That Damned Bond

(Clara's POV)

The silver blade stopped less than an inch from my eye.

"Stop." I forced the words through the searing pain of the burns on my neck, my voice hoarse but impossibly steady. "I know what you want. Kill me now and you get nothing."

Silas's hand froze. His eyes narrowed as he studied me. "You want to make a deal? Everyone in the Northern Territory knows you love Damien. You'd really betray him?"

I twisted my lips into a bitter, devastated smile. "You heard every word of that phone call. He's about to marry Wendy. Our contract has three days left. I need to look out for myself."

The killing intent in Silas's eyes dimmed slightly, replaced by unconcealed mockery. He straightened, towering over me.

"So let me get this straight. You're Damien's true mate—his fated mate—but there's absolutely nothing between you. He threw you away completely and chose a highborn Alpha's daughter from Red Moon."

Every word landed on my spine with precision.

I closed my eyes and nodded. "Yes."

"Good." Silas sheathed the blade. "Write down the names of every covert ally from those eighteen major events."

"Of course." I opened my eyes and looked him dead in the face. "But I need rest first. The silver destroyed my nerve endings. My brain can't recall those encrypted lists right now."

Silas's expression turned lethal. He grabbed my collar and hauled me up. "You think you can negotiate with me?"

I didn't flinch, meeting his furious stare with cold calm. I was certain he wouldn't kill me. Not yet.

Two seconds later, Silas cursed under his breath and dropped me. He waved at the two thugs. "Lock her in the basement. Give her pen and paper."

The basement was pitch black. I couldn't tell if it was day or night. I held the pen and scrawled random, jumbled characters across the pages.

I was stalling.

No matter what had happened between Damien and me, the Black Moon Pack had given me a second life. I would never betray its secrets. I'd been silently tracking the guards' shift patterns, waiting for a chance to escape.

Finally, during a gap when a guard delivered food and collected papers, I found my opening.

I kicked the guard's knee out, grabbed his access card, and sprinted from the basement toward the warehouse exit.

My hand had just closed around the rusted iron handle of the door when a crushing force clamped down on the back of my neck from behind.

Silas stood behind me. Coarse wolf fur had sprouted across his hand, razor claws piercing my skin.

"I really hate being lied to." His voice dripped with lethal fury. He raised his other hand, claws aimed straight at my heart.

BOOM.

An explosion ripped through the air. The massive iron door was blown clean off its hinges, slamming into the load-bearing wall.

Through the billowing smoke, Damien charged in with a dozen fully armed Black Moon warriors. His eyes found me instantly—Silas's claws at my neck.

Damien moved with blinding speed. One kick sent Silas flying. He grabbed me and pulled me against his chest, shielding me completely.

"Are you all right?" Damien's voice was low. The hands gripping my shoulders trembled.

I looked up. Through the smoke, I saw his eyes. His gaze lingered on my neck and arms for one second—and in that second, I caught the raw concern and fear burning behind them.

But it lasted only a second. He turned away, his expression snapping back to cold, lethal focus, locked on Silas.

Silas scraped himself off the floor, laughing like a madman. Behind him, his two men raised a heavy rocket launcher. The backblast lit up the entire darkened warehouse.

"Get down!"

Damien let out a savage snarl. He threw out both arms and hurled me toward a protected corner with every ounce of his strength.

I hit the ground hard. In the final moment before I blacked out, all I saw was Damien's broad back.

His arms spread wide, shielding me completely.

...

I didn't know how long I was out.

When I opened my eyes, I was in the Black Moon Pack's medical ward.

The burns on the back of my neck screamed with agony. I ripped the IV from my hand and pushed myself upright.

"Miss Clara, you can't move!" A nurse rushed over and tried to hold me down.

"Where's Damien?" I gripped the nurse's arm.

The intensity in my eyes startled her. She raised a hand and pointed toward the adjacent private ward.

I threw off the covers, pressed my bare feet to the ice-cold floor, and walked step by step to the neighboring room. The door was ajar.

Through the gap, I saw him.

Damien sat on the edge of his hospital bed in an oversized gown. His back was wrapped in thick white bandages, blood seeping through the gauze.

Wendy was sitting in his lap, arms locked around his neck. Damien held her, leaning down to press a slow, gentle kiss to her forehead.

"Don't be scared." His deep voice carried clearly through the door. "I'll never leave you."

Wendy burrowed into the crook of his neck, her tone dripping with suspicion and reproach. "Damien, why did you go to that warehouse yourself? Silas had heavy weapons! You nearly got yourself killed saving her! Do you really love her?"

I held my breath. My fingers dug into the doorframe.

"It's just that damned mate bond." Damien's voice was flat. "The Moon Goddess's decree means I can't watch her die. That's all."

That damned mate bond.

Something cracked behind my ribs. The pain was instant and absolute.

He turned, tilted Wendy's chin up, and kissed her on the lips. Wendy closed her eyes and kissed him back, her fingers winding around his neck.

I turned to leave.

The instant I moved, Wendy's voice drifted out from the room.

"Clara? How long have you been standing there?"