Four

“You can’t leave. What do you mean you’re leaving? You can’t. You’re my mate!”

The words resonated in Aria's head. She stared at Alpha Damien in shock. Her emerald green eyes got wider than they had ever gotten all her life.

While she was unconscious, she remembered Damien had mentioned something about her being his mate but she had shrugged it off as a figment of her imagination. Aria believed that she wasn't supposed to have a mate because apparently, she was the evil twin as her family and pack claimed.

How then could this man stand before her and claim that he was her mate?

"I— I don't understand what you're talking about," Aria stuttered.

Damien stared at her in disbelief. Was she really doing this to him? Was she trying to deny him? She couldn't. No, maybe she didn't really understand. Maybe it would be best if he handled matters with a lot of patience.

"You left me this note, Aria Jean. You're leaving," Damien began.

Aria felt her heart racing. Her breathing was still heavy from the shock of the revelation that Damien had brought up.

"Yes, I'm leaving. I— I don't want to be a burden to you or Camille anymore. You both are so nice to me and—" Aria began but was cut off by Damien.

"Who said you were a burden? What are you even talking about?" Damien questioned her.

He could not believe that she was referring to herself as a burden. Aria was his mate. He was supposed to protect her. She was his responsibility. She was no burden.

"I— I saw— I thought that you—" Aria stuttered again and Damien cut back in.

"Aria, I'm your mate. I'm supposed to do things for you," Damien whispered as his warm amber eyes softened.

Again the declaration of Damien being Aria's mate hit her hard. Her breathing quickened again and she felt herself going into another panic attack.

"This isn't true. You're not my mate. You can't be my mate. I'm not supposed to have a mate. I— this can't be true," Aria blabbered on in confusion.

Damien stared at her in disbelief. Was she rejecting him? He felt sudden pain hit his heart. He blinked his eyes as he felt the pain which felt like a thousand shards spread from his heart to the rest of his body. He could feel it weakening his body. He felt as if he was going to lose control. His wolf whimpered deep within him and he had to scold himself from letting the whimper out.

"Aria Jean. . .are you rejecting me as your mate?" Damien asked in a pained whisper.

He brought his amber eyes to meet with Aria's emerald green. Aria was shocked by the wave of emotions that hit her the moment she locked her gaze with his. She felt as if she could feel every single bit of emotion that he felt just by gazing into his eyes. She could see the hurt and the pain vividly.

Aria realised at that point that Damien was not joking or making things up. Damien truly believed that she was his mate. Did he not know who she was? At some point, she thought he would recognise her and cast her out just like her father had done but he didn't seem to know anything or be part of a big plan made against her.

If Damien was truly her mate then wasn't she supposed to feel something? Wasn't she supposed to know that he was her mate? Presently, she didn't feel anything. How then could Damien truly be her mate?

"No one is rejecting anyone. We just need to sit and talk about this," Camille appeared from behind them.

They both turned to see Camille's slender form. Her dark curls were sprawled down her back as she was dressed in a pair of dark jeans and dark t-shirt. She slowly approached them. Her amber eyes came into view and gave her a certain form of beauty.

"Damien, you're been too hard on Aria. Remember, she doesn't know how this mate thing actually works. She literally just had her first shift. You need to take it easy on her," Camille scolded her brother.

Guilt suddenly scattered through Damien's eyes as he realised that his sister had a point. She was new to all this. Aria looked so troubled and confused. Damien squeezed his eyes shut and ran his fingers through his dark curly hair. What was he thinking? He was been a total idiot the entire time.

"I'm so sorry Aria for being harsh on you. I was overwhelmed by my feelings. I let my emotions take control over me," Damien apologised to Aria.

Aria still stared from Camille to her brother in confusion. She was still trying to understand her situation. It was as if they all had information and she was the only one in the dark.

"Come Aria, you need to sit," Camille said in a soothing voice as she gently pulled Aria out of the kitchen and led her to the living room. Damien followed closely behind without breathing a word. Aria could still smell his guilt on him.

Aria let Camille pull her down to the couch and watched as Camille sank in beside her. Damien stood before them as he leaned on the couch to their right. He didn't know whether to sit or remain standing.

Camille noticed her brother's discomfort and smiled at how much of a child he resembled. She could see his younger self again.

"Damien, no one is punishing you. You don't have to remain standing. We're not fighting here. You can take a seat," Camille announced with a smirk on her lips. She was already trying to lift the tension that had settled in the air.

Damien subconsciously scratched the back of his ears and slowly took his seat on the couch. Then he brought his eyes back to Aria as he watched her. It was taking a lot of his willpower and control not to close the distance between them and hold Aria in his arms.

Now was not the time, Damien scolded himself.

Camille cleared her throat before speaking.

"As my brother claimed, you Aria Jean, are my brother's mate. The long-awaited Luna of Crescent Moon Pack," Camille stated with authority.

Aria felt her heart sink deeper into her ribcage.