THE PLACE HE NEVER SHARES

CHAPTER 4

The elevator descended in silence, Aria stood beside Damien, trying very hard not to be aware of his presence and failing miserably.

The private elevator was large enough for ten people, yet it somehow felt too small.

Too intimate, too quiet.

She could feel the warmth radiating from him.

Could smell that strange scent again.

Wood, Smoke.

And something wild she couldn't identify.

Every time she inhaled, her heart beat a little faster.

This was ridiculous.

She had met him only a few hours ago.

A few hours, That was all.

Yet being near him felt strangely natural.

Dangerously natural.

The elevator doors opened into an underground parking garage.

Rows of luxury vehicles lined the area.

Aria's eyes widened slightly, "Wow."

Damien glanced at her.

"What?"

"You weren't kidding when you said you were a businessman."

A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Something like that."

He led her toward a sleek black car.

The moment he unlocked it, Aria stopped walking.

Damien turned.

"What is it?" She folded her arms.

"Before I get into a mysterious billionaire's car in the middle of the night, I should probably know where we're going."

His lips twitched. "Billionaire?"

"You have a private elevator and enough cars to start a dealership."

Damien chuckled.

The sound sent an unexpected flutter through her chest.

"We're getting coffee." Aria blinked.

"Coffee?"

"Disappointed?"

"A little."

The amusement in his eyes deepened. "You expected something more dramatic?"

"I don't know. Maybe a secret underground lair."

"That's on Tuesdays." She laughed.

A genuine laugh.

And once again, Damien found himself staring.

His wolf immediately stirred.

Mate.

Mine.

The possessive growl echoed through him, and Damien ignored it or at least tried to.

Across the city, Isabella Steele sat inside her penthouse.

The report had arrived.

And she hated every word she was reading.

Aria Johnson, Twenty-six years old, Actress.

No werewolf blood, no powerful family, and no political connections.

Nothing, A nobody.

Yet somehow Damien's wolf had reacted to her.

Isabella crushed the paper in her hand.

"No."

The word escaped through clenched teeth, It wasn't fair.

For years, she had stood beside Damien and prepared herself to become Luna Queen.

She had endured endless political meetings, council gatherings, and pack expectations and everything.

And now some human actress was going to take her place?

Absolutely not.

Her phone rang.

The man she had hired earlier.

"Did you find anything else?"

"Only one thing."

Isabella frowned. "What?"

The man hesitated.

"Damien has never taken a woman to that location before."

Silence. Then Isabella's expression darkened.

Because she knew exactly what location he meant.

The lake house.

Meanwhile, Aria stared through the car window as city lights blurred past.

The drive was peaceful, comfortable, and strange.

Most conversations with men felt force,like performances.

But with Damien, silence never felt awkward, it felt safe.

And that scared her.

She glanced at him.

His hands rested casually on the steering wheel

Strong hands and capable hands.

Her eyes quickly darted away.

What was wrong with her?

A few hours ago, she had been crying over Jason and now was noticing another man's hands.

Pathetic.

As if sensing her thoughts, Damien spoke.

"You're frowning again."

Aria groaned.

"Can you stop noticing everything?"

"No."

"That's creepy."

"I've been called worse."

The corner of her mouth lifted.

Then her phone buzzed again, Jason.

Another message.

Another number.

Another attempt.

Please talk to me. I love you.

The anger that surged through her surprised even herself.

Love? Love didn't look like betrayal.

Love didn't look like another woman in your bed.

Without hesitation, she deleted the message. Then, blocked the number again.

Beside her, Damien remained silent, his grip on the steering wheel tightened.

Good.

The man deserved to be blocked.

If Damien ever met him... His wolf growled at the thought.

Forty minutes later, they arrived. Aria stepped out of the car.

And froze.

The lake stretched endlessly before her, and Moonlight danced across the water.

The surrounding forest swayed gently in the night breeze.

And in the distance stood a beautiful wooden house overlooking everything.

The view was breathtaking. "Oh my God."

Damien watched her reaction carefully."You like it."

"I love it."

For the first time all evening, the sadness disappeared from her face.

And seeing that made something inside Damien settle.

This place mattered to him. Very few people knew it existed.

Even fewer had ever visited.Yet bringing Aria here had felt natural.

Like she belonged.The realization both comforted and terrified him.

Inside the lake house, Aria wandered slowly through the living room.Everything was elegant, warm, and comfortable.

Unlike the cold luxury she had expected from a billionaire. "This doesn't seem like you."

Damien raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

She looked around."I expected something colder."

His expression softened."This place belonged to my mother."

Something flickered across his face.

A rare vulnerability.

Aria noticed immediately.

For the first time since meeting him, she realized he wasn't invincible.

He carried pain too but was different from hers.

But pain nonetheless. "I'm sorry."

Damien looked at her. "For what?"

"Whatever happened." For several seconds, he simply stared.

No one usually noticed things like that. No one usually cared.

Yet somehow, she did. And that made her dangerous in ways she couldn't imagine.

Much later, they sat outside on the wooden deck overlooking the lake.

Two cups of coffee rested between them.

The night was quiet, peaceful, and perfect.

Until Damien suddenly stiffened.

Aria noticed instantly. "What is it?"

His eyes narrowed toward the forest. Listening,watching, and sensing.

Something wasn't right.

His wolf was suddenly alert.

Danger is close ,very close.

A low growl threatened to escape his throat.

Aria's heartbeat quickened."Damien?"

He stood abruptly.

The calm man she'd spent hours with was gone.

In his place stood someone far more dangerous.

Far more powerful.

"Get inside." The command shocked her.

"What?"

"Now."

His voice left no room for argument, and fear crawled up her spine.

Then she heard it. A howl.

Deep, terrifying, not far away.

Another howl followed. Then another.

The sound echoed through the forest.

Aria went pale.

"What was that?"

Damien's eyes flashed red.

This time, she saw it clearly. And before she could react,several enormous wolves emerged from the darkness.

One stepped forward,its glowing eyes locked directly onto Aria.

And Damien moved instantly.

Positioning himself between her and the wolves.

Protecting her.

As if his life depended on it.

The lead wolf lowered its head.

Then spoke.

"Your Majesty."

Aria's entire world stopped because wolves weren't supposed to talk.

And Damien...

Damien didn't look surprised at all.