جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 50

DAMON'S POVFour long years had slipped by like a relentless tide, each one washing away any hope I had of peace with my father. Now, I sat in the sterile, overly bright office, my eyes fixed on him yet somehow seeing nothing. His voice, harsh and insistent, rolled over me like an unwelcome storm. Once again, he was lecturing me, his endless monologue about responsibility, legacy, and the burden of leadership grinding into my nerves like a rusty gear.I could barely stand it. The way he still tried to control every inch of my life, as if I were some child incapable of making my own choices, was infuriating beyond words. My irritation simmered beneath a calm surface, but inside, every word from his mouth was like a jab.Just then, my secretary slipped into the room, her heels tapping softly against the polished floor, a quiet contrast to the mounting tension filling the space. Without a word, she placed a freshly brewed cup of coffee on my desk. The warm, i

VELARA'S POVThe soft glow of candlelight flickered over Elysia’s face as she leaned forward, eyes twinkling, and blew them out with one gentle breath. Applause and cheers erupted around the room, but my attention was locked on her smile, genuine, radiant. Today marked her twenty-first birthday, and though the world may not know it, this girl was family to me. She and Kylie had been my constants, the people who stepped in where blood relatives had failed. They weren’t just friends, they were pieces of my heart stitched together through years of survival and laughter. Looking at Elysia now, so full of life, pride bloomed in my chest. We made it here, not with the help of anyone else, but with our own hands, our own grit. We were all we ever needed.“Happy twenty-first, El,” I murmured, leaning in to embrace her tightly, pressing a quick kiss to her temple after setting the cake down. “You deserve the world.”She grinned. “Thank you. I still can’t believe I’m twenty-one. Where did the t

DAMON'S POVRegret settled in my chest the moment I left the hotel. I hadn't even made it five minutes down the road, and already it felt like my lungs were straining against the ache of separation. Loren sat beside me in the passenger seat, her sobs relentless, her words more accusing with each passing second. She demanded answers, about Velara, about who she was to me. But I couldn’t give her the truth, not now, not with her emotions so volatile. If I revealed anything, it wouldn’t stay between us for long. By sundown, the entire city would be buzzing with whispers. Reporters would dig into Velara’s life, cameras would be shoved in her face, and her quiet world would crumble.So I said nothing.The entire ride to her house was steeped in silence. Loren cried the whole time, her voice catching on sniffles and whimpers, begging for clarity. I kept my eyes forward, jaw clenched so tight my teeth ached. My hands gripped the steering wheel like it was the onl

DAMON'S POVThe moment I entered the room, a heavy silence fell over us. My father sat at the head of the long table, his expression unreadable, while Alpha Viktor loomed at his side with an air of grim authority. Astrid was already seated, legs crossed and eyes fixed ahead, but she didn’t look comfortable, she looked cornered. Tense. Like she was barely holding something back.“We’ve come up with a proposal,” my father began, his voice steady, though I could detect the caution woven into his tone.“I don’t want any part of it,” Astrid cut in sharply, her voice slicing through the room like a whip. Her glare was fierce, burning with indignation. She didn’t even look at her father as she spoke, but the venom in her words was clearly directed at him.“Astrid, you’ll do as you're fucking instructed. Sit there and be fucking quiet,” Alpha Viktor barked, his aura flooding the space around us. I saw Astrid flinch, just barely, as if the weight of his do

VELARA'S POVNow 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 I