Claiming the Rejected Luna

Chapter 8:

Damon’s POV

Killing was never a pleasure. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mind it when it had to be done, but I never enjoyed it. I’m not that sick. I just know what it takes to keep a pack safe. Some people call that ruthless; I call it responsible. But with rogues crawling over our borders like weeds, it’s not like they’re leaving us much choice.

Drake and I finished with the rogues, wiping blood off our hands in silence. Those two were dead ends, nothing useful to say except the usual promises about Demetri’s rewards and whispered nonsense about immortality. I glanced over at Drake, who looked deep in thought, his jaw clenched, worry set in his eyes. That worry was like a bad itch. It didn’t sit right with me.

“Something on your mind?” I asked, rubbing a stubborn bloodstain off my knuckle.

Drake frowned, drying his hands, his mouth pulled tight. “These rogues, man. They’re not just random stragglers. Every time they cross the border, there’s more of them. Like they’re building up to something, something big.”

“Because they are,” I said, flicking a glance his way. “They’ve got a target. They’re after some mystery she-wolf. That’s their ‘big.’ And they won’t stop until they find her.”

He paused, studying me for a moment. “Look, I know Aria’s like a sister to you—”

I shot him a warning look, cutting him off. “She’s not my sister.”

Drake held his hands up in surrender, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Alright, point made. But you know what I mean. And it’s not just me with questions. Zelda’s got her own theories—and she thinks Aria might be the she-wolf they’re after.”

I felt my patience snap. The words were out before I could pull them back. “You rejected Aria, Drake. She was your fated mate, and you threw her aside without a second thought. So why would Zelda care about her? Shouldn’t she be busy... oh, I don’t know... reveling in that ‘perfectly strategic’ mate choice of hers?”

His face went blank, and for a second, he looked almost ashamed. “It’s not that simple, alright?” He shifted, clearly uncomfortable. “You know that.”

“Do I?” I arched an eyebrow, arms folded. “Do you even know what you’ve done to her? Have you seen the way she looks at you and Zelda? The hurt she’s still carrying around? You’re blind if you don’t see it. And that spark? It’s still there, Drake. But I don’t expect you to understand that.”

Something flickered in his eyes, a realization slowly dawning on him. “Wait... the bond. You’re telling me that it’s still...”

I didn’t need to say a thing. He knew.

“She never accepted your rejection,” I said coolly, watching as guilt started to twist its way across his face. “So the bond lingers. It’s holding her back, and it’s tearing her apart in ways you can’t see.”

He looked away, his face tense as he swallowed, finally taking it in. “So what do you expect me to do about it?” he muttered, his voice quiet. “What am I supposed to say to her now?”

“What you should have said from the start. Let her break the bond, move on. She deserves better than this.”

His eyes darkened, his jaw tight as he absorbed my words. “And what if... what if I made a mistake? What if... I acted too soon?”

A growl rumbled in my chest, my wolf rising to the surface before I could stop it. “So you’re telling me you’d let her suffer, keep her tied to you because you’re second-guessing yourself now?” My fist swung before I thought twice about it, landing squarely on his jaw.

Drake staggered back, eyes wide as he wiped blood from his mouth, though he didn’t retaliate. He just looked down, remorse etched across his face. “That’s not what I meant, Damon. But fine, I’ll be there. I’ll explain myself to her.”

“Good.” I held his gaze for a second longer before turning on my heel. “Clean yourself up. Meet us in my office in fifteen minutes.”

Drake nodded, rubbing his jaw, looking like he’d been hit by a freight train. “Alright. I’ll be there.”

I left without another word, heading straight to my room. The anger still simmered in me, but I had to keep it under control. Now wasn’t the time to let it get the better of me. Not with everything else unraveling around us.

My room was the only place I could think straight, the scent of leather and musk grounding me in a way nothing else could. Stripping off my shirt, I turned on the shower, the water scalding as it pounded down on me, washing away the blood, the grime, and some of the tension tangled up inside. But the thoughts kept coming, sharp and relentless.

Demetri, the vampire with his twisted prophecy and obsession with power. Tabitha Black, a witch I’d once counted on as an ally, who now seemed a little too close to the vampire’s plans for my liking. And then there was Drake, who’d knowingly let Aria suffer under a bond he could’ve broken. What kind of Beta does that? The man used to be my best friend. Sometimes I wondered if I still knew him.

The steam filled the bathroom, and the heat burned away some of my irritation. I stepped out of the shower, pulling on clean black jeans and a dark shirt, slipping back into the armor I wore every day. I didn’t have time for anyone’s games. My job was clear: help Aria break free of the bond, keep her safe from Demetri’s ridiculous schemes, and make sure the witch didn’t get her hands on either of us.

As I made my way down the hall, I caught Aria’s scent before I even reached the office door. That wild, natural scent with a hint of something warm and sweet. My wolf stirred, restless, pacing with the need to be near her, to claim her, to end the games once and for all. But I pushed it down, forced myself to focus on what mattered right now.

Opening the door, I spotted her immediately, leaning casually against the bookshelf, a slight smile tugging at her lips. “Hey,” she greeted, her voice soft, warm, the way only she could make it sound. “What’s going on? Sounded pretty urgent.”

I let a small smirk slip through, leaning against the doorframe. “Urgent? Not everything’s an emergency, you know,” I replied, crossing my arms. “Sometimes it’s just the usual pack business. Standard chaos.”

She laughed, a sound that made the air around us feel lighter, like the tension had melted, even if just for a moment. “So what’s the excuse this time? Another ‘rogue dust’ shower?” Her grin was mischievous, a spark of teasing in her eyes that almost made me forget why I’d called her here.

I opened my mouth to fire back with some charming, half-sarcastic response when the door creaked open again. Drake stepped in, his expression tight, eyes flicking between me and Aria like he was about to step into a lion’s den. He gave a small nod at her, his voice stiff, uncomfortable. “Hey, Aria.”

She looked between us, her easy smile fading as she picked up on the tension in the room. “Alright, what’s going on?” she asked, looking from me to Drake with a mix of confusion and concern.

I gestured for her to sit, then closed the door behind us, locking it. “Aria, this is... something we should’ve talked about a long time ago. As Alpha, it’s my job to make sure every pack member’s well-being is taken care of.” I paused, choosing my words carefully. “And that includes making sure no one is suffering more than they need to be.”

Her face shifted, confusion deepening. “What do you mean?”

I met her eyes, my voice softening. “Drake rejected you, Aria. But you never accepted it.”

Her face fell, the realization hitting her like a wave. “That’s why I still...” She trailed off, eyes wide as it started to sink in.

I nodded, watching her carefully. “That’s why. The bond is still there, and it’s keeping you connected to him, holding you back in ways you shouldn’t have to endure.”

Drake took a step forward, reaching out to her as if to explain. “Aria, I didn’t... I didn’t want you to get hurt. I didn’t realize—I didn’t know you were still feeling the effects like this.” His voice was low, filled with a mix of regret and hesitation. “Maybe I... maybe I made a mistake.”

A low growl escaped me, and I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay back. My wolf was snarling beneath the surface, furious, ready to tear into him for putting her through this. But I stayed quiet, letting her have the space to decide.

Aria looked between us, frozen, her expression caught somewhere between shock and disbelief.