Chapter 39
Violet's POV:
Daemon's question hung in the air. His blood-red eyes locked onto mine. I felt my body go cold despite the warm hospital room. His Alpha aura pressed against me in waves. Ember stirred restlessly beneath my consciousness.
I had prepared for this moment. I'd rehearsed various half-truths during those long nights when Daemon was off pursuing Celeste.
"Yes," I said. My voice stayed steady even as Ember's agitation spiked. "I already knew Celeste. We met a few times before all this."
"But I don't know Ruby was her mother when I hired her. Ruby was recommended by the housekeeping agency. During our daily conversations, she mentioned her daughter attended Frost Ridge. She talked about Celeste's boyfriend Zane all the time. They sounded so sweet together, so devoted." I paused deliberately. "I had no idea you'd decide to pursue someone who was already in a committed relationship."
A muscle jumped in Daemon's jaw. When I mentioned Zane's name, his eyes darkened to an even deeper crimson. His entire body went rigid.
"That's different," he said tersely.
I smiled thinly. "Different how? You're pursuing her while you have a legal Luna. She's entertaining your attention while she knows I exist. Who's more at fault here?" I leaned forward slightly despite the pull of wounds across my back. "Or do you think anything your precious Celeste does can be forgiven?"
Before he could respond, I pressed on. "Speaking of Ironridge, let's talk about those concessions. The ones you made during that labor dispute. Those were for her, weren't they? To impress her uncle Wade. And I'm the one who got hurt because of it."
His face had gone completely blank. "What are you implying?"
"I'm not implying anything." I met his eyes directly. "I'm stating facts. You went into that negotiation planning to play the sympathetic Alpha. You wanted Wade Morrison to see you as fair and progressive. You wanted him to report back to Celeste about what kind of man you were."
Daemon's expression didn't change. But I saw his shoulders tense.
"So tell me, Daemon. Did you make those decisions with Celeste in mind? Did you compromise pack interests to impress the family of the woman you're chasing?"
The silence stretched. Then he spoke. His voice was rough. "Yes."
The admission hit me like a physical blow. The mate bond flared with sharp pain that radiated from my chest. I heard Ember howl somewhere deep in my mind. This was it. Final proof that I meant nothing to him beyond political convenience.
I took a careful breath. "Then I think we're done pretending. We both know this mate bond is a farce. We both know you've found your true mate. So why don't we make it official? Petition the Council for a Severance Ceremony. You can pursue Celeste openly. I can finally be free."
Instead of relief, Daemon's posture went rigid. His eyes flashed between red and amber. "No. Absolutely not. We're not having a Severance Ceremony, Violet. Not now. Not ever."
I stared at him in complete shock. "What? Daemon, you just admitted you're making decisions based on another woman. Why would you want to maintain a bond with me?"
He moved closer. Leaned down so his face was level with mine. "I marked you five years ago. Which means only I have the authority to sever it." His smile was almost cruel. "Don't even dream about it unless I initiate the severance."
The casual cruelty made something inside me snap. But before I could respond, there was a knock on the door. Evan walked in carrying fresh bandages. His sharp eyes swept the room. He took in Daemon's rigid posture and my flushed face.
"Alpha Blackwood," Evan said carefully. "I need to change Violet's dressings."
Daemon turned toward the door without a word. He paused in the doorway. "Tonight. Usual place. I need a drink." Then he was gone.
I sagged back against the pillows. All the adrenaline drained away. I was shaking and exhausted.
Evan set the tray down. "What happened? I could feel the tension from halfway down the hall."
"He asked if I already knew Celeste. If I hired Ruby knowing she was Celeste's mother." I let out a shaky laugh. "I told him the truth. Or a version of it. That I knew Celeste from before. That Ruby mentioned having a daughter at Frost Ridge during casual conversations. That I only realized later her daughter was the same Celeste."
Evan processed this. "And he believed you?"
"I think so. He was more focused on why I didn't tell him." I paused. "Then I asked about the Ironridge negotiation. And he admitted it. He made those concessions with Celeste in mind."
