Trouble

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CHAPTER 28

~Arianna’s POV~

The ride back to Damon’s estate was suffocating. Every time I opened my mouth to speak, his sharp gaze in the rearview mirror silenced me.

His words replayed in my mind like a broken record. “You’re mine.”

The possessiveness of it made my skin crawl, but the way my heart reacted—skipping in some unexplainable rhythm—was what unsettled me most.

I glanced out the window, the dense forest surrounding the road seemed to close in on us as the trees watched our every move.

Then, the car screeched to a halt.

“What now?” I muttered, my nerves already frayed.

Damon didn’t answer immediately. He scanned the road ahead, his posture tense. My gaze followed his, and that’s when I saw it—a black SUV parked sideways across the narrow path.

“Stay in the car,” he ordered.

“Like hell I will,” I snapped, adrenaline spiking.

“Arianna.” His tone was sharper now, leaving no room for argument. “Stay. Here.”

I shrank back into my seat as Damon stepped out. The air outside seemed heavier, almost electric.

From the shadows, four men emerged, their faces obscured by balaclavas. They were armed, the metallic gleam of their weapons visible under the faint moonlight.

My heart thundered in my chest.

“Luca sends his regards,” one of them said, his voice low and taunting.

Damon didn’t flinch. Instead, he rolled his shoulders back, his cold gaze locking on them. “You’ve made a mistake coming here.”

One of the men laughed, harshly. “The only mistake here is thinking you can take all of us, Dark.”

I should’ve stayed in the car like Damon said. I should’ve kept my head down and let him handle it. But my curiosity—and stubbornness—got the better of me.

I cracked the door open slightly, just enough to see what was happening. My pulse raced as the scene unfolded.

The men lunged first, but Damon moved faster than I thought possible. His fist connected with one of them, sending the man sprawling onto the gravel. The sound of bone meeting flesh was sickening, and yet Damon didn’t stop.

Two more came at him, their movements coordinated. One swung a crowbar, but Damon ducked, grabbing the man by the wrist and twisting until the weapon clattered to the ground.

The fourth man raised a gun, and panic surged through me.

“Damon!” I shouted without thinking.

The man turned toward the sound of my voice, his gun now aimed at me.

A growl—low, guttural, and utterly inhuman—echoed through the air.

My breath hitched. Damon’s head snapped toward me, his eyes glowing an unnatural shade of red.

The man didn’t get a chance to pull the trigger. Damon was on him in an instant, slamming him against the hood of the SUV. The gun fell from his grip, and Damon’s hand closed around his throat.

The glow in Damon’s eyes intensified, and for a moment, I could’ve sworn I saw... claws extending from his fingers.

I froze, my heart pounding as something strange stirred deep inside me. It wasn’t fear—it was something primal, something that felt ancient and wild.

The other men began retreating, dragging their unconscious comrade with them. “This isn’t over, Dark,” one of them spat before disappearing into the forest.

Damon turned back to the car, his expression filled with rage and something darker.

I flinched as he yanked the door open. “What part of ‘stay in the car’ didn’t you understand?”

“You were outnumbered!” I shot back, my voice trembling. “What was I supposed to do? Sit here and watch you get killed?”

“I don’t die that easily.”

The way he said it, so matter-of-fact, sent a shiver down my spine.

As he climbed back into the driver’s seat, I noticed his knuckles were bloodied, but he didn’t seem to care. He started the car, his jaw clenched so tightly I thought it might snap.

The rest of the drive was silent, save for the hum of the engine and the pounding of my own heart.

When we finally arrived at the estate, Damon didn’t wait for me to get out. He rounded the car, opening my door and pulling me out by the arm.

“Damon—”

“Inside. Now.”

I didn’t argue this time. The glow in his eyes was gone, but something about him still felt... dangerous.

As we stepped into the grand hall, I couldn’t hold it in any longer. “What the hell was that?”

He stopped, turning to face me. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb!” I snapped, my voice echoing off the marble walls. “Your eyes—they were glowing. And your... your hands—”

“Arianna.” His voice was low like a silent warning.

“No,” I interrupted. “You don’t get to brush this off. I saw what I saw, Damon. What are you?”

For a moment, he just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then, he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you,” he said finally.

“Try me,” I challenged, crossing my arms.

He stepped closer, his presence suffocating. “You want the truth?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not ready for it,” he said, his voice almost... sad.

Before I could respond, the distant sound of howling broke through the silence. It was faint but unmistakable, and it sent a chill down my spine.

“What was that?” I whispered.

Damon’s eyes darkened. “Trouble.”

The word sounded eerie hearing it from his lips. Though I did not doubt he could protect me, I was scared. Scared not for myself for once but for him. 

Have I brought him trouble?

The men who attacked claimed Luca sent them. If it was Luca, meaning they came for me. I scanned his face, his body posture and how his fist clenched.

This was bad, really bad.

For the first time since meeting him, I realized just how far out of my depth I truly was.