Damon's POV
“Are you awake?” Dathan and I shared a room, even though there were hundreds of them in the palace. “Yes.” He replied in the darkness. “I can't imagine mom is making you do this. She likes you too much to send you down there.” “She's also a little too disciplined. Even for her own good.” I replied to him. “That's too true.” Dathan said. “You know, I once told Adrian that I wished she would just remarry, maybe have a life with someone else, other than just the two of us.” “Why would you say such a thing?” I asked him. “Well, Adrian's mom is married. And she's slept with almost every respectable man, father inclusive.” Dathan had no filters, and said things as they came “That's enough!” I said. “Mom would do what is best for herself.” “But she's too busy organising and arranging things sometimes, she forgets she is human and needs love too.” Dathan replied to me, headstrong. “Well, she's half wolf.” I chirped, strapped my sword on, and put out my bedside lamp. “I'll be with you in the morning.” With that, I left the main palace building which took almost twenty minutes. I can't describe what I felt as I traversed the normally busy and crowded palace, which was a shadow of itself at night. Quiet, calm and peaceful. “Let's do this.” I said to myself as I headed to the servants quarters. It was a multiple storied building, with little rooms, about four hundred of them. Some had always remained vacant, the ones on the top floor especially. Like I expected, the guard was out of his post, leaving me to myself. It looked like a pretty easy task, all I had to do was wait and watch, but even I knew it was more than that. In reality, I was abating whatever funny scheme any of the servants have coming, saving the palace from their infiltration in the dead of night, and all those while trying to not get killed. After all, it was a hybrid slave who killed my father. I knew my mother wouldn't have left me out there all alone, there were guards all around, but hidden to me. I took my position in front of the main gate that led into their building. It's the second time I was assigned to guard the servant's quarters, so it wasn't so new. Eerie sounds floated in the gentle breeze. The night was a bit cold, and quite dark too. For some reason, mother always had the lights put out. “Maybe I don't want to need people till they need me first.” A voice broke into my jumbled thoughts. “While I agree with you, I also know that one cannot be too rigid with everything.” Another voice replied. But this one was quite familiar. “Stop!” I said to both of them as they approached. It took all the strength in me. “I see you've annoyed Luna.” Zathen, the one I hate the most said. He knew a little too much. But that was to be expected, he was born in the palace there. “You are trespassing.” I replied, not paying attention to him. “May I ask what you are doing outside your quarters at midnight?” I asked him. “It's not my quarters.” The older boy replied. “I'm Zathen, And it doesn't say “Zathen” on your raggedy ass gate.” He added. Zathen had been rumoured to be a hybrid, I knew better than to challenge him, but I also had to enforce palace rules. “You!” I said, pointing to the girl I saw earlier in the palace's main living room. “What's your name?” I asked her. “Emily.” She stuttered. “You'll be with me tonight.” I said. I wanted to prick the protector instincts in Zathen, make him feel defenseless, embarrass him in front of the girl he was obviously hitting on. As if on clock, a full moon rose, unexpectedly. Occurrences like those were rare, almost once or twice in one's lifetime will the Moon have the rise at midnight. It meant something was up. I began to feel a bit terrified, maybe it was Zathen, but I didn't show. I dragged the girl from beside him, and shoved him into the gates. Zathen was older and strong, but I was taller, and more bulky. “I'll give you something to always remember.” He said, as he turned right back, and lashed me across the face, just as I was about to bolt the gate. It hurt so hard, I was sure he took a bit of flesh off me. Emily shrieked, and retreated. “What were you saying again?” Zathen asked, and before I could get over the effect of the last assault, he was on me, leaping higher than I ever saw anyone do, he kept clawing, and gnashing, and spitting, biting, tearing, pricking me all over. I was too sure I wouldn't survive it, so I left my life to fate, and Moon Goddess. “Zathen, please stop!” The girl said, trying to get between us. The beast flung her so hard, I heard her body thud twice. That was it! I summoned all the energy left in me, praying my father looked on me from the Great Beyond. After landing a fatal blow to my chest, I grabbed Zathen’s