Claiming the Rejected Luna

Chapter 7:

Damon's POV

My gaze found Aria in the aftermath of the attack. She was streaked with dirt and blood, but her eyes burned with fierce determination, like she was born for this. Every inch of me, every raw instinct, wanted to go over there, wrap her up, and make sure she was alright. But I couldn’t. Not now. Not when the wrong move could reveal exactly who she was.

So instead, I took a breath and sent a calm mindlink to the pack doctor. Check on Aria’s injuries—quietly.

I wanted nothing more than to run over there, to tell her how much I wanted her safe, to make sure she was unscathed. But one word out of line and I’d put a target on her back. She had no idea how dangerous her own bond was, how that pull between us could turn deadly if the wrong people discovered what she was to me. What she was to... them.

I forced myself to focus on the three rogues captured by the guards. Most of them looked like typical rogues: eyes wild, their unhinged confidence mixed with defiance and desperation. But the third one? Yeah, he was familiar, alright. Brett. A Beta from a pack up north that used to ally with us, a long time ago.

It made me smirk. Betas are the loyal ones—the glue that holds packs together. For him to go rogue was a rare break in code, a betrayal, even. I motioned to the guards to bring him closer, ignoring the sidelong looks from some of the pack who’d gathered around to watch.

“Funny running into you here, Brett,” I said, c*****g my head to the side, voice dripping with sarcasm. “A Beta from a nice, respectable pack, and here you are, slumming it with the rogues. Tell me—what’s got you in such a mess?”

Brett didn’t even flinch. He straightened up, still chained but looking every bit as defiant as a wolf with nothing to lose. “Nice seeing you too, Alpha,” he sneered. “Seems you’ve got a lot more going on here than just your little family reunion.”

The arrogance. I could practically taste it. “Interesting answer,” I muttered, keeping my tone calm, cold. “But see, I’m curious. A Beta doesn’t just drop his pack on a whim. So, enlighten me. Why would you abandon your pack to come poke around in mine?”

He grinned, all teeth. “What do you think, Damon? We’re here for the she-wolf, the one Demetri’s after. Everyone knows she’s close, and we’re not about to walk away empty-handed.”

My jaw tightened. “Demetri?” I asked casually, keeping my expression blank, like I was just asking about the weather. “Who’s that?”

One of the other rogues, a wiry-looking mutt with sunken eyes, muttered under his breath, “The original vampire.” He looked at Brett, as if waiting for approval, then straightened up, some pathetic pride flickering in his eyes.

Drake, who’d been standing off to the side with his arms crossed, raised an eyebrow. “So, what? You serve him?” he asked, his voice edged with mockery.

The third rogue—a scarred, sneering wolf who looked like he’d chewed glass for fun—spat in Drake’s direction. “We don’t serve anyone,” he snapped, his voice cold, defiant. “We serve ourselves. That’s why we left our packs. Demetri promised immortality to whoever brings him the girl, and when we get that, we’ll never have to follow any Alpha’s rules again. No pack laws, no boundaries. Just freedom.”

“Freedom.” I laughed, dry and sharp. “Sounds to me like you traded loyalty for a cheap bribe. And here you are, cornered like rats.”

Brett’s sneer deepened, but something flickered in his eyes, just for a second. “You wouldn’t understand,” he muttered. “You’ve never been anything but Alpha, living by rules you never even chose.”

I looked him dead in the eyes, smirking. “Maybe so. But at least I didn’t betray everything I was to end up here.”

I nodded to Drake, who grabbed Brett’s arm, dragging him forward as we made our way to the dungeons. It was quieter here, hidden deep beneath the packhouse, cold and damp, the perfect place to get a little... private. Brett might’ve wanted to play tough in front of an audience, but down here? We’d see how much bark he had left.

I slammed Brett into the metal-reinforced cell, and he stumbled, hitting the floor with a thud. He pushed himself up, glaring at me, but I could tell he was rattled. I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms, giving him a long, unamused look.

“Alright, Brett,” I said, keeping my voice even. “Let’s make this easy. I want to know why you’re here. Tell me about this ‘she-wolf.’ Why are you sniffing around my territory?”

He looked up, smirking, but I could see the flicker of hesitation in his eyes. “What’s the matter, Alpha? Don’t like a little competition?”

My patience was wearing thin. “Competition? That’s what you think this is?” I stepped forward, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “I don’t think you realize how little time you have to play games with me, Brett.”

He held my gaze, the bravado slipping just a bit. “Alright, fine. But I’m not the only one after her, Damon. There’s a whole network looking for this she-wolf, all because of Demetri and that witch. She’s the one who’s telling us where to look.”

I felt a cold shiver creep down my spine. “Witch?”

Brett’s grin widened, smug now. “Yeah, some old crone with a vendetta and an ego the size of the damn moon. She’s the one who said the she-wolf was close to your borders. So we came here, ready to collect, and trust me, we won’t stop until we get our prize.”

I exchanged a glance with Drake, who was watching Brett with barely concealed anger. A witch giving directions to an original vampire, all to hunt down some mythical she-wolf? This wasn’t just some power play—it was a full-blown hunt. And Aria was in the middle of it.

Drake tilted his head, looking over at me, his gaze sharp, curious. “So who do you think it is, Damon? This she-wolf they’re after?”

I kept my face unreadable, not giving away a damn thing. I knew he suspected. He’d seen the rogues targeting Aria, had to be wondering if it was more than coincidence. But I wasn’t about to confirm his suspicions, not now. “Good question, Drake,” I said evenly, looking back at Brett. “Maybe our friend here knows.”

Brett’s eyes darted between us, sensing something, but he didn’t say a word. I nodded to Drake, signaling him to stand back, then stepped up to Brett, my patience officially gone. “So, you’re going to bring me up to speed on this prophecy, this she-wolf you’re all so eager to track down. What’s so important that Demetri’s offering immortality for her?”

Brett looked at me, his grin faltering for a second. “I told you. I don’t know why he wants her. All I know is, the witch said the she-wolf has a power that’s going to make Demetri unstoppable. And when he finds her, anyone who brought him closer gets a piece of the prize.”

“Right,” I muttered, unimpressed. “So you’re chasing shadows on the word of a witch with a grudge? And you thought that’d be enough?”

Brett just shrugged, but his eyes were harder, a dark glint of determination there that made my stomach twist. “If that prize means I don’t have to follow some Alpha’s rules, I’ll do whatever it takes.”

I leaned close, voice low, calm, almost mocking. “Then it sounds like you’re out of options, Brett.”

Without hesitation, I wrapped my hand around his throat, feeling the pulse of his heartbeat beneath my fingers. He choked, eyes widening in a sudden flash of fear, but before he could even struggle, I tore his heart from his chest, letting his lifeless body slump to the floor. Coldly, I tossed the heart aside and wiped my hands, giving the other two rogues a pointed look.

“Well,” I said, a smirk playing on my lips, “he was no use.”

Drake looked over at me, a flicker of approval in his eyes. Despite everything that had happened between him and Aria, despite the fact that he’d rejected her, he was still my Beta, my best friend since we were kids. And right now, we had bigger things to worry about.

“Guess that leaves us with a few loose ends,” Drake muttered, nodding toward the remaining rogues, who were looking a lot less cocky now.

“Loose ends that are about to be tied up.”