Dinner

Damon’s POV

The bite Aria gave me still stung. Every time my tongue brushed the torn skin on my lip, I could taste the faint copper of blood mixed with her defiance.

That woman had grown wings, sharp, proud, and untamed. She was no longer the quiet omega I once brought into this house. She looked at me differently now, not as her mate or her Alpha, but like someone she was ready to fight.

Why does she act like I forced her into this? She should be grateful. Any omega would be. But Aria isn’t any omega. She’s bold. She challenges me with her silence, with her eyes, with that stubborn pride that makes me question everything.

If not for my father, I would have rejected her a long time ago.

But my father believed in her. He said she carried something rare, strength wrapped in humility. He said she was chosen for the pack, not for me. And maybe he was right.

Over these past two years, I’ve learned something. Aria might not be the mate I wanted, but she is the Luna this pack needs. Strong, calm, and painfully loyal. She runs things smoothly, even when I’m gone for weeks. She never complains, never lets the pack see her weakness.

Maybe that’s why I can’t reject her. She completes the pack… just not me.

Love? I don’t think I understand that word anymore, not since Selene.

Selene…

The name alone brings a rush of bitterness to my throat. My first love. My curse.

Her father was my father’s gamma before he left to start his own pack. Even after that, Selene stayed here. We were inseparable. I thought I’d found the one person who truly saw me, not as an Alpha’s son, but as Damon.

Until the night I caught her with a rogue.

Her hands on him. Her lips.

She didn’t deny it. She just looked at me with those same beautiful eyes and said, “You’re overreacting.”

I almost killed the rogue that night. But I didn’t.

She manipulated me into forgiving her. And weeks later, she disappeared,vanished into thin air.

I searched for her for months, thinking maybe she’d been taken. But no… she left on her own.

And now she’s back.

The same smile. The same scent.

But something about her feels darker now. Different.

A knock on my office door pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Come in,” I said.

Liam, my beta, stepped in and closed the door behind him. His clothes were still dusty from patrol.

“How was it?” I asked without looking up from my desk.

“It went well, with the help of the Luna,” he said, brushing a hand through his hair. “But I think not all the rogues died. Some escaped into the woods. There’s something strange about their fighting pattern, though. Their formation… it felt familiar.”

I looked up then. “Familiar how?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, frowning. “They fought like trained wolves, not wild ones. Their speed and coordination, it wasn’t normal.”

My brows furrowed. Rogues rarely fought with order. They attacked like savages. But what Liam described sounded like military formation.

“Find out everything,” I said, my voice low. “Who trained them. Where they came from. Report to me once you know.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Liam nodded, then hesitated. “Aria fought well. Really well. If she hadn’t been there, we’d have lost men.”

I froze at that.

Aria.

Even after everything that happened between us today, she still went to battle.

Still fought for my pack.

A strange mix of pride and guilt tugged at me, but I pushed it down. “That’s her duty,” I said flatly. “You can go.”

He nodded once and turned to leave.

But before he reached the door, it burst open without a knock.

“Dam, you’re here,” Selene said, stepping in like she owned the place.

I clenched my jaw. “I told you to knock before coming in.”

She gave a playful pout. “Why are you being mean to me? You were so nice earlier, in front of Aria.”

She sauntered closer, her perfume filling the air, a sweet scent that used to drive me crazy but now made me uneasy.

“I’ll take my leave,” Liam muttered quickly, slipping out before I could stop him.

Selene smiled as she moved closer, her long lashes fluttering. “I know you still love me,” she whispered, cupping my jaw. Her touch was soft, calculated. “I’m sorry for what happened, Dam. My father needed me. I lost my phone. I couldn’t contact you.”

Her lies slid easily off her tongue. I could hear the false sweetness in every word.

“You expect me to believe that?” I asked, my voice low.

She tilted her head. “You don’t have to believe me. Just feel me again.”

She leaned in, her body pressing against mine. I should have pushed her away. I wanted to. But something about her pull… it still worked like poison.

“Do you really love me?” I asked quietly, half-hoping she’d tell me the truth this time.

Her lips curved into a smirk. “You already know I do.”

I stepped back, breaking her touch. “Then give me space. We’ll talk later.”

Her eyes glimmered with amusement instead of hurt. “At least have dinner with me, Damon. Just dinner.” She moved closer again, voice dropping to a whisper. “If you do, maybe I’ll show you how much I missed your rough, sweet touch.”

Her words hit me like fire.

Damn it, she knew my weakness. She always did.

“Fine,” I muttered. “Go ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”

She grinned like a cat that just caught its prey. “I can’t move. My ankle hurts,” she said, her voice dripping with false innocence. “Can you carry me to the dinner table?”

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. She was playing games again. The same games she used to play before breaking my heart.

“Selene…” I warned.

“Oh, come on, Alpha,” she teased. “You wouldn’t want your guest limping through the hallway, would you?”

I hesitated for a moment before crouching slightly. “Fine. Just this once.”

Her laughter was soft and triumphant as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I could feel her breath on my skin, and for a brief second, I hated how familiar it felt.

As I carried her down the hall, a few pack members turned their heads in surprise. Their Luna’s mate carrying another woman, it would definitely stir gossip.

But I didn’t care. Or at least, that’s what I told myself.

When we reached the dining hall, I gently lowered Selene into her seat. She smiled up at me, that same smile that once had me wrapped around her finger.

“Thank you, Alpha,” she said sweetly.

I didn’t reply. I simply took my seat beside her, forcing my expression to remain unreadable.

Moments later, the door opened, and Aria walked in.

She wore a simple navy gown, her hair loosely tied back. No jewels, no attempt to impress. Yet she drew every gaze in the room. Calm. Composed. Regal without trying.

She bowed her head slightly. “Alpha. Selene.”

Selene’s lips curved into a mocking smile. “Join us, Luna,” she said, dragging out the title like it was a joke. “You must be exhausted from pretending to be a warrior.”

Aria didn’t respond. She just took her seat at the far end of the table and began to serve herself quietly, as though Selene’s words meant nothing.

That silence, it stung worse than any insult could.

Selene laughed softly. “Oh, come on, Aria. No words for me? Or are you afraid your Alpha might notice which one of us he truly wants beside him?”

Aria finally looked up, her eyes meeting Selene’s with a faint, icy smile. “The Alpha has always known what he wants,” she said simply, then went back to her meal.

Selene’s smirk faltered for a moment, and I felt my chest tighten, pride, guilt, and frustration all mixed into one.

Selene reached for my goblet, took a slow sip, and whispered, “Still the same taste. Strong. Familiar. Unforgettable.”

Aria didn’t even flinch. She finished her food, placed her cutlery neatly, and rose. “If you’ll excuse me, Alpha,” she said calmly, her voice smooth as glass. “It’s been a long day.”

“Aria….”

She paused at the doorway, not turning around. “You don’t owe me an explanation,” she said, her tone steady, controlled. “Good night, Alpha. Selene.”

Then she was gone.

The silence she left behind was heavier than any argument.

Selene leaned back, twirling her hair between her fingers. “She’s cold,” she murmured. “Are you sure she’s even capable of being your Luna?”

“Enough, Selene.”

She laughed softly, leaning closer. “Fine, Alpha. But when you’re ready for warmth…” She stood, letting her hand trail along my arm, “…you know where to find me.”

Her perfume lingered as she left the hall, and her last words echoed through my head like a dangerous whisper.

“See me in my room.”

I sat there for a long while, staring at the empty doorway, Aria’s calm voice still echoing in my mind, fighting against Selene’s temptation.

For the first time in years, I didn’t know which woman truly held power over me.