Conflicted

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CHAPTER 27

~Damon’s POV~

The drive back to the estate was anything but smooth, even though the road stretched out like a ribbon under the early morning sun. My hands tightened around the steering wheel, frustration bubbling in me as Mars prowled in the back of my mind.

“Two of Luca’s men,” he snarled, his anger intertwining with mine.

“They won’t dare step foot on my territory again,” I muttered aloud, though no one could hear me. 

The report from last night still replayed in my head. My men had spotted them skulking near the estate's perimeter, and their intentions were clear—Arianna.

The idea of anyone coming near her made my blood boil. Mars growled, his presence pushing against my control.

“She’s ours. She doesn’t even know what she’s risking.”

I didn’t need him to remind me. Arianna had been a thorn in my side since the moment we met. 

Her stubbornness, her defiance—it made her infuriating and irresistible all at once. 

Every time she pushed back, it only made me want to claim her more, to show her she belonged to me in every way that mattered.

And yet, the thought of revealing what I was—a werewolf, her destined mate—terrified me. Not because I feared her rejection. No, I could handle that. It was the way she might see me afterwards—the fear that would replace the fire in her eyes.

For now, I kept it to myself, though it was getting harder to ignore Mars and the primal pull she stirred in me.

As I approached the estate, the structure came into view, acting as both a refuge and a prison for her. My phone buzzed on the dashboard. It was Strange, the man I’d put in charge of keeping an eye on her.

“Everything fine?” I asked curtly as I answered.

A low chuckle came from the other end. “Depends on your definition of fine, boss.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll see when you get here.”

The line went dead before I could demand an explanation, mounting my frustration.

By the time I parked the car and strode into the house, I was ready for anything—or so I thought.

The sight that greeted me in the main hall stopped me dead in my tracks.

Arianna sat cross-legged on the floor, a deck of cards splayed between her fingers. Across from her sat Strange, the sharp-featured enforcer whose very name was meant to keep people at bay. Yet here he was, grinning like a fool as she dealt him another card.

Arianna laughed at something he said completely at odds with the turmoil she usually brought into my life.

Mars stirred, growling lowly. “She’s supposed to be scared. What is this?”

I stepped forward, my boots clicking sharply on the floor. Strange noticed me first, his grin fading as he quickly stood, brushing off his shirt.

“Boss,” he greeted, his tone suddenly formal.

Arianna glanced over her shoulder, her smile faltering when she saw me. “Oh, great,” she muttered under her breath, her hands gathering the cards into a neat stack.

“What is this?” I asked as my gaze shifted between them.

“Just passing the time,” Strange said, clearly uncomfortable under my glare. “She was bored.”

“Bored,” I repeated flatly. My eyes locked on Arianna, who was now standing, her arms crossed defiantly over her chest.

“Yes, bored,” she snapped. “You left me here with nothing to do, Damon. What did you expect? That I’d just sit quietly in a corner and twiddle my thumbs?”

I took a step closer, my towering frame casting a shadow over her. “I expected you to stay put and think about the consequences of your actions.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What actions? You mean when you abandoned me in the middle of nowhere? Or when you decided I wasn’t allowed to have a life outside of your ridiculous rules?”

Mars snarled. With her, his patience had worn thin. “She doesn’t get it. She needs to know her place.”

I exhaled slowly, forcing him back. “Arianna, you have no idea what you’re dealing with. This isn’t about rules. It’s about survival.”

“Survival?” she scoffed. “You’re the one who keeps throwing me into chaos. What exactly am I supposed to be surviving from, Damon? You?”

The words hit harder than they should have, and for a moment, I hesitated. Her fiery gaze bore into me, daring me to explain, to give her the truth I’d been withholding.

But I couldn’t. Not yet.

“Strange,” I said sharply, my eyes never leaving hers. “Out.”

The enforcer didn’t hesitate, slipping out of the room without a word.

Arianna’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. “You don’t get to order people around like that—least of all me.”

I closed the distance between us. “You’re mine, Arianna. I’ll order whoever I want if it means keeping you safe.”

Her jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought she might slap me. But instead, she laughed bitterly, a hollow sound that cut deeper than I expected.

“Safe?” she repeated. “You’re the one I need protection from, Damon.”

Before I could respond, the sound of a phone buzzing interrupted us. I pulled it from my pocket, my eyes scanning the message.

Luca’s men spotted near the perimeter again.

I shoved the phone back into my pocket, my mind racing.

“You’re coming with me,” I said abruptly, grabbing her arm.

She jerked away. “Like hell I am!”

“This isn’t up for debate, Arianna,” I snapped, my patience finally breaking. “Your life is in danger, whether you like it or not. And I’m the only one who can protect you.”

Her defiance flickered, uncertainty creeping into her expression.

“Why?” she whispered. “Why do you care so much?”

For a moment, I considered telling her the truth—that she was my mate, that her very existence was tied to mine in ways she couldn’t yet comprehend.

But I couldn’t. Not here. Not now.

“Because I do,” I said simply, my voice softer than before.

She stared at me, her confusion clear, but she didn’t argue as I led her toward the door.

Mars growled in satisfaction. “She’ll understand soon enough.”

I could only hope he was right.