hand, and his second came at me. I held Zathen’s firmly in my grasp, and in a heartbeat, snapped his head off. I didn't realise what happened till his remains fell at my feet. Zathen’s was over, but not my pain. My body burned like it was molten fire passing through my veins. The light of the moon seemed to pierce me, it hurt so bad I dropped to my charred knees, and clutched my head which felt like it was gonna pop in two. I couldn't feel myself anymore. Like something primal had come over me. A raw screeching howl escaped my lips, and echoed throughout the palace grounds. Next, I felt my bones come apart agonisingly, and my muscles tear apart, only to rebuild themselves stronger. Then a second growl, deep this time. Furs burst out of my skin, long sharpened claws replaced my fingers and my jaw elongated into a snout. The last was a deafening howl that silenced the night. I had my wolf! The world would never remain the same again. Emily! I had to find Emily. I ran in the direction I saw Zathan fling her, and there she lay lifeless, enveloped between the fence of the Servants Quarters, and an old coastal redwood tree. I picked Emily up, damming all the consequences of leaving the servants unguarded, and ran with her in my hand, and my heart in my mouth towards the palace. I was as wounded as could be only a few minutes ago, maybe it was the adrenaline, or the transformation, I couldn't feel anything anymore. I was in the main palace under five minutes, banging on my mother's door with her new maid in hand. As soon as she obliged and opened the door to her room, I dumped Emily in her hands and ran back to the servants quarters to take care of Zathen’s body. It was just an invitation to war leaving him lying there. Zathen was their sweetheart. “Damon!” My mother called, but I was too fast, and too determined to stop.Emily's POV “Leave us!” Luna commanded, as soon as I opened my eyes. “We'll be back in a minute.” A kind nurse said, as she touched my forehead. The white room, with white gleaming ceiling sharply contrasted Luna's black clothes. A sharp pain severed through my head, as I was greeted by the heavy lights. “How are you now?” Luna asked me.I wasn't used to such care. “Better.” I replied to her. “What day is it?” “You lie!” She said, putting a hand on my forehead. “Rest, you don't have to sit up.” She said, discouraging me from getting up like I'd started to do. I heard a sound, not from either of us, so I sat up curious to see where it was coming from. “The nurse says you shouldn't. You have wires connected in and out.” With her long nails, she made a display that showed how messy I looked. “What happened?” I asked her. “That's the same question I was about to ask you.” She said, looking straight into my eyes. “I can't remember much.” I croaked. “Well,
Damon's POV “It worked!” My mom squealed in delight as soon as I opened my eyes. My head hurt so bad, and so did my body. It felt like I was in boiling water. The last time I opened my eyes, it was to a team of doctors and nurses, this time, it was just the nurses. More strange is the fact that I wasn't stretched out on a bed like I was before, I was in a pool of water. “What is going on, Mother?” I croaked. “You're alive.” She said, her eyes glistening with tears. “You made it, my love.” She added. Everyone else was crying, but they didn't look as happy as she did. “Why is everyone crying?” I asked her again. “You have to rest, Damon.” My mother replied, hushing me. “You do not have the strength for this.” “I feel better.” I replied to her. “Stronger too.” Even though my voice which was coarse and rough didn't back my narrative, I really did feel better. “That's great.” Mother said. “We'll have you transferred upstairs as soon as the doctor confirms you are s
Damon's POV “Please, please just wake up.” I begged her, even though I knew she couldn't hear me. “I need you to pull through. I don't even know you. You aren't permitted to save my life at the expense of yours.” I said. I carried her in my hand and ran upstairs to our room. On my way up, I brushed past my mother unapologetically. “Damon!” She screamed after me, and for the first time in a while, she ran. My mother ran up after me, prompting me to quicken my pace. We soon arrived on the fourth floor, where Dathan and I shared a bedroom. I opened the door as fast as I could, and locked it behind me. “Damon!” Dathan screamed and rushed to meet me. It looked like the sun had begun to set, from the warm and dim sunlight that filtered in. “Who is this?” He asked me. “Vynara.” I replied to him. “Emily?” He asked for confirmation. “Yes.” I replied to him. “What happened?” Dathan asked me. His eyes darted frantically between Emily and me. “What happened, Damon?”
