CHAPTER ELEVEN

Elara’s POVThe VIP balcony was safer, but it was lonely.Damon had been pulled away five minutes ago. An Elder from the Western Pack had intercepted us, looking grave, and whispered something about "border treaties." Damon had growled, kissed my forehead, and promised to return in two minutes."Stay here," he had ordered. "Don't move."So I stood by the railing, clutching a glass of sparkling water, watching the sharks circle below."You look like a lost puppy."The voice was smooth, like silk dragged over a knife’s edge.I turned.A woman was standing a few feet away. She was... breathtaking. Tall, with skin the color of mocha and hair falling in perfect, glossy curls. She wore a dress of emerald green velvet that cost more than the entire orphanage I grew up in.She didn't smile. She looked at me with bored, clinical detachment, like a scientist examining a bug."I’m not lost," I said, lifting my chin. "I’m waiting.""For Damon?" She laughed softly. She stepped closer, invading my

CHAPTER TWELVE

Elara's POVThe darkness was heavy. It felt like a physical weight pressing down on my chest.Screams erupted from the floor below.They weren't the fun, surprised screams of a party trick. They were sounds of pure terror. Glass shattered. Tables overturned. The smell of fear spiked in the air. It was sour. Metallic. It tasted like blood on the back of my tongue.I froze. My hands reached out blindly into the void."Damon?" I whispered.A hand clamped onto my arm. It was iron-hard."Stay behind me."Damon’s voice was different. The smooth, cultured tone of the billionaire was gone. This was the voice of a monster. Deep. Guttural. Vibrating with violence. It wasn't a request. It was an order from a general on a battlefield."What is happening?" I asked. My voice trembled. I felt like a child again. Hiding in the closet while the older boys in the orphanage fought over scraps."Assassins," Damon spat the word like a curse. "Rogues. They breached the perimeter."A beam of red light cut

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Elara's POVThe penthouse was quiet.It was a stark contrast to the chaos of the ballroom. No screaming. No breaking glass. Just the soft hum of the air conditioning and the distant sound of city traffic.Kael helped Damon through the front door. Damon was leaning heavily on his Beta. His skin was pale. The blood on his chest had dried to a dark, flaky crust. He looked exhausted. The shift had taken everything out of him."I called the pack doctor," Kael said, his voice tight with worry. "He’s five minutes out.""Cancel it," Damon grunted. He pushed himself off Kael and stumbled toward the stairs."Alpha, you have open wounds," Kael argued. "That rogue bit you deep.""I heal fast. You know that." Damon didn't stop walking. He gripped the banister. His knuckles were white. "I don't want a doctor. I just want..."He didn't finish the sentence. He looked back at me.I was standing by the door. I still wore the ruined red dress. My hair was a mess. My hands were shaking."I’ll do it," I s

All Chapters of Rejected by the Beta, Claimed by the King: Chapter 11 - Chapter 13

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN