chapter 3

Chapter 3; The night he claimed her

The storm outside raged against the castle walls, thunder shaking the ancient halls of the Blood Moon pack. Aurora’s heart pounded as she followed Damien through the dim corridor, her trembling fingers clutching the fabric of her dress

Not a single word left his lips.

Yet the tension between them was unbearable.

Damien walked ahead of her with slow, dangerous confidence, his broad shoulders stiff beneath the black shirt stretched across his muscular frame. The silver moonlight slipping through the tall windows illuminated the sharp outline of his face, making him look less human and more like the deadly Alpha everyone feared.

Aurora swallowed nervously.

Why was he bringing her here?

The moment they reached the large wooden doors at the end of the hallway, Damien pushed them open without hesitation.

His room.

The scent of cedarwood, leather, and something darkly masculine filled the air instantly. Aurora stepped inside carefully, her pulse quickening as the doors shut heavily behind them,

Click.

The sound echoed through the room.

Aurora turned slowly.

Damien was already staring at her.

His gray eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, filled with an emotion she could not understand. Hunger. Possession. Desire.

It made her breath hitch.

“You’re nervous,” he murmured deeply.

Aurora looked away quickly. “I… I’ve never been alone with someone like this before.”

A dangerous smirk tugged at Damien’s lips.

“I know.”

Before Aurora could react, he stepped closer.

And closer.

Until her back nearly touched the edge of the bed.

Her entire body tensed as Damien slowly lifted his hand toward her face. His fingers brushed gently against her cheek, yet the touch sent heat rushing through her body like wildfire.

Aurora’s breath trembled.

His touch felt different.

Too powerful.

Too consuming.

“You smell intoxicating,” Damien whispered near her ear, his deep voice sending chills down her spine.

Aurora’s knees weakened.

The air between them became hotter with every passing second.

Damien’s fingers slid down her neck slowly before resting against her waist, pulling her closer against his chest. Aurora could feel the warmth radiating from his body… and the unnatural strength hidden beneath it.

Her heart raced wildly.

“Damien…” she whispered softly.

The sound of his name from her lips shattered the last thread of control inside him.

He kissed her.

Hard.

Possessively.

Aurora gasped against his lips as his hands tightened around her waist, pulling her completely against him. The kiss was heated and overwhelming, filled with years of darkness, loneliness, and desire Damien had buried deep inside himself.

And Aurora melted into it.

His lips moved against hers hungrily while his fingers tangled into her hair, tilting her head back slightly to deepen the kiss. Every touch sent sparks rushing through her veins.

It felt forbidden.

Dangerous.

But impossible to resist.

Aurora clung to his shirt as Damien kissed down her jaw slowly, his warm breath brushing against her skin. A soft shiver escaped her lips when his mouth reached the sensitive spot beneath her neck.

His wolf was losing control.

She could feel it.

The air in the room shifted strangely as Damien’s glowing eyes darkened with possessiveness.

“Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?” he growled softly.

Aurora could barely breathe.

Then suddenly—

A strange heat spread through her body.

Aurora gasped sharply as Damien pressed his forehead against hers, his hands gripping her tighter.

The supernatural bond between them awakened.

It felt like fire flowing beneath her skin.

Warm.

Wild.

Addictive.

Aurora’s body trembled as an unfamiliar energy pulsed through her veins, as though Damien’s wolf itself was reaching for her soul. The connection was intense enough to leave her dizzy.

And Damien felt it too.

His expression darkened with shock and desire.

“The bond…” he whispered roughly.

Aurora looked up at him breathlessly, unable to understand why her body reacted so strongly to his touch.

But Damien understood.

Far more than he should have.

And in that moment, as thunder crashed outside and moonlight poured across the room, Damien realized Aurora was becoming far more dangerous to him than he ever intended.

Damien pulled Aurora closer, his forehead resting against hers as the silver glow from the moon spilled across the room. Her heartbeat trembled beneath his touch, wild and uneven, while the supernatural bond between them burned hotter with every second.

“Aurora…” he whispered roughly, his voice heavy with desire.

She gasped softly when his lips traced along her neck, her fingers tightening against his shoulders. Every touch sent warmth racing through her veins, awakening the strange lunar energy that had been sleeping inside her for years. The mate bond pulsed between them like a living force, impossible to resist.

Outside the chamber doors, the night wind howled through the castle halls.

Inside, Aurora’s soft moans filled the room as Damien held her close, kissing her deeply while the glowing mark on her collarbone shimmered brighter. The connection between them grew stronger with each heartbeat, and she could feel his power flowing into her like moonlight pouring into darkness.

Far down the corridor, Cassandra froze.

The sound of Aurora’s voice echoed faintly through the hall, and jealousy twisted violently inside her chest. Her nails dug into her palms as her eyes burned with fury.

“No…” she whispered bitterly. “He was supposed to choose me.”

The air around Cassandra darkened as anger consumed her. Shadows curled around her feet unnaturally, reacting to the hatred building inside her heart. While Aurora and Damien surrendered completely to the mate bond, Cassandra made a silent promise beneath the moonlit corridor.

If she could not have Damien… then Aurora would lose everything.