CHAPTER 10

She chuckled softly. “No, I’m Damien’s concubine.”

My eyes widened. Damien has a concubine? That was new. Why wouldn’t he just marry her?

“I heard Damien rescued you,” she continued, her gaze narrowing with suspicion. “What exactly are you to him?”

I frowned at the question, irritation prickling in my chest. “Nothing. I’m nothing to him.”

“Good. Keep it that way,” she snapped, her voice sharp as a blade. “Because he’s mine.”

I lifted my chin, steadying my tone. “I’m not fighting you for him—and I never will. I’ll be leaving this pack soon anyway.”

Her lips curled into a sneer as she flipped her hair to the other side, her flawless face marred with anger.

“So,” she hissed, “when are you leaving?”

I inhaled deeply. “Soon.”

“Why soon? You should be gone already! He saved you, and you’re stable enough to leave!” Her high-pitched voice rang with accusation.

I sucked in a breath, fighting to calm the rage that simmered in me. “I will leave… soon.”

She sneered again. “Soon? When?”

“I said I’ll leave soon,” I repeated, sharper this time.

She strode closer, her heels clicking against the stone floor, until her face was just inches from mine. Her eyes burned into mine as she whispered coldly, “You better not try anything funny. Damien is mine—and mine alone.”

I frowned, meeting her glare head-on. “I have nothing to do with Damien.”

“Good!” she spat.

I turned to leave, relieved to be done with her poisonous words—only to slam into a broad, solid chest. My heart jolted. His cologne drifted into my senses, rich and intoxicating. Slowly, I lifted my gaze and felt my heart skip a beat. Damien.

Her face lit up, panic flickering behind her perfect features. She rushed toward him immediately. “Lycan Damien, I was just giving her directions! She said she was lost,” she blurted, her tone too quick, too defensive.

I clenched my jaw, glaring at her silently. Directions? Please. You were warning me to stay away from Damien.

Damien’s sharp gaze fixed on me, his voice cold. “What are you doing up so late? Shouldn’t you be in your room?”

“Yes!” she cut in, seizing the moment. “That was exactly what I was telling her. She has a child—she shouldn’t be wandering around at night.”

My skin crawled at her lies. Such a cheap liar.

I wanted to snap, to expose her, but I didn’t have the strength or patience for a confrontation. All I wanted was to leave.

I lowered my head, forcing my voice steady. “I’m sorry. I just wanted some fresh air but… I ended up here by mistake. I’ll go back now.”

Without waiting for his response, I slipped past them and rushed out of the garden, slamming the door behind me.

The hallways stretched endlessly, shadows pooling along the stone walls. I tiptoed quietly, searching for the room I’d been given, but after several wrong turns, I crashed into a hard body.

A soldier.

His sharp eyes pinned me down. “Who are you?” he demanded, his voice low, edged with dominance.

My throat tightened. Who was I, really?

“I… I’m Damien’s brother’s mate,” I stammered. The words tasted like poison on my tongue. Even after everything Lucas did to me, I still called him mate. The thought made my skin crawl.

The only thing I wanted was to dig my claws into him, to shred him for what he had done. But I couldn’t. My wolf was gone. I had nothing left.

The soldier studied me carefully. “That’s strange. I’ve never seen you before. Why are you wandering around in the middle of the night? Don’t you know how dangerous it is—especially for someone like you?”

My heart skipped. Someone like me?

“What do you mean? I’m a wolf. I can take care of myself,” I said stubbornly, though doubt gnawed at me.

He chuckled darkly. “Are you sure? You’re pregnant. Pregnant wolves are always weak. You need to be more careful—for your child’s sake.”

A lump formed in my throat. For a moment, I feared he had somehow discovered my secret—that I had lost my wolf. My heart thudded painfully.

Still, I forced a small nod. “Yes… thank you. I’ll be careful.”

I tried to smile politely, desperate to end the conversation. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to return to my room.”

He nodded, finally stepping aside. “No problem. Stay safe.”

Relieved, I hurried past him, winding through several hallways before I finally recognized the door. I exhaled heavily. Finally.

For a second, I thought I’d end up sleeping in one of those cold corridors. Damien’s pack house was enormous, ten times larger than Lucas’s. How the workers ever managed to find their way around was beyond me.

I pushed the door open and slipped inside, shutting it softly behind me. Collapsing onto the bed, I stared up at the chandelier, my thoughts spiraling.

I hadn’t been able to trace the witch. I had walked the grounds for hours, but the garden remained hidden, as though it never existed.

Was Elizabeth right? Was my mind really playing tricks on me?

No. It couldn’t be. I had seen her face. Felt her touch against my cheek. That was no illusion. It was real.

But why? Why would she appear to me, a stranger, and speak such words?

I pressed my palm against my stomach, my thumb trembling against the curve of it.

What if Lucas was telling the truth? What if he really was infertile?

No… that was impossible. I had never even met Damien before. How could I possibly be carrying his child?

It couldn’t be true.

I turned on my side, trying to shake the thoughts away. Damien must be with his concubine now. That realization left a strange pang in my chest. Why did I even care? Why was I thinking about it at all?

I shook my head, forcing the thoughts away. It’s not my business. It shouldn’t be.

Slowly, my eyelids grew heavy, and no matter how I fought it, sleep pulled me under.

The sunlight woke me. I blinked, shielding my eyes from the glow of the rising sun streaming through the windows. A yawn slipped out as I pushed myself upright.

My hand drifted instinctively to my stomach, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “Good morning, little one,” I whispered, chuckling softly.

A sudden knock on the door snapped me from the tender moment. Curious, I scrambled to my feet and opened the door.

My breath caught.

Damien stood there, clad in a sleek black coat and matching pants, his long hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. His presence filled the doorway, his aura cold yet magnetic.

My heart skipped violently in my chest.