Damian:
“Is this your new side chick?”
Selene’s words hit me like a slap in the face, leaving me stunned for a moment. I could feel my anger rising, and a cold shiver ran down my spine. It took me a great deal of effort to control myself and not snap her neck in half. The nerve of hers to refer to Ruby in such a disrespectful manner!
I hadn’t introduced Ruby to my sister officially because I didn’t see it as necessary; however, I was sure that James would have updated her with the full details involving my life, and then she should have figured out by herself that any woman seen intimately close to me would obviously be my mate.
My wolf snarled in agreement, feeling irritated by the disrespect given to our mate, his instincts urging me to defend her.
“She’s my mate, Selene,” I asserted firmly, my grip on Ruby’s waist tightening protectively. “So if you don’t want your head rolling on the floor, I suggest you watch your words.” My voice carried a warning tone as I stared my sister down, daring her to challenge me further.
“Oh, brother, pardon me.” Selene’s tone dripped with sarcasm as she retorted, her eyebrow raised in mock innocence.
“I’m not your fucking brother.” My words came out as a low growl, my patience wearing thin as I struggled to contain my anger. I could feel the muscles in my jaw tense as I clenched my fists at my sides.
Selene and I weren’t related by blood; we were both born before my father met her witch mother and died. Since then, she has been stuck following my shadow, a constant thorn in my side.
Selene chuckled, unfazed by my outburst, her lips curling into a smug smile. “Now you deny me? That’s disappointing, but you know very well that I am stating the truth.” Her eyes narrowed slightly as she met my gaze, with a hint of challenge in her expression.
“It’s hard to keep track of your countless flings, and I’m just surprised you’ve managed to stick with one for more than a week.”
“Shut the fuck up, Selene.” My voice rose, and my eyes bore into hers, daring her to continue pushing my buttons.
“Didn’t Ava leave you because you cheated on her with that other woman? What’s her name again? Lilith, I think.” Selene taunted, a smirk playing on her lips.
“Fuck the moon goddess, Selene. Why are you doing this? What’s your gain from becoming a horrible liar? We both saw what happened through the damn magic mirror you own. Lilth shamelessly made her way to my bed while I was drunk and took advantage of me. You ran tests and claimed the alcohol I had taken was poisoned, and now you stand here spewing this shit in front of a woman I care about? What do you hope to gain, Selene?” I yelled, frustration and anger boiling inside me.
How dare she? For the first time in a long time, I could feel my heart beating fast with love for a woman, and now Selene wanted to ruin my chance at happiness. Absolutely not.
I turned to Ruby, expecting to see disappointment or doubt in her eyes, but instead, she looked at me with a mixture of empathy and understanding. Before I could say anything, she gently placed her hands on my lips, silencing me.
“I believe you, Damian. Trust me, I do. And even if something did happen between you and Lilith, it’s all in the past, before we met. Now, we are the present and the future,” she said softly, her words soothing the turmoil in my heart.
A tear slipped down my cheek, and I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by the feeling of love for her and the unexpected trust she had for me. With Ruby by my side, I felt like I could conquer anything, even the demons of my past.
“I must admit, Ruby,” Selene interjected, her tone laced with sarcasm, “you’ve certainly caught Damian’s eye. It’s not every day he brings a woman home, especially one with such… spirit.” I shot Selene a warning glare, but Ruby remained composed, her gaze steady as she met my sister’s eyes.
“Well, Selene, that’s your name, right?” Ruby replied, her voice calm but with a hint of steel. “I can assure you, Damian and I have a connection that goes beyond what meets the eye. And as for Damian’s past, we all have skeletons in our closets, don’t we?”
Selene’s smirk faltered slightly, surprised by Ruby’s confident response. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in Ruby’s ability to handle my sister’s provocations with grace.
“I don’t think I deserve you, Ruby. You’re too good for me,” I said softly, my voice tinged with sadness. Ruby returned my smile, her eyes sparkling with warmth. It was clear that I had fallen deeply for Ruby, and now I was fucking scared about our future.
“Do we even have one? Does she even like me?” The thoughts raced through my mind, leaving me feeling vulnerable.
“For some stupid reason, I trust you, Damian,” Ruby muttered shyly, her cheeks flushed.
“Thank you so much, Ruby, for believing me. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you.” I expressed my gratitude, and she responded by embracing me tightly.
Hugging her filled me with a sense of reassurance, especially knowing that she had saved my life and that of my daughter. Overwhelmed with love, I felt a surge of determination to prove my love by ensuring that everyone who had hurt her dearly would pay with their lives.
However, our moment of intimacy was abruptly interrupted by the irritating sound of Selene clearing her throat.
With an annoyed sigh, Ruby and I reluctantly parted ways.
“Selene, why are you still here? Leave,” I demanded, my frustration evident in my tone.
“As I mentioned, I came to see you, brother,” Selene replied, her shoulders shrugging indifferently. My anger threatened to explode at her nonchalant demeanour, but before it could, Ruby stepped forward.
“Let me give you two some time alone,” Ruby suggested, her hands gently resting on my chest. Her touch sent a wave of calm and tranquilly through me, easing my anger effortlessly.
“Baby, you don’t need to leave. She can tell me whatever she wishes to say here,” I pouted, using the endearment casually. It felt natural, and I couldn’t help but smile at Ruby, grateful for her presence.
Though our eyes met briefly, I could sense her reluctance to leave, yet she understood that I needed some space to deal with my annoying sister privately.
“Baby?” Ruby’s eyes widened in surprise before she burst into laughter at my playful gesture.
“Yeah, baby.” I winked at her, amused by her reaction. Meanwhile, my sister made gagging sounds, prompting me to roll my eyes at her antics.
“I’ll be waiting outside, Damian,” Ruby said, her cheeks tinted with a blush as she gracefully made her way to the door. I nodded in acknowledgment, eager to finish my conversation with my sister so that I could reunite with Ruby and share another amazing kiss with her.
I watched as Ruby cutely exited the room, her laughter echoing in the hallway. Once she was gone, my smile faded, replaced by a frown as Selene locked the door and positioned herself in front of me, arms crossed.
“That wasn’t necessary,” I pointed out, gesturing towards the door.
“I could say the same to you. It wasn’t necessary for you to find another mate since you already have the Flower of Life to bring back the dead one.” Selene retorted.
“I didn’t find another mate, Selene,” I corrected her, my tone firm. “Ruby is my second chance mate given to me by the moon goddess, and I won’t apologise for that.”
Selene scoffed, rolling her eyes dismissively. “Oh, please, Damian. You were reckless with your first mate, and now you have a second chance? Don’t tell me Lilith is your third mate,” she laughed, and a surge of frustration bubbled up within me at the mention of Lilith’s name.
“Lilith was never my mate, and you know that,” I snapped, my voice tinged with irritation. “She manipulated me, and I paid the price for it.”
Selene raised an eyebrow sceptically. “Oh, is that so? And what about the rumours swirling around the pack? People are saying that you and Lilith were involved in some kind of affair.”
“That’s bullshit, Selene, and you know it,” I shot back, my temper flaring. “I won’t stand here and listen to your baseless accusations.” Selene folded her arms across her chest, a smirk playing on her lips.
“Well, it’s not just me, Damian. The entire pack is talking about it. Maybe you should focus on clearing your name instead of parading around with your new girlfriend.”
My blood boiled at her words, but before I could respond, Ruby’s voice echoed in my mind, reminding me to stay calm and collected. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to rein in my anger, knowing that losing my cool wouldn’t solve anything.
“What I do with my life is none of your business, Selene,” I stated firmly, my voice laced with authority and my brows furrowing in frustration.
“I’m disappointed in myself for expecting so much from you. Tell me, Selene, why are you here, and what’s your plan? To separate my mate and me? Ruby and I are together, and that’s all that matters. If you can’t accept that, then I suggest you leave.”
Selene scoffed, her lips twisting into a mocking smirk. “She doesn’t deserve you, Damian. You should be disappointed in yourself for forgetting about Ava so soon.”
“Mind your own business and focus on your mate,” I retorted, my voice tinged with irritation. “James must have been unlucky in his previous life to have a mate like you. I’m disgusted.”
Her smirk faltered, replaced by a look of defiance.”James, don’t make me laugh, Damian,” Selene seethed, her voice trembling with anger.
“Do you honestly believe your beta is as loyal and trustworthy as you think? If only you knew what that man had done to you, you wouldn’t dare speak to me this way. I may be his mate, but I’m not the one he truly loves or thinks about.”
Her eyes blazed with fury, turning a fiery red as veins bulged on her neck. With a sudden burst of rage, she began to rampage through the office, knocking over anything in her path, including a flower vase that crashed to the floor in a cacophony of shattered glass.
“Selene, stop!” I yelled, desperation creeping into my voice as I moved to restrain her, but she was beyond reason. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched her flip my desk upside down, the chaos of her actions mirroring the chaos in my mind.
“What are you talking about?” I demanded, my patience wearing thin, and she finally calmed down, running her hands through her hair in frustration.
“Damian, I’m the only one who’s always been loyal to you.” Selene’s voice cracked with emotion, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded with me. “I’ve always been by your side, unlike your Ava, who isn’t the angel you thought she was. Why are you treating me like this? Why are you so distant? Why do I have to resort to lies just to get your attention, especially now that you have a new mate? Do you love Ruby?”
“It’s none of your business. Leave. I’m done talking to you,” I snapped, my tone sharp as I struggled to push down the conflicting emotions threatening to overwhelm me.
“You’ll regret treating me this way, brother, because nobody will ever love you the way I do,” Selene shot back, her expression unreadable as she locked eyes with me, sending a chill down my spine. I couldn’t bring myself to believe what Selene was implying in that moment.
Turning away, I heard her storm out of the office, leaving me speechless. Sighing heavily, I sank into my chair, feeling drained by the confrontation and the unsettling possibility that my step sister could be in love with me.