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chapter 18: binding us together
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2025-02-17 00:02:04"Damien," she finally said, turning to face him.
He stood in the center of the room, his hands braced against the marble counter, his head bowed as if waging an internal war. At the sound of her voice, he lifted his gaze, and the moment their eyes met, Sofia felt it—that pull, sharp and inescapable. A muscle ticked in his jaw. "You should rest." She swallowed. "I don’t think I can." Damien pushed off the counter and stalked toward her with slow, deliberate steps. "You’re still shaking." Was she? She hadn’t even noticed. All she could focus on was him—on the way his golden eyes darkened, on the heat radiating from his body as he came closer. Her breath hitched when he reached her, towering over her, his presence overwhelming. His fingers ghosted over her arm, sending a shiver through her. "You're still burning up from the fight,"
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The morning after their passionate night, Sofia had laid out her plan, telling Damien exactly what she thought they needed to do next. She hadn’t expected him to agree so easily, but he had. And that’s what led them here. Jake’s apartment had been abandoned for weeks, the air inside stale with the scent of something long forgotten. It felt wrong being here, stepping into a place that had once been his sanctuary. A place where she had once belonged. But that was a different life. A different Sofia. Determined, she sifted through his old belongings, searching for anything ....any clue that could explain why Jake had changed, why he had aligned himself with the hunters, and what it all meant for her and Damien. Jake's body was never found, but he is alive and watching them, waiting for the right moment to strike. He knows their every move, every weakness, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Sofia’s fingers trembled as she unfolded the old, faded parchment, th
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The door creaked open, revealing a figure silhouetted against the dim light of the hallway. Sofia’s breath hitched, her fingers clutching the edge of the desk as Damien stepped in front of her, his dagger gleaming in the low light. “Who the hell are you?” Damien growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that sent shivers down Sofia’s spine. The figure stepped into the room, and Sofia’s eyes widened in disbelief. It was Jake. But... how? His body was never found, but she had assumed... Jake, his face pale and drawn but his eyes gleaming with a chilling intensity, let out a low chuckle. "well isn't it cozy ,Long time no see, Sofia." Damien’s grip on the dagger tightened, his body tensing as he moved to shield Sofia once more. "You’re dead," Damien snarled, his voice low and deadly. "How…?” Jake smirked, his gaze flicking between them, a cruel amusement in his eyes. "Let’s just say I have a knack for survival." He took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. "And I’v
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The room was a blur of motion as Damien and Jake collided with the force of a storm, their bodies crashing into furniture and sending shards of wood flying through the air. Sofia stumbled back, clutching the dagger tightly in her hand, her chest heaving as she watched the two men exchange savage blows. Damien’s movements were fluid, almost predatory, every strike calculated and precise. Jake, on the other hand, fought with a reckless abandon, his desperation evident in the wild swings of his fists.Sofia’s heart raced, her mind spinning as she tried to make sense of the chaos unfolding before her. This can’t be happening, not again, she thought, her breath catching in her throat. She took a step forward, the dagger trembling in her grip, but before she could intervene, Damien grabbed her arm and pulled her close.“Stay back,” he growled, his voice low and commanding. His eyes were dark, almost feral, as they locked onto hers. “This is between me and him.”Sofia opened her mouth to pro
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Sofia gasped, her body jerking in surprise as the crash echoed through the room. Damien’s arms tightened around her, his body instinctively shielding hers as they both turned toward the sound. The door had been kicked open, splintered wood hanging from the frame, and for a moment, the only sound was the heavy breathing of two people caught in the heat of the moment.Damien’s face was a storm of emotions—anger, protectiveness, and something deeper, something Sofia couldn’t quite place. His eyes, dark and intense, flicked to her, and she saw it then: the raw truth he had been hiding. The truth that had been simmering beneath the surface, just waiting for the right moment to spill over.“Stay behind me,” Damien growled, his voice low and commanding. He stepped in front of her, his broad shoulders blocking her from whatever—or whoever—had just barged in. But Sofia wasn’t one to be told what to do. She moved to his side, her hand instinctively reaching for the dagger she had discarded earl
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The door crashed open, splintering into pieces as a group of intruders stormed into the room. Their eyes glinted with malice, weapons drawn and pointed directly at Sofia and Damien. "oh fuck, why can't I have a passionate night with my wife" he said with anger on his face The air thickened with tension, the kind that promised violence. Sofia’s grip tightened on the dagger, her knuckles whitening as she stepped closer to Damien’s broad back. “What do we do?” she whispered again, her voice trembling just enough for him to hear. Damien didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he moved with a predatory grace, his body shifting slightly as if preparing to strike. His gaze never left the intruders, but his hand reached back, finding Sofia’s waist and pulling her closer. Stay with me, the gesture seemed to say. One of the intruders stepped forward, a sneer twisting his face. “Hand her over, Blackwood. This doesn’t have to get messy.” Damien’s lips curled into a cold, humorless smile. “Oh,
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Damien’s POV The heavy silence of the penthouse shattered under the weight of my voice. “Gather around. Now.” My command was sharp, unwavering. Within seconds, the pack assembled in the living room, their eyes flickering with concern. The air was thick with tension, the weight of recent events pressing down on all of us. Sofia stood beside me, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable—but her eyes burned with a quiet fury. I could feel it radiating from her, her anger barely contained beneath the surface. I let my gaze sweep over the group, ensuring I had their full attention. “Listen carefully,” I began, my voice steady but edged with steel. “Jake has been watching us—stalking us—more than we ever realized. This penthouse isn’t safe anymore. Intruders are getting bolder. We’ve had too many close calls to brush this off as coincidence.” Murmurs of concern rippled through the pack. They knew I wasn’t exaggerating. A younger werewolf, Ethan, stepped forward, his brows furrowed. “W
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The night was still, the fire casting flickering shadows along the walls as Sofia lay against Damien’s bare chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. His fingers traced slow circles on her back, his warmth wrapping around her like a promise—solid, unbreakable.For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no danger, no looming threats. Just them.“You asked me when I first knew I was a wolf,” Damien murmured, his voice low, intimate. “Do you really want to know?”Sofia lifted her head, resting her chin against his chest. “Yes. Tell me everything.”Damien exhaled, staring at the ceiling as if looking back through time. “I was thirteen when I shifted for the first time. My father always knew what I was, but he never told me. He wanted me to find out on my own—to feel the power before I understood it.”His fingers trailed up her spine, his touch making her shiver.“I remember the exact moment it happened,” he continued. “I was angry—so angry. My father pushed me t
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The room was quiet, the fire reduced to glowing embers. Sofia lay against Damien’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. His fingers lazily traced along her spine, his touch warm and familiar.After a long moment of silence, Damien finally spoke.“When did it happen?” His voice was low, thoughtful.Sofia tilted her head up, meeting his golden gaze. “When did what happen?”“When you fell for me.” His lips curved slightly, but there was a hint of something deeper in his expression—curiosity, maybe even disbelief. “I thought you only came to me for a contract.”She smiled, running her fingers over his jaw. “So did I.”Damien raised a brow. “And yet, here you are.”Sofia let out a soft laugh. “I think it started after our first time together.” She bit her lip, considering. “But honestly? From the moment you touched me, I felt… safe. Like I was home.”His fingers stilled against her skin. “Home?”She nodded. “It didn’t make sense at the time. You were supposed to be tempo
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