Damian's Fury

Damian had watched the whole thing.

From the moment Xavier approached Leo in the garden, Damian had been there—hidden in the shadows of the packhouse, his amber eyes tracking every move the other Alpha made.

He'd told himself he was just being cautious. Protective. That he didn't trust Xavier anywhere near his son.

But the truth was darker than that.

He was jealous.

Jealous of the way Xavier looked at Leo. Jealous of the way Leo looked back—curious, unafraid, seeing something in the dark Alpha that Damian couldn't.

And jealous of the way Luna still reacted to Xavier, even when she claimed to hate him.

Damian had seen the flicker of pain in her eyes when she'd confronted Xavier at the banquet. He'd felt her body tense when Xavier's name was mentioned. He'd heard the way her voice cracked when she said, I loved you so much it consumed me.

She still felt something. Maybe not love—maybe not even like—but something.

And that terrified him.

---

Luna was in their quarters when he returned, sitting on the bed with Leo curled up beside her. The boy was asleep, his small chest rising and falling peacefully, his dark hair fanned out on the pillow.

Luna looked up when Damian entered, and her expression softened. "Hey. Where have you been?"

"Walking."

"Walking where?"

He hesitated. "The garden."

Luna's brow furrowed. "Damian—"

"I saw him with Leo."

The words hung in the air like a challenge. Luna's face went pale.

"You saw—"

"I saw everything." Damian's voice was tight, controlled. "I saw Xavier talking to our son. I saw Leo talking back. I saw them bonding."

Luna stood slowly, careful not to wake Leo. "Damian, I didn't know he was going to do that. I told him to stay away—"

"I know you did." He crossed the room, his amber eyes blazing. "But he didn't listen, did he? He never listens. He just does whatever he wants, takes whatever he wants—"

"Damian—"

"And you let him."

The accusation hit like a slap. Luna's eyes widened. "What?"

"You let him near Leo. You didn't stop him. You didn't—"

"I wasn't there!" Luna's voice rose, then dropped as Leo stirred. She took a breath, lowering her voice. "I didn't know. I would never have let him near Leo if I'd known."

"Wouldn't you?"

The question was a knife. Luna stared at him, hurt and confusion warring on her face.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Damian ran a hand through his golden hair, frustration pouring off him in waves. "It means I saw the way you looked at him at the banquet. The way your voice broke when you talked about loving him. The way you still feel the bond, even after everything he did."

"I don't—"

"Don't lie to me." His voice cracked. "I've loved you for three years, Luna. I've held you while you cried, I've raised your son, I've given you everything I have. And you still can't let him go."

The tears came then—hot, angry, wounded. Luna shook her head, her silver-blonde hair falling around her face.

"You think I want this?" she whispered. "You think I want to feel the bond? You think I want to wake up in the middle of the night, feeling his pain, his regret, his longing? You think I chose this?"

Damian's expression softened, but the jealousy still burned in his eyes. "Then break it. Completely. Sever the last thread of the bond."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not that simple!" Luna's voice rose again, and this time Leo stirred, his small body shifting on the bed. She lowered her voice, her hands trembling. "The bond isn't just a thread, Damian. It's a part of me. It's woven into my soul. Breaking it completely would—" She stopped, swallowing hard. "It would kill me."

Damian froze. "What?"

"The first rejection almost destroyed me. If I try to sever the remaining bond, it could—" She closed her eyes, a tear slipping down her cheek. "It could kill me. Or worse."

The anger drained from Damian's face, replaced by horror. "Luna—"

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry." She opened her eyes, meeting his gaze. "I've been living with this for three years. The bond is a scar, Damian. It hurts, but it's healed over. If I try to cut it out, I'll bleed to death."

Damian crossed the room in two strides, pulling her into his arms. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know—"

"I know." She buried her face in his chest, her shoulders shaking. "I should have told you. I just… I didn't want you to look at me like I was broken."

"You're not broken." He held her tighter, his voice fierce. "You're the strongest person I've ever known."

They stood like that for a long moment, wrapped in each other's warmth. The jealousy still simmered beneath Damian's skin, but the fear had overtaken it.

Fear of losing her. Fear of what the bond might do to her. Fear of Xavier's relentless pursuit.

"I can't lose you," Damian whispered. "I can't."

"You won't." Luna pulled back, cupping his face in her hands. "I chose you, Damian. Not him. You. Every day, every moment, I choose you."

"But you still feel him."

"Yes." The honesty was brutal, but necessary. "I feel him. I feel the bond. But feelings aren't choices. I can't control what the bond does to me, but I can control what I do. And I will never, ever choose him over you."

Damian searched her face, looking for the lie. But all he saw was truth—painful, complicated, but real.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "I shouldn't have accused you."

"You were scared. I understand."

"I was jealous."

"I know." A small smile tugged at her lips. "It's kind of attractive."

Despite everything, Damian laughed—a broken, relieved sound. "You're impossible."

"I try."

He kissed her then—soft, desperate, full of all the fear and love he couldn't put into words. Luna kissed him back, her fingers tangling in his golden hair, her body melting against his.

When they finally pulled apart, both were breathing hard.

"We need to deal with Xavier," Damian said. "He can't keep pushing. He can't keep trying to claim you and Leo."

"I know." Luna's expression hardened. "I'll handle it."

"Not alone."

She hesitated, then nodded. "Not alone."

They turned to look at Leo, still sleeping peacefully on the bed, oblivious to the storm raging around him.

"We'll protect him," Luna whispered. "No matter what."

"Together," Damian agreed.

And in that moment, watching her mate and son, Luna felt something settle inside her.

She had a family. A real family. One she'd built from the ashes of her rejection.

And she would burn the world to keep them safe.

Even if the world was Xavier.