(Damien’s POV)I barely slept.The old woman’s words haunted me, looping in my mind like a cruel whisper."One of you must die."I wanted to dismiss it, to pretend it was just some sick trick, but my instincts told me otherwise. Something about her felt ancient. Absolute.And I couldn’t ignore it.Not when Sofia’s life was on the line.I spent the night sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her sleep. Her face was peaceful, unaware of the weight crushing my chest.She didn’t know that I was fighting against something I didn’t understand.Something that wanted to take her from me.But I wouldn’t let it.I wouldn’t lose her.---The next morning, Sofia stretched lazily before turning to me. “Why do you look like you wrestled with death in your sleep?”I forced a smirk. “You were hogging the covers again.”She rolled her eyes. “Liar.” Then her face softened. “You didn’t sleep, did you?”I exhaled and ran a hand through my hair. “Too much on my mind.”She frowned. “Is it about work?”I
(Damien’s POV)Ethan returned with nothing.“I searched everywhere,” he said, frustration heavy in his voice. “No one has seen the old woman. It’s like she never existed.”I clenched my jaw, barely stopping myself from breaking something.She came to us. Spoke about a curse, about death, then vanished like a ghost.None of it made sense.Jaxon exhaled. “What now?”I didn’t answer.Because if she wouldn’t come to us, then I would force her to appear.---I locked myself in the library, pacing.The scent of old parchment and leather filled the air, but I couldn’t focus. Books were useless. The woman had answers, and I needed them.Now.A cold gust of air swept through the room.I turned sharply—And there she was.Standing in the dim light, wrapped in heavy robes, her eyes unreadable.The old woman.I bared my teeth. “You’ve been hiding.”She didn’t flinch. “I appear only when necessary.”I stepped forward, rage curling in my chest. “What ritual are you talking about? We’ve already done
(Sofia’s POV)“I think I just remembered something.”The words spilled from my lips before I could stop them.Damien stood in the doorway, his golden eyes sharp, unreadable.I barely noticed.Because for the first time in forever, I had a piece of my past—something real.“I saw my mother,” I whispered, my heart racing. “She looked exactly like her… like the mother I lost.”Damien’s body tensed.I reached for his arm, my excitement bubbling over. “Isn’t that amazing? I’ve been trying to remember for so long, and now—”“It’s just a dream.”The sharpness in his voice made me blink.I frowned. “No, Damien. It felt real.”He exhaled, stepping past me into the room. “Dreams feel real all the time, sweetheart. But they’re not. It’s best if you ignore it.”I shook my head. “No. This was different.”He ran a hand through his hair, looking anywhere but at me.Something was wrong.“I know it was real,” I pressed. “You don’t understand how much this means to me! I finally have a piece of—”“Sofia
(Sofia’s POV)I woke up to an empty bed.Damien’s side was cold, like he’d been up for hours.It wasn’t unusual—he was always up before me. But something about today felt different.His mood had shifted overnight. He’d been distant. Watching me too closely. Like he was waiting for something to happen.I sighed, stretching before sliding out of bed. The second I stepped into the hallway, the scent of fresh coffee and something sweet filled the air.I blinked. Damien doesn’t cook.Curious, I followed the scent to the dining area.And then I froze.Sitting on the table was an envelope with my name written in Damien’s sharp handwriting. Beside it, a set of keys.I frowned, picking up the letter."Meet me outside. I have something for you."My heart skipped.What was he up to now?---Fifteen minutes later, I stepped outside, finding Damien leaning against his car, waiting.His golden eyes locked onto me instantly.He smirked. “Took you long enough.”I crossed my arms. “What’s going on?”H
(Sofia’s POV)The excitement from seeing my culinary shop lasted the entire day.I ran my fingers over the polished countertops, admired the perfect kitchen layout, and even tested the state-of-the-art equipment. Every detail was exactly how I’d dreamed it.Damien had built this for me.For hours, I couldn’t stop smiling.And Damien?He watched me the entire time.His golden eyes followed my every move, filled with something deep, something unreadable.By evening, we returned to the penthouse, my heart still racing with excitement.I turned to Damien, grabbing his hands. “I still can’t believe you did this.”His smirk was lazy, confident. “Believe it, sweetheart. It’s yours.”I bit my lip. “You really think I can run it?”He cupped my cheek, tilting my chin up. “I don’t think. I know.”Warmth bloomed in my chest.I pressed a soft kiss to his jaw. “Thank you, Damien.”His grip tightened slightly. “You never have to thank me.”He kissed me, slow and deliberate, like he was sealing a pro
Sofia’s POV I swear, people needed a new hobby. As I walked out of my last cooking class for the day, my phone buzzed with a notification. I barely glanced at it, expecting another pointless email or a TikTok update. But then I saw the message preview, and my eyes narrowed. "Hey girl, I thought you should know your boyfriend has been messing around." I stopped mid-step, rolling my eyes so hard I almost saw my brain. Seriously? This again? This was the third random message like this in the past month. Different numbers, same tired accusation. I sighed and shook my head. Some people just couldn’t stand seeing a happy couple. I wasn’t stupid—I knew Jake. He wasn’t the type to cheat. We spent almost every day together, and when we weren’t together, we were texting, calling, FaceTiming. If he was cheating, he had to be the most efficient multitasker on the planet. I deleted the message without replying and stuffed my phone into my bag. Some people were so miserable they just wanted to
