Semua Bab TO DENY A LUNA: Bab 51 - Bab 60

VELARA'S POVThere was something primal and maddening about the pull between mates, a force that defied logic and fought against willpower. It crept into your bones and dulled your thoughts until only instinct remained. That invisible tether was tugging hard on me now. His scent clouded my senses, and the closeness of his body threw my system into chaos. His mouth brushed the curve of my neck, his teeth lightly scraping the skin. Despite my resentment, a rush of excitement surged through me. I hated that I craved it, hated that my body betrayed my resolve.The heat of his breath at my throat felt like a drug, muting the part of me that screamed to run. My heart raced with conflicting desires as he lowered his mouth and pressed a kiss to the spot where his mark would’ve been. My whole body stiffened, reacting to him before my mind could catch up.“You still disgusted by me, Velara?” Damon murmured, his voice low and husky as his lips ghosted over my skin. “

VELARA'S POVThe entire afternoon I stayed trapped in a sour mood, unable to concentrate or focus on a single thing. For two days running, Damon had crossed my path, and the constant buzzing of the bond made it harder and harder to function normally. The lingering shadow of his threat weighed on me like a heavy chain wrapped tightly around my chest. He had the power to tear down the hotel that Lilith once gifted to Kael and me, a place we had painstakingly rebuilt from nothing. This hotel wasn’t just a building to me; it was a symbol of everything we had fought for, a sanctuary restored by our hands. I felt a fierce urge to protect it, yet I was painfully aware of my own helplessness. In this city, where rogues were dismissed and looked down upon, I was powerless against him.I wouldn’t lie, I was terrified. Kylie, Elysia, and I had poured years of hard work, sweat, and heart into resurrecting this place. The thought of Damon threatening to obliterate it made my bl

VELARA'S POVDamon stood in the center of my office, his gaze drifting over the shelves, walls, and furniture like he was trying to absorb every inch of the space. It used to be Lilith’s apartment before we transformed it into an office. For the longest time, I couldn’t bring myself to step inside. The memories that lingered here were too heavy, pulling me into a grief I had tried so hard to escape. But eventually, we gutted it out and rebuilt it into something new, something that didn’t remind me of her every time I walked through the door.Still, watching Damon take it all in made that old sorrow bloom inside me again, soft and painful like a wound that hadn’t healed all the way. He didn’t know. He had no idea that this room, that this hotel, once belonged to the woman who had given birth to him. Lilith had loved him with a depth only a mother could have, and he would never know what kind of life he could have had if she had been allowed to raise him.I studied him in silence, my ar

VELARA'S POVDamon’s voice came low, husky with possessiveness as his hand trailed across my side, settling with authority. “Why are you acting surprised? I’m only touching what already belongs to me. If I feel like putting my hands on you, I will, and no one can stop me, Velara. That’s a fact you should remember,” he murmured darkly, his arm wrapping around my waist with a pull so sudden it pressed me tightly against the solid wall of his chest.The contact sent heat crawling across my skin, but I pushed against him with both hands, determined not to let him trap me with his dominance.“Let go of me, Damon,” I said firmly, trying to create distance between us.“And if I refuse?” he countered, not loosening his hold.“Then I’ll make you.” My voice dropped to a growl, though the uncertainty behind my words betrayed the confidence I tried to project. Still, a sharp knee to a man’s groin, Alpha or not, usually changed the outcome of such situations. I didn’t want to resort to that, but I

VELARA'S POVThe morning crept in with a hush that felt almost sacred, as though the slightest movement would crack the stillness like thin ice. My feet met the cold kitchen floor with quiet steps, the tiles biting against my soles while my sleeves draped past my hands. The oversized sweater I wore sagged at the cuffs, hanging loosely on my frame, and carried with it a faded scent, something soft and warm, touched by vanilla and the ache of memories I had no strength to revisit. Outside, the misty air cloaked the city in a shroud of pale gray light, making everything seem gentler, quieter, as if the world had decided to pause just long enough for me to finally exhale.Without conscious thought, my hands moved with familiar purpose. I pulled the small saucepan from the cupboard and set it gently atop the stove, careful not to break the silence. The wooden spoon waited where it always did, resting against the tiled wall. I retrieved it and pressed my thumb along its handle. The surface