Chapter Nine

Anna

“Are you crazy?” Stella asked after closing the door behind her.

She had been watching Damon until he got out of ears’ reach. I was guessing she had listened to our conversation. Seeing Damon here was one thing, and another was him asking me to be a surrogate. But it was too good a deal to let go. My people would be free. After years of being slaves to the Blue Valley pack, they had the chance to be welcomed as pack members.

As the daughter of the Alpha, it was my job to ensure that this became a reality. And I was ready to do anything to see that come into fruition.

“Keep your voice down, Stella. He might still hear us,” I said calmly.

Stella ran her fingers through his hair in frustration. She was pacing the room, the wooden floor creaking beneath her feet with each step she took.

Damon’s last words echoed in my ears now.

“Meet me at my secret cave tomorrow night.”

We were going to mate there. There was no doubt about it. The thought of having Damon above me—his tall, dominating figure left me feeling cozy. His warmth against mine and his breath on my face. My body shivered in excitement.

Even after everything he had done it to me—rejecting me and marrying his girlfriend, Sophie. I still wanted him. He was my mate after all.

“Anna. You aren’t thinking of going, are you?” Stella asked.

She stopped pacing and was staring at me now, her eyes burning with rage.

“Stella. This is the chance to save my people,” I replied. “Don’t you see? I don’t have any other choice. I can use him to get what I want. As long as I am his surrogate, I can get whatever I want. And I can get him back too.”

“Anna. You need to move on! He rejected you,” she pointed out. “And you think a baby is going to make him change his mind?”

I clenched my jaws. She was right. And I hated it. I wasn’t sure that Damon would still take me back. Part of me still wanted him. I was hoping, praying that he would change his mind and realize that marrying Sophie was a mistake. But the other part of me knew that it wasn’t going to happen. Why? Because he loved Sophie more than he would ever love me.

“I will carry his baby. And that’s it,” I said. “And he won’t hurt that baby or my people. Because the blood of my people will also be running in the child’s veins.”

Stella shook her head and asked off. She had enough. There was no talking me out of this. I was going to do this. Because it was not just for me.

The sound of a knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. My heart skipped a beat as the thought of Damon coming back to tell me he had heard our discussion struck my mind. I would be petrified if that happened.

I swung the door open before the knock came again and was surprised by who was standing before me.

“N—Noami?” I stuttered in surprise.

Noami stood before me with a basket of fruits and a warm smile on her face. Her skin crinkled at the edge of her eyes as the smile brightened the gloomy situation hovering around.

She was the last person I expected to see here right now.

“Hello, Anna. Do you mind if I come in?” She asked.

I was frozen to the door but I quickly moved my body and nodded. She flashed another smile and walked into the house. I closed the door behind her and turned around to find her staring at the little living room.

“Nice place you got here,” she said.

I scratched my neck nervously before answering.

“It’s not mine. I’m just squatting with my friend, Stella,” I replied. “The pack would never let a slave own a property on this land.”

Noami flinched before giving me a crooked smile. That was the rule here.

“Well, I know you’ve been having a hard time,” she said. “So I brought you this to cheer you up.”

She handed me the basket of fruits and forced a smile as I got the basket from her.

“Thank you, Noami. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but why are you doing this?” I asked.

Noami’s smile faded. She walked closer to me and held my shoulder.

“I was on my way here when I saw Damon leaving the house,” she said. “I know it’s hard being rejected. I would never understand the pain you are feeling. But I am here to tell you that you aren’t alone.”

There was a rustling noise behind Noami and I raised my head to find Stella’s head poking out the kitchen. She was eavesdropping.

When our eyes met, she gave me a cheeky grin.

“Thank you, Naomi. I’m fine,” I said.

Naomi sighed and her hand slipped off my shoulder.

“Whatever’s on your mind, you should do it,” she said before walking past me.

I stared at the basket of fruits in my hand thinking of her words. She was right. Did this mean that she had overheard my conversation with Stella?

My brows furrowed and I turned around. She was opening the door.

“Goodbye, Anna,” she said, turning to me with a warm smile.

I gave her a simple nod.

“And you too, Stella,” she said, not looking back.

And with that, she left.

I sighed and stared at the basket in my hand one more time.

Whatever I wanted to do.

That summed it up for me. I had made my decision.

***

The songs of the crickets filled the night air as I walked timidly through the darkness. The full moon’s silver light bathed my surroundings, its light serving as a tour guide.

My heart was racing, the cave not too far away from where I was. I was going to do it. Nothing was going to change my mind.

I arrived at the cave, the entrance dark as a wormhole. I halted at the entrance, second thoughts swimming in my head. There was no turning back from this.

Before I could turn back, the sound of footsteps echoing made me freeze in fear.

A few seconds later, a figure emanated from the darkness. It was Damon, he was shirtless and his naked torso shone in the silver light. His eyes were on me, a feeling of relief in them.

His next words were more gentle than I expected. They were compelling.

“You want to come inside?”