Mia
“You’re finally here,” Lily says the second Theo and Damon step into Joy Park. She’s all grins like we didn’t just spend hours waiting. “And are you sure you weren’t followed?”
“We were, actually.” Theo wipes his forehead like a dramatic diva. “But we lost ’em. Shit was wild.”
“You both look like you’ve been through hell,” Lily chuckles, clearly enjoying their misery.
“You have no idea,” Damon mutters, his eyes flicking to me. And for a second, I think he’s gonna say something, but nope, his gaze slides over to Vanessa, who’s standing next to me. “What’s she doing here?”
“She’s with us,” Lily says, throwing her arm around Vanessa’s shoulder like they’re BFFs now.
Vanessa shoves her off. “Hands off me.”
Lily just cackles like a psycho, loving the chaos.
Theo, on the other hand, isn’t laughing. “Okay, since when is Vanessa in on this?” His glare could probably melt steel.
“She’s the one who helped Aria escape,” I cut in, standing tall. “She’s on our side now.”
“Uh-huh. And Alpha Stevens? Ethan?” Theo crosses his arms, clearly still not convinced.
“Oh, they’re pissed as hell,” Vanessa says, grinning. “Alpha Stevens dumped me as his daughter-in-law and blamed everything on Ethan. Says it’s his fault for being obsessed with Aria.”
“Alpha Marcus is furious, too,” Damon adds, scanning the park like someone might jump out at any second. “We had to dodge his men just to get here.”
“What about Sarita?” Lily asks.
“She’s fine,” Damon says, nodding. “Alpha Marcus has her under surveillance, but she’s holding up. She’s worried about Lucas, though.”
I let out a long sigh, running a hand through my hair. “I’m worried about them, too. How the hell did Alpha Marcus even find out about that apartment?”
“Probably had Sarita investigated,” Theo mutters. “Man, where the fuck are they supposed to go now?”
“They better run far, ’cause Alpha Marcus is losing his shit,” Damon says, shaking his head.
“Alright, that’s it for today,” Vanessa announces, crossing her arms. “I gotta get home. My dad’s still mad, but hey, I’m just happy to be free from that bastard Ethan.”
I smirk. “Bet he’s crying his pathetic little eyes out.”
“Oh, he is,” Vanessa says, laughing. “His abusive ass thought he could control Aria. Guess not!” She waves us off and struts away like a queen.
Damon watches her go smirking, “She’s not so bad.”
That? That right there? It makes me scoff so loud I might as well have slapped him. Is he seriously trying to make me jealous?
“Alright, we’re heading out,” Damon says casually, waving like nothing’s wrong.
Just like that? Really? My blood starts boiling. “Seriously?” I glare at him, my arms crossed.
He raises an eyebrow, all innocent. “Is there a problem?”
The others are staring now, and I feel like I’m about to explode. “Whatever,” I hiss, spinning on my heel and stomping off.
“Mia, wait!” Lily calls, running after me. “Why don’t you just talk to him?” she whispers, catching up.
“Forget it, Lily. Just drop it,” I snap, picking up the pace.
But then I feel a strong hand grab my arm. I whirl around, and there he is, Damon, staring at me with that infuriatingly blank expression.
“Let me go,” I hiss, trying to yank my arm back.
“No,” he says firmly, his grip unrelenting. “We’re talking. Now.”
Before I can argue, he pulls me along like I’m a damn kid. “See you guys later,” he calls over his shoulder to Theo and Lily, who look like they’re about to start placing bets on this drama.
When we’re far enough away, he stops and turns to face me. His jaw is tight and his eyes are blazing. “Alright, Mia. What the hell do you want from me?”
“What?” I blink, trying to play dumb, but he’s not buying it.
“Don’t give me that,” he snaps, stepping closer. “You said you didn’t want me. I begged you, Mia. I gave you time to figure your shit out. But now? Now you don’t want me to move on? What the fuck do you want?”
I swallow hard. He’s mad…like, really mad. And honestly? He has every right to be. But that doesn’t make this any easier.
“Listen, Mia,” his voice softens just enough to make my heart ache. “I like you. I like you a lot. And yeah, I know I’m not perfect, but for you? I’m willing to try. I’ll change if that’s what it takes. But this is your last chance. Either you accept me as your mate, or you reject me. End it now. I’ll deal with the pain, but I can’t keep doing this.”
His eyes lock onto mine, and I feel my walls cracking, piece by piece. He’s serious. Dead serious. And the way he’s looking at me, with hope, frustration, and something so raw it makes my chest tighten…I know I can’t keep running from this.
But damn it, Damon is still Damon. A cocky, annoying, frustrating-as-hell man-whore. Could I really trust him?
My wolf growls in my head, practically foaming at the mouth. ‘Do it already! Kiss him!’
‘Calm the fuck down,’ I snap at her mentally, but she’s not having it.
Nope. ‘Not losing our mate cause of your stubborn ass.’
I swear she’s about to force me to shift in the middle of this park. Humans be damned.
“Fine!” I blurt out, grabbing Damon’s face and smashing my lips against his.
His eyes go wide, but he recovers fast, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer. The kiss deepens, and holy shit, it’s good. Like, really good. My stomach does this weird fluttery thing, and I can’t stop myself from smiling against his lips.
When we finally pull away, he’s grinning from ear-to-ear. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Yeah, I guess,” I mumble, trying to play it cool.
But Damon’s not done. He presses a kiss to my forehead. “You won’t regret this.”
Just then, his phone buzzes. He checks it and frowns. “It’s Lucas.”
“What’s up?” I ask, still trying to catch my breath.
“They need cash for a new apartment right now,” he says with a sigh. “How the hell are we supposed to send it to them without Alpha Marcus finding out?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know…unless we deliver it in person.”
“That’s risky as hell,” he mutters.
“It’s the only way.”
He groans but nods. “Alright. Let’s do this.”