A were...wolf

Sofia's POV

Days after the contract marriage

I lay beside Damien at his penthouse, my body still humming from the intensity of our earlier encounter. The warmth of his body pressed against mine was intoxicating, and yet, my mind refused to quiet. I stared at the ceiling, feeling a storm of thoughts swirl inside me. What am I doing here? This was supposed to be about revenge. About Jake. Not… this.

Damien shifted beside me, his arm tightening around my waist, pulling me closer. His warmth surrounded me, and for a moment, I allowed myself to sink into it. Into him. But that feeling, that connection, terrified me just as much as it thrilled me. I couldn’t deny how my body responded to him—how my heart quickened when he looked at me. It was something I couldn’t control, something I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

I closed my eyes, willing myself to sleep, but it was no use. My mind wouldn’t quiet. Something about tonight felt different. The moonlight, the air—it was all too charged, almost electric. It was as though everything was off, and the silence between us felt too thick, too heavy.

I opened my eyes again and glanced at Damien. His face was peaceful, calm in his sleep, but there was an odd tension in his body, a rigidity that hadn’t been there before.

And then I felt it. A low rumble deep in his chest, almost like a growl. I froze, my breath catching in my throat. What the hell?

“Damien?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He didn’t respond. Instead, his body began to shift. At first, it was subtle—a twitch of his fingers, a ripple of muscle beneath his skin. But then it became more pronounced. His jaw seemed to elongate, his teeth sharpening into fangs. His nails grew into claws, and dark fur began to sprout across his arms and chest.

My heart pounded in my chest as I scrambled backward, my mind racing. My eyes were wide with terror. “Damien!” I screamed, my voice cracking.

His eyes snapped open, glowing a bright, unnatural gold. He sat up, his transformed body towering over me. I pressed myself against the headboard, my breath coming in shallow gasps. This can’t be real. This can’t be happening.

“Don’t be afraid,” he growled, his voice deep and gravelly, yet still unmistakably his.

“Don’t be afraid?” I repeated, my voice shaking. “What are you, a… a werewolf?”

Damien’s expression softened, though it was hard to read in his wolfish form. He reached out a clawed hand, but I flinched away. “Please,” he said, his voice filled with desperation. “Let me explain.”

“Explain what?” I couldn’t contain my disbelief. “You turned into a freaking werewolf, Damien! What is there to explain? How is that even possible?”

He sighed, running a hand through his fur, the motion oddly human. It was a gesture that made everything feel even more surreal. “I wanted to tell you,” he said, his voice quieter. “I planned to. But I didn’t know how. I didn’t want to scare you.”

“Too late for that,” I muttered, though I could feel my fear slowly shifting toward something else—curiosity, maybe. I studied him, watching the transformation. He was still Damien, but… more. His presence was larger, more commanding. His eyes seemed to see straight into my soul.

“How long have you been… like this?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“My entire life,” he replied simply. “I was born this way. It’s not a curse, Sofia. It’s who I am.”

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. “And you’ve been hiding it. From everyone.”

“Yes.” His voice grew heavy with regret. “It’s not something I can share lightly. The world isn’t kind to people like me.”

My chest tightened as I thought about Jake—about the hurt, the betrayal. The revenge I’d been so desperate to get. And now this… Damien’s secret. It was intense, but it changed everything.

“Why me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Why show me this?”

Damien’s golden eyes bore into mine, intense and unwavering. “Because I trust you,” he said simply. “Because I can’t keep hiding from you. Not if we’re going to make this work.”

“Make what work?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“This,” he said, gesturing between us. “Us.”

I froze. “Damien, this was supposed to be a business arrangement. A contract. Nothing more.”

“And is that still what it is?” he asked, his voice low and husky.

I hesitated, my heart pounding. The truth was, I didn’t know anymore. What had started as a plan for revenge had become something else. Something I wasn’t sure I could define. Something I wasn’t sure I wanted to define.

“I don’t know,” I admitted.

Damien shifted closer, his movements careful, deliberate. “Then let me show you,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “Let me show you what this could be.”

Before I could respond, he leaned in. His lips brushed against mine, and it was different from any kiss we’d shared before. It was raw, primal, and something inside me awakened. Something wild and untamed. My hands found their way to his chest, my fingers tangling in his fur.

Damien pulled me closer, his strength overwhelming, but somehow gentle. My fear melted away, replaced by something else—something deeper, a need I couldn’t ignore. I kissed him back, my body pressing against his, craving more.

And then, without warning, he pulled away. I blinked, dazed, my breath coming in ragged gasps. “Why did you stop?”

Damien’s eyes were dark with desire, but there was something else there too—something cautious. “Because I need you to be sure,” he said. “This isn’t just about tonight, Sofia. It’s about forever. I know you’re trying to hide your fear.”

I stared at him, my mind reeling. Forever. The word echoed in my mind, stirring something deep within me. But was I ready for this? For him?

“Damien,” I began, my voice trembling. “I don’t know if I can do this. If I can… be with someone like you.”

His expression hardened, and for a moment, I thought he might pull away completely. But then he cupped my face in his hands, his touch surprisingly tender.

“I’m not asking you to decide now,” he said gently. “But I need you to know the truth. All of it.”

My heart raced as I searched his face, struggling to find the words to say. But before I could, a sharp knock at the door shattered the moment.

Damien’s head snapped toward the sound, his body tensing. “Who the hell is that at this hour?”

I swallowed, my stomach churning with unease. “I don’t know,” I whispered.

Damien was on his feet in an instant, his transformed body moving with fluid grace. He grabbed a robe from the chair, throwing it on as he headed for the door. I watched, my heart pounding, as he opened it—and froze.

Standing there with a smug grin on his face was Jake.

“Well, well,” Jake said, his eyes flicking from Damien to me. “Looks like I interrupted something.”

My blood ran cold. “What are you doing here, Jake?”

He stepped inside, his gaze sweeping over the room. “I came to check on you,” he said, his tone dripping with fake concern. “But it seems you’ve moved on pretty quickly.”

Damien’s growl was low and menacing, but Jake didn’t seem fazed.

“Relax, big guy,” Jake said, holding up his hands. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m just here to talk.”

“Talk?” I echoed, my voice shaking. “About what?”

Jake’s grin widened, and for the first time, I noticed the glint in his eyes. It wasn’t just malice. It was something darker. Something dangerous.

“About you,” he said, his gaze locking onto mine. “And about what you’re really getting yourself into.”