Sinclair Corp, she had been balancing work, hospital visits, and taking care of Nathan.
It was exhausting.
But how could she rest when their parents were lying in these beds?
“How’s Nathan?” Ava asked instead.
Vivian gave her a tired smile. “Worried about you. But he’s focusing on his exams.”
Ava exhaled, grateful her brother was at least keeping up with school despite everything.
---
A Surprise Visitor – Damien’s Presence
Before Vivian could say more, a knock sounded at the door.
Ava turned, expecting a nurse.
Instead, Damien Blackwood stepped inside.
Her heart skipped.
Vivian frowned but didn’t say anything.
Damien’s sharp gaze swept over the room before settling on Ava.
“How are they?” he asked.
Ava hesitated. “The same.”
Damien didn’t move closer, but there was something intense in his expression.
“Have the police given you any updates?” he asked.
Ava shook her head. “No. They closed the case.”
A flicker of something dark crossed Damien’s face.
Vivian crossed her arms, stepping between them slightly. “Why are you here, Damien?”
“Just checking in.” His tone was unreadable.
Ava wasn’t sure why, but her chest felt tight.
Vivian watched Damien carefully, then sighed. “I’ll give you two a moment.”
She left, but not before throwing Damien a warning look.
---
A Private Moment
Damien stepped forward, closing the distance between them.
Ava felt small in his presence, but she refused to show it.
“You didn’t have to come,” she said.
“I know,” Damien replied. “But I did.”
His words were simple, yet they made something stir inside her.
Ava glanced at her parents, then back at Damien. “You think it wasn’t an accident, don’t you?”
Damien’s jaw clenched slightly.
“I don’t believe in coincidences,” he admitted.
Damien stood in his private lounge, his expression unreadable as he sipped his whiskey. The door opened, and Selene walked in, completely at ease—as if she hadn't almost killed two people.
“You called for me?” she said, smirking.
Damien placed his glass down, eyes sharp and cold. “You tampered with their brakes.”
Selene didn’t flinch. “I did what needed to be done.”
“What needed to be done?” His voice was dangerously quiet. “You almost killed them.”
Selene crossed her arms. “But I didn’t. And you cleaned up the mess, didn’t you? So what’s the problem?”
Damien’s jaw tightened. She wasn’t even remorseful.
“You don’t get to act on your own,” he said. “You don’t touch what’s mine.”
Selene stiffened, her smirk faltering for the first time. “Yours?”
Damien’s wolf growled inside him. He ignored it. “Ava is off-limits.”
Selene narrowed her eyes. “You’re protecting her? I thought you didn’t want her.”
“I don’t,” he said, voice clipped. “But that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want.”
Selene let out a bitter laugh. “You’ll cover for me, though. Just like you always do.”
Damien clenched his fists. “This is the last time. Next time, you deal with the consequences yourself.”
Selene stared at him, searching for weakness. Finding none, she scoffed and turned away.
“Fine,” she said over her shoulder. “But don’t expect me to play nice.”
Damien stood in his private lounge, his expression unreadable as he sipped his whiskey. The door opened, and Selene walked in, completely at ease—as if she hadn't almost killed two people.
“You called for me?” she said, smirking.
Damien placed his glass down, eyes sharp and cold. “You tampered with their brakes.”
Selene didn’t flinch. “I did what needed to be done.”
“What needed to be done?” His voice was dangerously quiet. “You almost killed them.”
Selene crossed her arms. “But I didn’t. And you cleaned up the mess, didn’t you? So what’s the problem?”
Damien’s jaw tightened. She wasn’t even remorseful.
“You don’t get to act on your own,” he said. “You don’t touch what’s mine.”
Selene stiffened, her smirk faltering for the first time. “Yours?”
Damien’s wolf growled inside him. He ignored it. “Ava is off-limits.”
Selene narrowed her eyes. “You’re protecting her? I thought you didn’t want her.”
“I don’t,” he said, voice clipped. “But that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want.”
Selene let out a bitter laugh. “You’ll cover for me, though. Just like you always do.”
Damien clenched his fists. “This is the last time. Next time, you deal with the consequences yourself.”
Selene stared at him, searching for weakness. Finding none, she scoffed and turned away.
“Fine,” she said over her shoulder. “But don’t expect me to play nice.”
Ava sat in the private lounge of an upscale restaurant, her arms crossed as she faced Lillian Blackwood—a woman of elegance, power, and clear distaste for her.
A neatly sealed envelope sat on the table between them.
“I’ll get straight to the point,” Lillian said, sipping her tea without sparing Ava a real glance. “Take this money and stay away from Damien.”
Ava blinked. Then blinked again.
What?
She let out a short laugh, leaning back in her chair. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”
Lillian finally met her gaze, her expression unreadable. “There is no misunderstanding. Take the money. Leave town if you must. Whatever sum you think is enough, I can double it.”
Ava shook her head, amused. “And why would I do that?”
Lillian’s lips curled. “Because my son does not belong with someone like you.”
Ava raised an eyebrow. “Someone like me?”
“A nobody. A human. And not his destined Luna.”
- Writer