I stopped dead in my tracks. What the... My heart pounded against my ribs. The air around me suddenly felt too thick, too heavy. I didn’t even think...I just started walking faster, my brain scrambling for an explanation that made sense. Was this some sick prank? Some stalker? Or... No. I wasn’t going to let some random text scare me. I squared my shoulders, shoved my phone into my pocket, and quickened my pace toward my apartment. But the uneasy feeling in my stomach? That wasn’t going anywhere. By the time I reached my building, my hands were clammy. I took the stairs two at a time, gripping my keys so tight my knuckles turned white. I unlocked the door and pushed it open, already ready to shake off the nerves. But then I saw them. A pair of sneakers. Jake’s sneakers. Relief hit me like a wave, and I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. “You got me worried, baby, so you’re...” I stopped mid-sentence. Because right next to Jake’s sneakers, on my freaking
Bad decisions always start with whiskey. And right now? I was making the worst one of my life. The world around me blurred at the edges, but the fire in my chest? That was crystal clear. Revenge wasn’t just an option—it was necessary. Jake was not about to walk away from this like nothing happened. Not after what he did. And that was when it hit me. Damien Blackwood. Rich. Dangerous. Completely obsessed with me. I laughed to myself, the sound bitter. He had wanted me for years. I knew it. He knew it. And now? I was going to use it. Before I could talk myself out of it, I grabbed my phone and scrolled through my contacts. Found his name. Hit call. He picked up before the first ring even finished. “Sofia.” His voice was smooth, cool, like he had been expecting this. “Didn’t think I’d hear from you tonight.” I swirled the whiskey in my glass. “I have a proposition for you.” A pause. Then, a low chuckle. “Now you have my attention.” “I need to see you.” Another pause, heavier
(Sofia’s POV)The excitement from seeing my culinary shop lasted the entire day.I ran my fingers over the polished countertops, admired the perfect kitchen layout, and even tested the state-of-the-art equipment. Every detail was exactly how I’d dreamed it.Damien had built this for me.For hours, I couldn’t stop smiling.And Damien?He watched me the entire time.His golden eyes followed my every move, filled with something deep, something unreadable.By evening, we returned to the penthouse, my heart still racing with excitement.I turned to Damien, grabbing his hands. “I still can’t believe you did this.”His smirk was lazy, confident. “Believe it, sweetheart. It’s yours.”I bit my lip. “You really think I can run it?”He cupped my cheek, tilting my chin up. “I don’t think. I know.”Warmth bloomed in my chest.I pressed a soft kiss to his jaw. “Thank you, Damien.”His grip tightened slightly. “You never have to thank me.”He kissed me, slow and deliberate, like he was sealing a pro
(Sofia’s POV)I woke up to an empty bed.Damien’s side was cold, like he’d been up for hours.It wasn’t unusual—he was always up before me. But something about today felt different.His mood had shifted overnight. He’d been distant. Watching me too closely. Like he was waiting for something to happen.I sighed, stretching before sliding out of bed. The second I stepped into the hallway, the scent of fresh coffee and something sweet filled the air.I blinked. Damien doesn’t cook.Curious, I followed the scent to the dining area.And then I froze.Sitting on the table was an envelope with my name written in Damien’s sharp handwriting. Beside it, a set of keys.I frowned, picking up the letter."Meet me outside. I have something for you."My heart skipped.What was he up to now?---Fifteen minutes later, I stepped outside, finding Damien leaning against his car, waiting.His golden eyes locked onto me instantly.He smirked. “Took you long enough.”I crossed my arms. “What’s going on?”H
(Sofia’s POV)“I think I just remembered something.”The words spilled from my lips before I could stop them.Damien stood in the doorway, his golden eyes sharp, unreadable.I barely noticed.Because for the first time in forever, I had a piece of my past—something real.“I saw my mother,” I whispered, my heart racing. “She looked exactly like her… like the mother I lost.”Damien’s body tensed.I reached for his arm, my excitement bubbling over. “Isn’t that amazing? I’ve been trying to remember for so long, and now—”“It’s just a dream.”The sharpness in his voice made me blink.I frowned. “No, Damien. It felt real.”He exhaled, stepping past me into the room. “Dreams feel real all the time, sweetheart. But they’re not. It’s best if you ignore it.”I shook my head. “No. This was different.”He ran a hand through his hair, looking anywhere but at me.Something was wrong.“I know it was real,” I pressed. “You don’t understand how much this means to me! I finally have a piece of—”“Sofia
