DAMIEN’S POV:FIVE YEARS AGO:She was gorgeous.Extremely.I had been awake for the past three hours, and I could not get my eyes off her. I took in every one of her angelic features, and I wanted to trace them so badly. I wanted to embed her face in my memory, but that would be weird, wouldn’t it?If I were going to talk about something weird, I should talk about what happened last night. Fuck! What had gotten into me? I have never felt so angry and possessive over something or someone before. Was this what the mate bond was like?What now? What do I do now that I have a mate? I will not be the Damien Creed I once was, that is for sure. So no more late-night parties with girls, no more fooling around, and no more having fun? Shit, if my parents find out I have found my mate, they would mount me on that fucking throne, and I am so not ready for that.No, I am not ready for a mate. Not now. For fucks sake, I was not even twenty yet; I can’t have an entire dumped on my head because of
Rosaline’s POV:He killed him.Damien Creed killed his own best friend. Because of me.I could not take my eyes off Stephen’s lifeless ones; they bore deep into mine, plaguing me with a guilt that I might carry forever.The sound of Damien’s heavy breaths causes me to look up at him. He had his head grasped in his hands and appeared to be going through the worst pain imaginable, yet something told me it was not because he had taken the life of the man he had spent his entire teenage years with.“Damien?” I called out but got only a grunt in response. His face was turning a bright shade of red, and that was when a sense of urgency arose in me. Something was happening to him."Damien, what’s wrong?” I asked him, managing to summon enough courage to walk over Stephen’s body and to my mate, who needed help. I never cared for Stephen, even while we were in high school; Damien has always been far more important. I reach out my hand to him, but he retracts the second our skin makes contact,
ROSALINE’S POV: A groan leaves my lips as the sun's warm gaze infiltrates my eyelids. I turn to my side but am still given the same result. I thought this room was underground; how were there any windows? That was when it hit me. My eyelids flew open, and I sat up quickly.I was in my room—well, Damien's room.Anxiety shoots through me as I begin to wonder if everything has been a dream. I am the only one in the bed, but when I see Damien getting ready in front of the mirror, I immediately relax. He wore a white shirt and black pants. His gaze was focused on the mirror as he tried to fasten his tie around his neck.A smirk lifts my lips as I see him struggle. Quietly, I get off the bed and walk up to him. I made sure not to make a sound as I neared him, and when I wrapped my arms around him, he stiffened.“Hey,” I said against his chest, and he cleared his throat.“Good morning,” he said stiffly before getting out of my grasp. He put some distance between us before looking at me an
ROSALINE’S POV: I was almost terrified to open my eyes. The last few days started horribly the moment my eyelids fell apart, and I do not think I can handle that happening again. But then I hear a chuckle, and my face is hit with a gust of minty air.“How long are you going to lie there pretending you are asleep?” A voice I knew all too well said Slowly, I opened my eyes and was blessed with one of the most beautiful sights in this world.His eyes.“I think the real question is, How long have you been watching me?” I ask, and he smirks at me mischievously. Instead of giving me an answer, he takes my lips between his and kisses me passionately. The kiss was long, one of the longest I have ever had, if I were being honest. I could have sworn he did not want to let go. His arms snaked around my waist and pulled me closer. His tongue first explored my mouth, and he hummed like he had never tasted something so sweet before. When he was done with that, he sucked at my bottom lip before
ROSALINE’S POV:Pain shot through my stomach, and a grumble filled my ears shortly after. My eyelids flew apart, and a hunger like never before overtook me. But just as quickly as it came, the scent of toast, pancakes, and sausages filled my nostrils. The grumble only got louder, and my mouth watered.I sat up quickly as soon as I heard the sound of the door opening. My eyes were blessed with the sight of a shirtless Damien as he walked in with a tray of food in his hands. But I did not know how it was possible that, despite my hunger, my eyes were drawn to his bare chest; it looked more scrumptious than the food he held in his hands.Then another grumble came, one even more ferocious than the last one.Okay, food first.“You are really hungry, aren’t you?” Damien said with a light chuckle as he set the food between us and sat directly opposite me.“Very,” I said, my eyes glancing between the different delicacies set out before me.“What would you like to have first?” Damien asks, a
ROSALINE’S POV:“It’s time,” Peace said once she walked into my room. Her mouth dropped, but she quickly covered it up with her hands. I could have sworn I saw a few hints of tears in her eyes. “Wow, you look so beautiful, Rosaline.”“I know, right?”!” Stephanie squeals before falling dramatically on my bed. She releases an exhale before saying, “When will I find my mate? Someone that would be my prince charming?"“Stephanie!” Peace hisses, “Do you know where you lie? Get up!” Immediately, Stephanie rises to her feet, like the bed has burned her.“Shit, shit,” she says on repeat as she hurriedly dresses the bed to perfection. Peace slaps a hand over her forehead and sighs heavily. She brings her wristwatch to her face and meets her sister’s eyes.“Our work here is done; we need to leave,” she tells Stephanie, who nods in response. I scowl.“Now what do I do?” I ask them, and their eyes meet mine; their smiles are identical yet different. Stephanie’s held excitement, while Peace’s held
DAMIEN’S POV: Mommy? She was a mother?I was a real idiot, wasn’t I?We had been apart for five years; of course, she had been with someone within that period; it was expected, and it was all my fault. I did not even have the right to be angry, but I was furious. And so was she, apparently, even more than me. She did not even look at me; her gaze and all her attention were on the guards holding the child.“I said, Let her go!" Rosaline screeched, and their eyes glanced between us, and I could see the confusion in their eyes. I do not know why, but that angered me more; my fists clenched and I barred my teeth.“Are you fucking deaf?" I snapped, and they immediately freed the child. It was a girl; she ran to Rosaline as fast as her little leg could carry. Rosaline dropped to her knees and opened up her arms for the girl. She swooped the girl into her arms and attacked her face with kisses. I watched the interaction between mother and daughter, and I swear that I felt even more stupid
ROSALINE’S POV:It should have been me.Not her.I never should have left Ariana in Gwen’s care, especially after that night we were attacked. My stupidity cost me the life of my best friend. She did not deserve that. Gwen was an angel; she was the only one who bothered to even look at me when I was out on the street with Ariana in my womb.She took me in and fed me. listened to me. kept my secrets. Helped me find a job. She was basically Ariana’s second mother.Gwen was more than just my friend; she was my sister.And this was my way of repaying her for everything she had done for me. all because of my cowardice. If I had just stood firm and revealed Ariana’s identity a long time ago, no matter what, I knew deep down Damien would have provided us with some sort of protection.I was just so selfish. I wanted Ariana all to myself, but that was not even the case anymore.I hated to admit it, but at times I was so caught up in Damien's love that I forgot I had a daughter and best frien