CHAPTER 14 - The Bond He Didn’t Want to Break

“You don’t get to sit here like nothing happened,” I say.

Damon nods. “I know.”

Silence presses between us.

“I watched you collapse,” he says. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“You lost me long before that,” I replied.

Pain flashes across his face.

“I wanted to protect you,” he says quietly.

I laughed once. It comes out bitter. “By lying to me?”

“By hiding you,” he insists. “From what you are.”

“And what am I?” I ask.

He swallows. “Too powerful for this world to forgive.”

Anger stirs. “You don’t get to decide that.”

“I know,” he says quickly. “I know now.”

I stare at him. “Then why are you here?”

He looks down at his hands. “Because I never stopped loving you.”

The words hang heavy.

“You say that,” I whisper, “after everything?”

“Yes,” he says. “Because it’s true.”

My chest aches. Not with longing. With grief.

“You loved me,” I say slowly. “But you chose fear.”

He flinches.

“I chose you,” he argues. “Over politics. Over blood.”

“You chose control,” I snapped. “There’s a difference.”

His voice cracks. “I thought if I kept you small, I could keep you safe.”

I shake my head. “You kept me blind.”

Silence again.

“I never meant to reject you,” Damon says. “I just didn’t know how to stand beside you.”

The words cut deep.

“Then you should have stepped aside,” I say.

Footsteps interrupt us.

A soft sob breaks the quiet.

I turn.

Sera stands there.

Her face is pale. Her eyes were red. Her hands tremble as she clutches her stomach.

My breath catches.

Damon stiffens. “Sera… you shouldn’t be here.”

Her voice breaks. “I had to be.”

I stand slowly. “What’s wrong?”

She looks at me. Not with hatred. Not with victory.

With fear.

“The pregnancy is unstable,” she says quietly. “The healers don’t know if I’ll survive it.”

The words hit hard.

Damon rushes to her side. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you were here,” she says, tears spilling. “With her.”

Guilt flashes across his face.

I feel something twist inside me. Not jealousy. Not rage.

Reality.

“You’re carrying his child,” I say softly.

She nods. “Yes.”

“And you’re scared,” I add.

She nods again. “Terrified.”

Damon looks torn. “Aria… I never wanted you hurt.”

“I know,” I say. And that’s the worst part.

Sera wipes her tears. “I didn’t plan this. I didn’t plan to be his mate.”

The word burns.

Mate.

“You were chosen,” I say. “Just like I was hidden.”

Silence stretches.

Sera looks at me. “What are you?”

The question is quiet. Honest.

I lift my chin. “I’m done being erased.”

Damon’s eyes shine. “Then let me help you.”

I met his gaze. “You already chose your path.”

He swallows. “So did you.”

A knock sounds.

Lucian’s voice follows. Calm. Watchful.

“She’s awake. Good.”

I look toward the door.

“Whatever bond we had,” I say to Damon, “it broke the moment you decided I wasn’t strong enough to stand beside you.”

His eyes fill with regret.

“I still love you,” he whispers.

I turn away.

“That doesn’t give you a claim.”

Lucian steps in. His gaze flicks from Damon to Sera to me.

“Your enemies are moving,” he says quietly. “And they know you’re awake.”

My pulse quickens.

“What kind of enemies?” I ask.

Lucian’s eyes darken. “The kind who don’t care who lives through the night.”

I glance at Sera. At Damon.

At the fragile truth binding us all.

And I realize something with terrifying clarity.

This war will not spare the innocent.

And the first blood may not be mine.

She said my name like a prayer and a warning at the same time.

I woke with a tight pull in my chest. Not pain. Not fear. Something sharper. Something aware.

I sat up, breathing slowly, telling myself to stay calm. I had learned that panic fed the wrong instincts now. Everything inside me listened. Everything waited.

Then I heard her voice.

“Aria.”

I turned my head.

She stood a few steps away. Pale. Shaking. Her hands pressed together like she was trying to hold herself in one piece.

“Please,” she whispered. “I need to talk to you. Alone.”

I studied her face. Her eyes were red. Not just from crying. From fear that had been sitting there too long.

“What happened?” I asked.

She took a step closer, then stopped, like there was an invisible line she was afraid to cross.

“They’re watching me,” she said softly. “Always watching.”

My pulse tightened. “Who?”

She swallowed. “Damon’s family.”

The words landed heavy between us.

“They don’t own you,” I said. “No one does.”

She let out a broken laugh. “That’s not what they think.”

I stood. I didn’t rush her. I didn’t touch her. Something told me not to.

“They say I belong to them now,” she continued. “Because of the baby. Because of bloodlines. Because I did what they wanted.”

My jaw clenched. “What did they want?”

Her lips trembled. “Control.”

The word scraped against me.

“You should leave,” I said quietly. “If you’re scared, you should go somewhere safe.”

She shook her head fast. “There is no safe. Not for me.”

I stepped closer. “Then tell me everything.”

Her eyes lifted to mine. “They threatened me.”

My breath caught.