(Damien’s POV)Ethan returned with nothing.“I searched everywhere,” he said, frustration heavy in his voice. “No one has seen the old woman. It’s like she never existed.”I clenched my jaw, barely stopping myself from breaking something.She came to us. Spoke about a curse, about death, then vanished like a ghost.None of it made sense.Jaxon exhaled. “What now?”I didn’t answer.Because if she wouldn’t come to us, then I would force her to appear.---I locked myself in the library, pacing.The scent of old parchment and leather filled the air, but I couldn’t focus. Books were useless. The woman had answers, and I needed them.Now.A cold gust of air swept through the room.I turned sharply—And there she was.Standing in the dim light, wrapped in heavy robes, her eyes unreadable.The old woman.I bared my teeth. “You’ve been hiding.”She didn’t flinch. “I appear only when necessary.”I stepped forward, rage curling in my chest. “What ritual are you talking about? We’ve already done
(Damien’s POV)I barely slept.The old woman’s words haunted me, looping in my mind like a cruel whisper."One of you must die."I wanted to dismiss it, to pretend it was just some sick trick, but my instincts told me otherwise. Something about her felt ancient. Absolute.And I couldn’t ignore it.Not when Sofia’s life was on the line.I spent the night sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her sleep. Her face was peaceful, unaware of the weight crushing my chest.She didn’t know that I was fighting against something I didn’t understand.Something that wanted to take her from me.But I wouldn’t let it.I wouldn’t lose her.---The next morning, Sofia stretched lazily before turning to me. “Why do you look like you wrestled with death in your sleep?”I forced a smirk. “You were hogging the covers again.”She rolled her eyes. “Liar.” Then her face softened. “You didn’t sleep, did you?”I exhaled and ran a hand through my hair. “Too much on my mind.”She frowned. “Is it about work?”I
(Damien’s POV)The drive back to the penthouse was quiet, but my mind was anything but.Sofia sat in the passenger seat, gazing out the window. She hadn’t spoken much since I found her. I could still feel her hesitation, the slight stiffness in her posture. She wasn’t ready to forgive me for forcing her to return.I wasn’t ready to let her go.My hand rested on her thigh, grounding her—grounding myself. She didn’t push me away.That was enough for now.When we arrived at the penthouse, something felt off.The scent of my Beta filled the air, thick with urgency.Sofia didn’t seem to notice, too tired to care. “I need a bath,” she muttered, moving toward the stairs.I caught her wrist gently. “Go ahead. I’ll join you soon.”She frowned but didn’t question it. Instead, she nodded and disappeared into the bedroom.The moment she was gone, I turned to find Beta standing near the entrance of the living room, waiting.His face was set in a hard line. “We need to talk.”I exhaled, rubbing a h
Sofia had always been a free spirit, never one to be tied down or held back. But when she ran away from home, she didn't realize just how much she was leaving behind. She found herself alone and lost in a new city, unsure of where to turn.That's when Damien found her. refusing to let her go He had been obsessed with her since the moment they met, and there was no way he was going to let her slip through his fingers now. He tracked her down to a rundown hostel on the outskirts of town and refused to leave her side.Sofia was hesitant at first, but there was something about Damien that she couldn't resist. Maybe it was his rugged good looks, or the way he made her feel wanted and desired. Whatever it was, she found herself drawn to him, unable to resist the pull of his magnetic personality.One thing led to another, and before they knew it, they were tearing each other's clothes off in a frenzy of passion. Sofia had never felt this way before, so alive and free. She let out a moan as D
(Sofia’s POV) The city swallowed me whole. I weaved through the crowds, keeping my hood low, my steps quick but not rushed. Panic would draw attention. And right now, attention was the last thing I needed. Damien was looking for me. I could feel it. The weight of his presence pressed against my chest like a tether pulling me back. Even with blocks between us, even with no one chasing me down yet, I knew. He was coming. But I wasn’t ready to be found. I slipped into a small coffee shop on the edge of town, picking the furthest seat in the back. From here, I could see the door, watch who came in, make sure no one was following me. The barista took my order without much interest, sliding me a steaming cup before turning back to the register. I exhaled, wrapping my fingers around the warmth, letting myself breathe. I needed a plan. I needed somewhere he wouldn’t think to look. But where the hell could I go? Damien knew me. He knew my habits, my favorite places,
(Sofia’s POV)Damien promised to let me in—to stop shutting me out.Then he broke that promise.Again.I should’ve seen it coming. Damien Blackwood doesn’t know how to share control. He’s possessive, obsessive, and infuriatingly overprotective. The worst part? I love him for it.But love doesn’t mean blind obedience.It doesn’t mean I’ll sit back while he makes every decision.Yet, that’s exactly what he did.Again.The argument started as a discussion. I pushed him for more answers, demanded to know what he planned to do about The Broker.He avoided the question.Then he refused to tell me anything.When I kept pressing—when I reminded him that I deserved to know—he looked me in the eyes and said, “Stay out of it, Sofia.”Like I’m some fragile thing.Like I’m not part of this.Like I’m not his mate.I snapped.The words flew b