Emily's POV “Water.” I croaked, even before opening my eyes. “Did you hear that?” One hushed voice said. I heard footsteps running to the bed I was stretched out on. It didn't feel like the hospital bed, in the ward part of the palace. It felt big, plush, and spacious. “Emily?” Two worried voices, with creased faces bent over me. “Yes.” I croaked. Damon looked like he'd aged ten years faster. “Get her some water please.” He tapped Dathan, who ran along. “How do you feel?” Damon asked me as soon as Dathan left us both to ourselves. “Dead.” I answered, choking. “That's fair.” Damon sighed, looking away. “Why did you do what you did?” “Because I wanted to?” I replied lamely. My head hurt so bad, it felt extra heavy to hold up. “You don't get to do that.” Damon said to me, his face morphed from concern to unexpression. “I don't get you.” I answered, straightening up. “I don't need saving!” Damon yelled, and punched the table beside me. Coincidental
Emily's POV “Damon, son of the pack, do you vow to stand beside her in the hunt and in the stillness, in the light of the moon and the darkness of the forest, in wolf, and in man form?” An older man asked Damon. “I do.” Damon replied. “With my heart, my strength and my loyalty, I am hers.” Silence! “Emily, daughter of the pack, do you vow to stand beside him through the turning seasons, to share in his triumphs and bear his burdens as though they were your own?” He asked me next, and like clock work, the crowd turned to face me. “I do.” I replied, like I had rehearsed. “With my soul, my spirit, and my devotion, I am his.” “Then let the bond be sealed.” The elder said, and our hands linked together, like they were supposed to. I never knew the Damon Palace had such a large space for hosting that amount of crowd. More still, it had a detachable roof, and so since the wedding had to be done under the moonlight, we could still do it indoors. The joy on everyone's faces m
Emily's POV I had no business with her, I could never address someone in so little clothes, so I looked at Dathan, he held my stare for about two minutes before giving in. “Au revoir, ladies.” He said, getting up from the bed where they littered around him, and he threw on a shirt. I shifted away from the entrance, a foot or two, just so none of them have reasons to make bodily contact with me. All of them promptly exited the room, leaving Dathan and I. “I'd rather we left the door open.” I said to Dathan, as he moved to shut the door. “I'd do whatever it is I want to.” Dathan said, and banged the door shut, loudly. “What's up with you?” I asked finally. “Did Damon put you up to this?” He asked me. “No.” I answered quickly. “I'm here of my own volition.” “So he doesn't even care.” Dathan said to himself, shook his head while smiling sadly, and gulped down the remaining content of an open bottle. “Forget what I said. Yes, he did. He gave me the permission to.
Emily's POV “Hello, everyone.” Damon said, with a cup in his hand. He'd been drinking too much wine since the previous night. I barely got any sleep, mulling over everything Dathan and Damon had told me. I just needed the day to come and go, I needed things to be sorted. I couldn't wait to feel a role I know I was highly incapable of. “I want to thank every single one of you, who took out the time to honour my wife and me.” Damon looked at me, sweetly. He had such an expensive tux on, I was scared to touch him. The ambience of the city hall was unmatched, not like I had anything to compare it with. It was just pure luxury. He looked sharper than ever. Damon's team of stylists that arrived at exactly 6am, six hours before the wedding, were just as much as mine, and I saw why. He got a trim, a manicure, in fact, it was a total makeover. The crown went ‘awwwn’, and ‘oooh’. The women looked dreamily at me, as Damon clasped my hand tightly. “This experience wouldn't be th