Evan's hands paused. "That's significant."
"I know. So I told him we should petition for a Severance Ceremony. Stop pretending." My voice cracked slightly. "He refused. Said only he has authority to sever the bond. That he's not ready to let me go."
"Jesus Christ," Evan breathed. Genuine anger colored his voice. "So he's keeping you bound while pursuing another woman?"
"Welcome to my life," I said dryly.
Evan came to sit beside my bed. His expression was serious. "If he's only playing with Celeste, not serious... would you forgive him?"
The question caught me off guard. I thought about it carefully. "No. I'm not a saint, Evan. Some lines, once crossed, can't be uncrossed. He can't pursue another woman for months, endanger me for her, then expect me to accept him back if it doesn't work out."
Relief crossed Evan's face. "Good. You deserve better than being someone's backup plan."
The mood was too heavy. I needed to lighten it before I started crying. I forced a smile. "Maybe you should pursue her instead. Pursue Celeste. Make Daemon jealous. Save me the trouble of waiting around."
Evan rolled his eyes. "Not helping, Violet."
But even as I joked, my mind was working. Evan had never actually met Celeste in person. He'd heard about her from Daemon. But they'd never been formally introduced. Which meant the catalyst for him falling in love with her hadn't happened yet in this timeline. I filed that information away.
After Evan left, I was alone with my thoughts. The afternoon stretched into evening. Daemon's admission played on repeat in my head. Each time, the mate bond flared with fresh pain. But beneath the pain was also strange relief. Now I knew. Now there was no more room for hope or self-deception.
Daemon had found his true mate. He was pursuing her while keeping me bound as insurance. And he had no intention of releasing me with dignity. Which meant I needed to stop waiting for him to do the right thing. I needed to take my freedom by force if necessary.
The next morning, I was discharged. Evan drove me back to Blackwood Manor. On the way, he mentioned casually, "Daemon brought Celeste to Lucian's gathering last night. Everyone was impressed."
The information stung. Five years mated, and Daemon had never introduced me to his inner circle as anything more than decoration. But I kept my voice steady. "Good for him."
Evan glanced at me. "You're too calm. It's unsettling."
"Sadness is the most useless emotion," I said quietly. "I'm done wasting it on him."
When we arrived at the manor, my mother Eleanor was waiting. She immediately pulled me into a careful hug, mindful of my bandaged back.
"How are you feeling? Any pain?" The questions tumbled out rapid-fire.
"I'm fine, Mom. Really. The wounds are healing well." I squeezed her hand reassuringly.
She examined me critically for another moment, then seemed satisfied. "Good. Then I should head back to Goldcrest tomorrow. Your father has been impossible without me there. He calls every few hours demanding updates."
I raised an eyebrow. "Tomorrow? You can't wait to get back to him, can you?"
A slight blush colored her cheeks. "We've been apart for nearly a week, Violet. That's the longest separation we've had in years."
"You two are still so clingy after all these years," I teased gently.
Daemon gave me half a month of medical leave. The days blurred together. I spent most of my time alone at the manor. Occasionally I met with Sienna, Lily, and Jade. But mostly everything was quiet. From Evan, I learned the labor dispute had been resolved. Daemon had made concessions after all. I guessed things with Celeste had progressed.
But recently, Evan had become distant. He'd stopped reaching out as frequently. When I invited him for dinner to say thank you, he declined. I started to suspect why. Daemon was bringing Celeste to more social events. Evan, as his best friend, must have met her multiple times by now. Maybe he was already starting to notice her charm. Maybe he was already falling.
Perhaps both Daemon and Evan were never meant for me. In my past life, I'd died alone. This life, my connection to them was just a butterfly effect. Temporary. Destined to fade.
Early winter arrived. Outside my window, leaves fell in the cold wind. I sat watching them, feeling just as barren inside. My phone buzzed. Sienna in the group chat. "It's snowing! Girls' night?"
Jade replied she couldn't. Border patrols were increased during snowfall. But Lily immediately responded, "I'm in!"
I typed back, "Count me in. I need this."