Claiming the Rejected Luna

Chapter 6:

Aria's POV

I could barely think with Damon so close. His office was dim, quiet, a fortress of dark wood and leather, but right now, it felt like the walls were closing in. Damon stood just inches away, his gaze pinned on me with an intensity that made my heart race. Every instinct was telling me to step back, to give myself space to think, but his presence was magnetic, holding me in place.

“Why can’t anyone know?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I wanted it to sound steady, but it came out small, uncertain.

Damon sighed, jaw tense, and looked down like he was still working out how much to say. “Because it’s not safe, Aria,” he said finally, voice rough. “What’s happening with you, with this mate bond—it’s unheard of. It makes you... special. And that means you’re a target.”

A target. The word hung in the air, feeling too heavy, too final. The idea of someone like me—adopted, average, the outsider—being a target felt surreal. But I knew he wasn’t just saying it for effect. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to ask the question weighing on my mind.

“Who’s after me?” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

Damon’s face darkened, his eyes flashing with something sharp, something dangerous. “There’s a vampire,” he murmured, his tone low. “An original. And he’s hunting for you, Aria.”

“A vampire?” I echoed, the word foreign and unsettling. “But... why? Why would a vampire care about me?”

Damon ran a hand over his face, his frustration evident. “It’s not just any vampire. He’s powerful, ancient. They say he’s fixated on a prophecy—one that promises a she-wolf with two mates who holds the key to something he wants, though no one knows exactly what. But here’s the twist: he’s promised immortality to whoever brings her to him.”

It sounded absurd. Impossible. But then again, standing here with Damon, knowing I had two mates, knowing what I’d overheard... maybe the world was stranger than I’d ever imagined.

“So he thinks I’m... the one?” My voice trembled. “But how would he even know?”

“That’s the problem.” Damon’s expression was dark, unreadable. “He’s not the only one who knows. There’s a witch—Tabitha Black. She’s as dangerous as the vampire himself, but she might be able to help us. She knows things about mates and bonds, things no one else does. If anyone can tell us why this is happening, it’s her.”

I stared at him, trying to process it all. A vampire who wanted me for some twisted version of immortality, a witch who could supposedly help... it felt like some dark fairy tale. “So you’re saying... I’m some kind of pawn? That I don’t even have control over my own fate?”

Damon’s expression softened, but there was something fierce in his gaze. “It’s more than that, Aria. This isn’t about being a pawn. This is about keeping you alive, safe. This vampire isn’t just interested in you—he’ll do anything to get to you. He’s already sending rogues into our territory, willing to kill anyone in their way. And if he finds out you’re the one in that prophecy, we’re all in danger.”

The reality of it settled over me like a heavy weight, making it harder to breathe. “But you... you don’t have to be part of this. You could reject me,” I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “I wouldn’t blame you if you did. I’m sorry I’m not stronger. A better mate—”

Damon’s eyes flashed with something dangerous, and in a heartbeat, he was in front of me, his hands on my shoulders, his grip firm but steady as he pulled me close. My heart pounded so loud I was sure he could hear it.

“Don’t,” he growled, his voice low and edged with a heat that made my skin tingle. “Don’t ever say that again.”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out, completely lost in the intensity of his gaze. His fingers tightened on my shoulders, like he was afraid I’d slip away. “The Goddess didn’t make a mistake with you, Aria. You’re exactly what I need, exactly who I was meant for. Don’t you dare think otherwise.”

The air between us was thick, electric, charged with something I couldn’t name. The way he looked at me, the way his voice softened when he said my name—it made me feel like I was all that mattered to him. And right now, that was the only thing keeping me grounded.

“But it’s complicated,” he continued, a hint of frustration in his voice. He let go, running a hand through his hair as he looked away, like he was trying to pull himself back together. “I need to keep you safe, Aria. And until we understand what this is, what’s coming for you, we can’t... we can’t make it official.”

I nodded slowly, understanding but feeling the ache of it all. The restraint, the distance. It felt unfair, cruel even, that fate had drawn us together only to keep us apart.

But before either of us could say another word, a loud crash shattered the quiet, echoing down the hall like an alarm. Damon stiffened, his head snapping toward the door, eyes sharp, tense. And then, through the mindlink, came a surge of panicked voices, desperate and frantic. Alpha! Rogues at the southern border! We’re under attack!

Damon’s eyes locked onto mine, fierce and unyielding. “Stay here,” he commanded, his voice low and commanding.

I barely had time to nod before he was out the door, moving with lethal precision. But there was no way I was staying put while our pack was under attack. Heart pounding, I shifted, feeling my wolf surge to the surface as I raced after him.

The smell of blood and earth hit me first, the sounds of snarling and the brutal, unmistakable clash of wolves in battle. The southern border was a battlefield, the rogues tearing into our defenses with a viciousness I hadn’t seen before. They moved like they had nothing to lose, wild and relentless.

I spotted Damon’s wolf instantly—a towering, powerful beast, dark and ruthless as he tore through rogue after rogue. He moved with brutal precision, every strike calculated, every move lethal. My wolf surged with energy, and I leapt into the fight, instincts taking over as I locked onto the first rogue in my path.

The rogue lunged at me, teeth bared, but I dodged, twisting around to sink my teeth into his shoulder, feeling the familiar rush as he staggered under the force. I held on, refusing to let go, until he slumped to the ground.

But the rogues kept coming, wave after wave, as if they had no end. The pack fought fiercely, but the exhaustion was starting to show. Every muscle burned, but the thought of giving in wasn’t an option. Damon was beside me, his wolf taking down another rogue with a deadly swipe of his claws.

Through the chaos, Damon’s voice reached me through the mindlink, urgent and commanding. Push them back! Don’t let them take any more ground!

I surged forward, fighting alongside the others, every instinct focused on one goal: protect the pack. Another rogue lunged at me, and I met him head-on, sinking my teeth into his throat and feeling his struggles weaken until he collapsed. Around me, the pack was rallying, our strength building as we drove the rogues back, their numbers dwindling.

Finally, the last rogue fell, and a tense silence settled over the clearing. I shifted back, pulling on a spare shirt, wincing as the adrenaline faded and the pain of my injuries made itself known. I glanced around, seeing our pack members battered but standing tall, their eyes fierce with victory.

Damon was already back in human form, his shirt torn, streaks of dirt and blood on his skin, but his expression was fierce, resolute. Three rogues were left alive, captured by the guards and held firmly in place, their eyes filled with a wild, defiant rage.