Damian:
I groaned in annoyance as I watched my daughter run into Ava’s arms as if her life depended on it.
Maybe it did, considering she had been bugging me her whole life for her mother’s presence, and now she finally got what she wanted. Was I happy?
Absolutely not.
“Mummy, I miss you so much. Why did you leave me?” Anna screamed, her voice cracking at the end. I knew tears would be streaming down her face in no time.
Ava picked up Anna and cradled her tenderly, soothing her like a newborn. For a moment, I couldn’t help but reflect on how different my life would be at this moment if I hadn’t met Ruby and fallen in love with her.
Would I love to go back to the past and make everything right?
Absolutely not.
Comparing Ruby and Ava was like comparing apples and oranges, as the two were different. Ava exuded sweetness, gentleness, and kindness, qualities that endeared her to everyone in the pack. On the other hand, Ruby possessed a fiery spirit, passion, and a willingness to selflessly sacrifice for others she didn’t know-a true Luna in every sense. She was the woman who captured my heart.
Feeling infuriated with my sister for disrupting my day by bringing back a woman who should have remained dead and buried was an understatement. I regretted making promises to my daughter about her mother, who no longer had any place among the living.
Yes, I had loved Ava once, but those feelings had long been buried with her.
“I’m so sorry, honey, but I promise to never let you go again. We’ll be happy with Daddy forever,” Ava assured Anna in a motherly tone, her eyes meeting mine briefly as she sensed my gaze on her.
I quickly looked away, my heart clenching with a mixture of emotions as I remembered what Ruby had told me about her inability to bear children.
The moment she said that, I felt my dream of starting a normal family and having more children shatter like glass, forcing me to accept the painful fact that it would never happen.
And also, it hurt to see that our children didn’t seem to get along with each other or with us.
As my thoughts turned to Ruby, my eyes frantically scanned the clearing, searching desperately for any sign of her. But there was nothing-just an empty space where she had been moments before. The men who had come to arrest her also seemed to have disappeared.
Panic surged through me, and beads of sweat formed on my forehead as I feared the worst.
Where had she gone?
And where were the men who had come to arrest her? She was just right here.
“Where is my mate?” I asked, my voice trembling with desperation as I turned to the pack members around me. The anxiety clawed at my insides, and I could feel the fear tightening its grip on me.
I looked into the eyes of each pack member, hoping to find some clue or some reassurance that Ruby was safe. But all I saw was confusion and concern mirrored back at me.
The realization that she might have been taken away right under my nose hit me like a ton of bricks, leaving me reeling with disbelief and fear. I was on the verge of losing my sanity, just as I had lost her.
“Alpha, she’s been taken,” Elder Ethan murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “While we were all distracted, they… took her.”
He took a step back, sensing the brewing storm of rage in my eyes, and other elders quickly followed suit, giving me space to process the devastating news.
“And no one could stop them?” I demanded, my voice tinged with disbelief, but my question was met with silence, adding fuel to the fire of my growing anger.
I roared angrily as I grappled with the reality of Ruby’s abduction, a harsh reminder of my own carelessness. My wolf urged me to act-to find her and bring her back to safety, knowing that those responsible wouldn’t have gotten far.
“Search around the pack. They shouldn’t have gotten far off,” I instructed in a firm voice as I attempted to walk away. But as I did, a small hand gripped my shirt, and I glanced down to see my daughter, Anna, stretching her arms out towards me; her face lit up with innocent joy as she was being held by her mother.
“Daddy, let’s go on a play date with Mummy,” she exclaimed happily, oblivious to the turmoil swirling around us.
I felt a pang of anguish grip my heart. I knew I had no time for small talk or leisurely outings-I needed to track down those men before they took Ruby any further.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I murmured, gently prying her hand from my shirt. “Daddy has some urgent business to take care of, but we’ll play with Mummy soon, I promise.”
Despite the pain in my chest, I forced a reassuring smile for Anna’s sake. I was aware that I had to find the right words to explain the situation to my daughter before she was fed lies by my sister and her mother or left wondering about her mother’s sudden disappearance if the time came again.
Yes, I was going to send Ava back to the land of the dead. She didn’t belong here anymore.
“Daddy, don’t go. Don’t leave me and Mummy.” Anna’s cries tore at my heart, and I ran a hand through my hair in frustration, struggling to keep my composure amidst the storm swirling within me. The mere thought of spending time with Ava when I should be busy searching for my mate filled me with unease. For the first time ever, I had to say no to my daughter, even if it hurt her.
“I will be back soon, sweetie,” I reassured her, though the weight of my words felt heavy on my shoulders.
Dammy, our daughter’s happiness should be our top priority, and let’s make her happy by spending time with her as a family.” Ava chimed in, her voice dripping with faux sweetness as she flashed me a smirk. I narrowed my eyes at her, the resentment bubbling beneath the surface threatening to boil over.
“You better go back to wherever you came from before I come back, or else when I send you back myself, it’s going to be a painful ride,” I snapped, my frustration boiling over as I attempted to walk away again.
But this time, someone grabbed hold of my clothes with a firmer grip before I could take another step. I turned to see my sister, Selene, her eyes burning with desire as she held onto me. I had almost forgotten she was still here.
“Damian, nothing is more important than your family. Your dead mate just came back to life, and you should be happy about it,” she insisted, her words fueling the fire of rage simmering within me.
“You bitch. You’re to blame for all of this,” I yelled in frustration, seizing her by the neck, my fingers tightening around her throat as I struggled to control my overwhelming emotions.
“You dared to defy me. Family or not, you deserve to be taught a lesson so you can finally know your place,” I growled, my voice dripping with menace as I glared at her.
Selene’s eyes widened in shock and fear as she gasped for air beneath my grip. But consumed by my need to protect my mate at all costs, I was beyond reason. With a forceful shove, I pushed her away, sending her stumbling backward and coughing violently.
I’d rather lose you to the dead than let that spiteful woman win your heart and have you,” Selene choked out between coughs.
“Is that so? Let’s see about that,” I bellowed, my voice echoing through the clearing as I turned to face Ava, who was still holding onto my daughter. I didn’t want to do this in front of Anna, but I felt I had no choice.
“I, Alpha Damian of the Pearl Moon Pack, hereby reject Ava Anderson as my first mate and Luna. From this moment on, I have nothing to do with her and do not want to ever see her again,” I declared, my voice ringing out with authority as I severed the bond that once tied us together, even though it no longer existed. It was merely a formality.
“No, Damian, please; you can’t reject me. I forbid you,” Ava pleaded desperately, her voice trembling with anguish as she nearly threw Anna to the ground. The sight of her mother’s distress caused Anna to begin crying.
Ignoring them, I continued, my voice firm. “Anyone who dares to challenge my decision will pay with their head,” I added, casting a final glance at my sister, Selene, and the rest of the pack.
I turned on my heel and walked away, my veins coursing with determination as Ruby’s safety became my priority. I would stop at nothing to protect her from any threat, no matter the cost.
“Warriors, assemble at the edge of the border immediately,” I transmitted through the mindlink to my most trusted warriors.
“We must find your Luna at all costs. Spread out and search every inch of our territory and beyond until she’s found.”