Emily's POV “Hi, I've been wanting to talk to you.” I said to Damon. It's been two weeks since the wedding, and our marriage was yet to be consummated, but that wasn't a pressing issue, not for me at least. “What is it?” Damon asked, stretching out his hand, as I wore his Richard Mille on his wrists. “I've been thinking,” I started, “Can I see a friend?” I asked him. My heart was in my mouth as I spoke. “You never mentioned that to me.” Damon replied, “Please be fast about that.” He added, referring to how I was fidgeting with the watch. Tending to the Alpha was my utmost duty. He'd made me understand that there's very little input I could ever put into pack administration, or business, and so I should stick to minding him. And that's what I did. “Yeah.” I admitted. “I only thought about her last night. We were friends at the orphanage.” “And you think someone like that would be fit as a company for a Luna?”He asked, still not looking at me. I finally was able to
Damon's POV “I'm surprised that you came here first.” I said as Emily took her seat. The way my heart leapt when I saw her made me feel a little ashamed. “Don't be. You're the reason I am in town anyway.” She replied. She didn't look too strong, but she definitely had more colour than I saw on her when I visited her at the hospital. “Do you miss being here?” I asked, looking to kick off on small talk. “It's all bad memories. How could I?” She replied quickly, “besides, that's not why I'm here.” Emily cleared her throat and crossed her legs. “Pray tell, then, sweetie.” I gave up on the small talk. “Are you still suing me?” She asked, after staring in my eyes for over a minute, unblinking. “I should be.” I replied. “That's not an answer though. You have every right to, but are you still doing it?” She asked again. “My team would want me to.” I replied. “Stop evading the question.” Emily looked at me. “Then, really, what do you want me to say? You come i
Adrian's POV “What happened?” I asked, looking around. It was all white walls and smelled like antiseptic. “Welcome back.” Emily said, smiling at me. I thought I was in heaven, but she wouldn't be in a hospital gown if I was. “Hey you.” I smiled back. My memory was vague and pieced, but I knew I didn't fall asleep on good terms with her. “Dr Marcus says you worked up a storm when you arrived.” She said, “I'm sorry. I just needed to see you.” I explained. “I'm surprised.” She said, looking away from me. “Don't be, Emily. I promise you, I'd never be that stupid again.” I said weakly. “Careful.” She remarked while I tried to get up. Only then did I see the drip that'd been connected to my body. “What happened?” I asked her. “Short or long version of it?” She replied, smiling. “Uhm, the latter. I'd love to hear your voice for much longer.” I answered. “I guess I'll be speaking till I run out of batteries then, and I know that it won't be long.” She
Adrian's POV “I think your woman just got wheeled into our hospital.” Marcus, a mutual friend between Damon and I texted. I heard the phone chime over an hour ago, but I was too mad, seething at her doorstep to check it. It seemed she'd grown a lot of wings. I know what I did was off putting, but I didn't expect her to leave town and get hosted by Damon, or that Zac guy. The thought of anyone's body on hers made me see red. “What?!” I texted immediately. I couldn't believe it. That can't be possible. She was fine when I left her earlier in the morning. I checked the time, and it was about sixteen minutes past 2AM.The roads were dark and quiet, it was just me, on her front porch. I raced back into the car, did a careless reverse that could have cost me the very expensive aesthetic of my cars’ behind, and even Emily's flowers. “She's in the ER. Gotta go.” He replied, I read the text on my dashboard since I was screen sharing . “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I yelled at myself.
