VELARA'S POV
Now that Damon has finally discovered I’m his mate, and after his relentless pursuit yesterday, I know deep in my bones this won’t be the last encounter I’ll have with him. He doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who’s accustomed to being brushed off, especially not by a woman. But he’ll have to learn. I won’t allow anyone to take my son away from me, not even him. Maybe I made my stance clear enough yesterday. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll get through today without dealing with the chaos that comes with being bound to a mate.I step out of my office with cautious optimism, silently hoping to move through the rest of the day uninterrupted. But that hope dies the moment I see him again. My stomach twists. Damon is strolling down the corridor with a confidence that makes my breath hitch. His presence fills the space like a storm rolling in.Before he notices me, I quickly turn and head in the opposite direction. My feet move fast, driven by panic as IVELARA'S POV“Damn, what are we supposed to do about the kids, Kael and Selene?” Elysia asked, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she paced in front of the couch. “Both their fathers will be attending, and if Noah’s there, I’m sure he’ll be dragging Ari along.”Her voice quivered slightly as she said it. Ari, Noah’s mate, didn’t know about Selene. Elysia was constantly anxious that the truth might explode out of nowhere. It didn’t help that Ari had been struggling for years to conceive. That kind of pain mixed with betrayal could be catastrophic.“We still have three weeks,” she added with a hopeful look. “Maybe we could ask Noah’s mom to help out with the kids? We’ll figure something out before then.”I sighed and nodded slowly. “It is what it is,” I said softly. There was no perfect solution, and we both knew it.Elysia tilted her head toward me. “What about your dad?” she asked gently.I hesitated, my jaw tightening. “I
VELARA'S POVThe wedding wraps up flawlessly, like the final note of a perfect symphony echoing in the hush of twilight. Golden light from the chandeliers above casts a soft, honeyed glow over the ballroom, where flower petals dust the polished marble floor like remnants of a dream. The scent of white roses and vanilla still lingers in the air, mingling with the faintest trace of champagne and candle wax. I stand at the edge of the room for a moment, just observing, the clinking of glasses has quieted, the laughter is beginning to fade, and now only a low murmur remains as the last of the guests begin to drift toward the exit in twos and threes.Every detail had unfolded as it should. The bride, radiant in a delicate lace gown, had glided down the aisle like something out of a fairytale. Her smile never wavered, not once. The groom couldn’t stop looking at her, his eyes filled with awe as if he was seeing her for the first time. The vows were simple, heartfelt, and
VELARA'S POV“Is everything still frozen?” I asked, glancing toward the large truck parked by the entrance.“Yeah,” he said with a small nod. “The delivery is all good. But… there’s something else.”My stomach tightened. That tone never preceded good news.“There’s this Alpha who wanted to talk to you,” he added, scratching his temple nervously. “He said his name was Damon. I don’t know much about your world or how it works with Alphas and all that, but… he asked some strange questions.”“Like what kind of questions?” I asked warily.“Well,” he hesitated, glancing over his shoulder like someone might overhear. “He asked if I was your secret lover.”I raised my eyebrows in disbelief.“He came off a bit… intense,” the driver finished, clearing his throat and holding out a phone. “Anyway, he wants to talk to you. I’ll put him through.”With a sigh, I took the phone and pressed it to my ear. The familiar vo
VELARA'S POVThe next morning dawned with a kind of eerie silence lingering in the air. Word had spread that another one of the forsaken had been sighted just the night before. Fear had begun to worm its way through the guests at the hotel, prompting a few of them to gather their things and leave while they still could. They didn’t want to take the risk. The hotel was too close to the city’s boundary, too tempting a target for anyone—or anything—looking for a way in.But regardless of the fear hanging over us, today was still Saturday, and it was a day that held a purpose: the wedding scheduled for the afternoon. Most of my energy had been directed toward getting everything ready for that. Unfortunately, I hadn’t been able to arrange for a delivery truck to bring in the new refrigeration units in time. The wait had stretched out over a week, leaving me to make do. With no other choice, six of us had rolled up our sleeves and hauled down two old fridges from the bac
VELARA'S POVI wiped my face with the back of my hand as I marched away, my vision blurry from tears that just wouldn't stop falling. The sting of frustration burned in my chest, heavy and suffocating. My footsteps echoed through the hallway, brisk and angry, the weight of heartbreak pressing harder with each step. I saw Elysia and Kylie standing just ahead, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. The lump in my throat was too thick, the storm in my chest too wild to contain. I only wanted to reach my office, to shut the door behind me and hide from everything.They came in after me, unwilling to leave me alone in my silent grief. Kylie held a folded sheet of paper tightly in one hand, her expression etched with worry as she followed my hurried steps. The moment I stepped into my office, I sank into my chair, the air in my lungs thin and shaky. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I tried to compose myself, but the tears just kept coming, hot and relentless.Kylie app
DAMON'S POV“I told you to crush the damn thing. Haul it to the scrapyard and make sure there’s nothing left to piece together,” I instructed coldly into the phone. As I ended the call, my eyes met hers. The way her gaze snapped upward, wide and brimming with hurt, sent a jolt through me, but I refused to flinch.Her lips parted, but no words came. Instead, her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and her throat moved as she swallowed hard, trying not to let them fall. I tilted my head, almost amused, almost… regretful. But I had to maintain control.I slipped the phone back into my pocket. “You could’ve stopped all of this,” I said evenly, my voice devoid of warmth. “It didn’t have to reach this point.”Velara’s expression twisted into something sharp and pained. “You’re right,” she snapped, her voice trembling with emotion. “None of this would’ve happened if I’d never crossed paths with you.”Then, without waiting for a response, she spun