Chapter 5: You're mine, now!

His head dipped, lips barely grazing the rapid flutter of my pulse. I couldn't suppress a shiver at the featherlight caress. He smiled against my skin, clearly sensing the effect he had on me.

Distantly, I knew I should push him away, cling to some scrap of dignity. But I found myself immobilized, breathing quick and shallow as his hands slid possessively down my sides, rucking up the thin fabric of my nightgown. He would take what he wanted either way. I was powerless to stop him.

I was hyper-aware of his firm grip on my waist, his dizzying scent surrounding me. The rest of the world fell away.

"You're trembling," Damon whispered against my hair. "Are you afraid?"

"No." My voice was barely breathing.

His fingers trailed down my neck in a blazing path. I melted against him, my skin burning everywhere he touched. The rejection, the contract, nothing existed but his icy eyes consuming me.

When our lips met, it was like striking a match. Fire roared through my veins as I tasted him, returning his kiss desperately. He backed me against the bed, deepening the kiss until I was gasping into his mouth.

"Need to have you," he growled against my throat, nipping at the sensitive skin there. "Now."

In the haze of desire, I didn't care that this was reckless, that we barely knew one another. I wanted him with a force beyond reason.

"Yes," I pleaded, tangling my hands in his hair.

In one smooth motion he lifted me, guiding my legs around his waist. He carried me to the bed.

The rest was a blur of frenzied hands, tearing away clothes until there were no barriers left between us. When he finally joined our bodies, I cried out at the sheer bliss of it. No feeling had ever compared to this - being one with him.

I moved desperately against Damon's, chasing the mounting pleasure. His gaze locked with mine, brimming with animal need.

"You're mine now," he growled. In the next instant his teeth sank into the sweet spot where my neck met shoulder.

Pain and rapture exploded through me in equal measure. 

"Damon!" I screamed his name to the heavens as everything shattered into starlight. 

"Fuck...!" He cursed as wave after wave wracked my body as he held me close, his own climax following. I floated back down to earth wrapped securely in his arms. 

Blayze kissed the mark he'd left, eyes soft. "Forgive me, little one, I lost control. Go to sleep now."

I sagged back against the sheets, absolutely drained. My body still thrummed from his claim. I knew I should go back to my room. But I needed time for my legs to work again first. Nestled in his arms, I soon find myself drifting into a deep peaceful slumber.

The next time I opened my eyes, it was bright out. The bed was empty, and I was alone in the room. I dressed slowly up, dreading what awaited me today. A sharp rap at the door made me jump.

"Come with me," the elderly maid instructed brusquely. I followed mutely as she led me up the back stairs towards the residential wing. My heart pounded, knowing exactly where we were headed.

The maid paused before an intricately carved door. "Go on then, serve Alpha his breakfast." With that, she scurried off, leaving me alone with a breakfast tray.

I took a deep breath and knocked softly. At the barked "Enter," I carefully balanced the heavy tray and pushed the door open.

Alpha Damon sat regally at the head of a long dining table, scanning a stack of documents with a furrowed brow. He glanced up briefly when I entered, gesturing for me to set the tray down without a word. I complied, keeping my eyes lowered submissively.

As I arranged the dishes, his rich scent enveloped me - pine and frost layered over something more primal and dangerous. That was when it hit me. 

"Mate." Frey hauled for the first time since Caleb's rejection. I gasped, suddenly feeling the same attraction I had days ago with Caleb. I nearly faltered, shocked at its intensity.

Damon... Was my mate? How?

Cautiously, I raised my gaze to the Alpha's stoic profile. Did he sense what I did? But his attention remained fixed on the papers. My heart sank, fearing a second rejection in the span of one week. 

Turning to leave, I paused, drawn by the inexorable bond tying us together. Before I could think better of it, I reached out to brush my fingertips over his shoulder.

The reaction was instantaneous. Damon recoiled from my touch with a vicious snarl. I stumbled back in surprise and fear. Those fathomless black eyes fixed on me with cruel impatience.

"Why are you still here, little one?" he bit out. "Your task is complete. You can leave."

I recoiled at his icy tone. Cheeks burning in humiliation, I whispered an apology and hurried from the room. The icy shard of harsh treatment pierced deep, but I clung stubbornly to the truth - he was my mate, whether he acknowledged it or not. And since he hasn't rejected me, I only needed to be patient. In time, he would feel what I did.

The day passed in a haze of menial tasks that kept me isolated from the rest of the household. By nightfall, my body ached from exertion and my spirit wilted from solitude. I yearned for company, conversation, kindness - anything to distract from my bleak reality. But I was merely a servant here, scorned and invisible.

As I prepared for bed, a sharp rap at the door heralded the elderly maid again. "The Alpha has a need for you," was all she said. Swallowing hard, I followed her to the now-familiar ornate door. My steps slowed, a knot of apprehension forming in my stomach. But refusing was not an option.

At the Alpha's curt command, I entered with hunched shoulders. Damon sat in a wingback chair near the hearth, still fully dressed. He tracked my movements with hooded eyes as I hovered just inside the door, unsure what to do.

When the silence stretched on, he chuckled darkly. "Come now, little one. We both know why you're here."

Heat flooded my cheeks. Of course - I was brought to breed. The thought of being intimate with this cold stranger made me shudder. Sensing my unease, Damon rose languidly and approached. I forced myself not to shrink away.

Grasping my shoulders, he leaned down to brush his nose along the curve of my throat, inhaling deeply. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing my body to pliant. It was futile to resist. Gentle fingers under my chin tilted my face up. Reluctantly I met his gaze.

To my surprise, his expression had softened. "You have spirit, little one, but there are some battles not worth fighting," he murmured. His tone was almost kind. "Let me take the pain away."

Before I could respond, Damon swept me effortlessly into his arms. I clung to him instinctively as he carried me to the massive bed and laid me down upon the silken sheets. His weight settled over me, surrounding me in his warmth and scent. My body recognized him as my mate, despite my mind's objections.

He must have sensed the change in me, my acceptance. "That's it," he praised. I turned my head away in embarrassment, cheeks burning. Damon's low chuckle vibrated against my throat as he nuzzled the sensitive skin there. Sharp teeth grazed my fluttering pulse point.

A frantic pounding at the door shattered the moment. Damon was on his feet instantly, a vicious snarl on his lips. "What is it?" he barked.

The door burst open to reveal a wide-eyed guard. "Alpha, rogues have breached the southern border!"

Damon crossed the room in quick strides, his focus solely on the threat. "Ready the warriors," he commanded. Pausing at the threshold, his gaze flickered to me briefly. "Stay here. I will return shortly." Then he was gone, the door falling shut behind him with an ominous thud.

I slowly sat up, wrapping my arms around myself. The room felt eerily still and quiet without the Alpha's commanding presence. What was happening out there? Would he be alright? Unsettled questions chased themselves in circles through my mind as I whited anxiously for Damon's return.