Zac's POV “Do you want to talk about that?” I asked Emily. Since Damon walked out my door, she'd been painfully quiet. The air was still stiff and even a pin drop would count as noise. “Does it sound like something I want to talk about, Zac?” She sniffed, wiping her eyes. “No, it doesn't.” I said, “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to poke around.” “It's not your fault.” She replied softly, “My whole life is a sore spot of late. It seems like it's too much drama to be just me, you know? Do you ever feel that way? That you have an alter ego that somehow contributes to the mess you've made of yourself?” “Emily, I do not mean to spite you with this, but my life is not anywhere near the chaos you're in. I have my own drama, trust me, but all the damage done are things I can account for.” I said. “Hmm.” She nodded, nervously toying with her hair. “Emily, talk to me.” I prodded. “I'm not gonna sit here and act like I'm not afraid of what is going on in your mind. Shit happened,
Damon's POV “I'm listening.” I said, gently egging Emily to continue with her story. I stared at Zac because there was no other person to look at. I couldn't tell how I felt about Emily, and even Zac for that matter, but with Zac, it was more defined. We still had to work together, so regardless, until I decide to do away with him, corporately or literally, we're stuck. “Can I get that drink?” She ignored me and looked at Zac. “Are you sure?” He asked, coming closer to her. “Zac, my heart is beating too fast,” She said. As I watched their little play, my patience wore thin. But it was a price to pay for knowing the truth about something. I sat there as Zac fetched a drink from who knows where. He poured her a glass and returned to where he'd been standing. “This is a part of my past I'd never spoken to anyone about.” Emily said, burying her head in her hands. “I'm not just anyone, Emily.” I said, checking her. “You can't just be anyone.” She said sarcastica
Emily's POV Like I said, every single time I thought I was low and had hit rock bottom, life discovered a newer ‘low’ for me. “Do you really have to be here, Damon?” I asked Damon. Just when I started nurturing the thought of being cozy and tucked in for the night, on Zac's couch of course, Damon decided to rear his ugly head. “Why don't you keep that question for your backstabbing boyfriend and let me talk to my employee?” Damon's tone carried every bit of intended sarcasm. “Don't speak to me like that.” I shut him up. I'd had enough of men telling me what to do for a lifetime. “That's true. I should not be speaking to you at all, without my lawyers present.” Damon smirked, knowing he'd hit the right spot. I bit my inner cheeks to keep my tears at bay. Just like when I'd been married to the monster, I had to hide my tears, cause I'm pretty sure he gets off on seeing me sad. “Good evening, Damon.” Zac greeted, emerging from the room. He had a duvet and two pillows
Zac's POV “Why are you doing this to me?” I asked her. “Zac, I want to go home.” Emily cried. “Emily, what if I said I do not want to let you out of my sight?” I asked her, moving closer. “Please don't come any nearer.” She begged. “I won't,” I promised. “I won't come close if you are not comfortable.” “I'm not even comfortable being here.” The way she threw her hands in the air, I kinda saw a panic attack coming. “You don't trust me?” I asked her. “No one ever said that. And do not make this about you.” Emily put her hands on her hips and stared up helplessly into the ceiling. “I'm sorry.” I apologized. “I told myself that for as long as you are in this city, you are my business and I am going to try and keep you as safe as possible. But I've realised that it is neither my place, nor my business and that you're fully capable of handling yourself. I'll let you go now, Emily. Please be safe. I'll text you the hotel's address and your room number.” I reached fo
Emily's POV “The other Alpha who thinks I owe him my life.” I replied to Zac. “Your boyfriend?” He asked, looking a bit confused. “Zac, right now, he's just somebody I used to know.” I replied to him. “I understand that.” Zac nodded. “Want to talk about it?” “No, no.” I said quickly. My relationship with Adrian was slowly becoming a nightmare. My phone rang a second time. “Hey.” I said, picking it up. “You said you were gonna be home by 8.” Adrian's cold voice sounded over the phone. “Yeah, I couldn't make it back.” I squeaked, clearing my throat. Zac motioned for me to put it on speaker phone. “Where are you?” Adrian asked. “I'm with a friend.” I replied him “Put them on the phone.” He said. “It's a business meeting, Adrian. I can't do that. I'll see you when I get back.” I dismissed him. “You'll do no such thing!” he yelled at me. Even though I knew we were miles apart and he could not do anything to me at that moment, I was still mortified. Z
Zac's POV I'd been so careless and mindless with my security while spreading her legs that I'd thrown all caution into the wind. “And what gives you the guts to just walk in here any time you deem fit?” I asked Zyna, who was totally undressed and sipping on coffee. “Who's outside?” She shot back instead. “I know the voices I was hearing weren't just in my head. Who are you here with?” She asked again. “A friend, Zyna. Matter of fact, that doesn't concern you. Aren't you supposed to be in Damon's palace?” I asked her. “Is your friend the reason why you are using this tone on me?” She smirked. “Zyna, we have to talk, but not now. Please wear your clothes and go home. I'll reach you, somehow.” I was beginning to get pissed. “No you won't!” She yelled at me. “Since Damon has locked me up, Zac, for over three weeks, not even a word from you. Is this how you do it?” She stood up, and I noticed her stomach had begun to pop even more. Her breasts were starting to lean on th