Chapter 48
Damon's POV
The restaurant featured crystal chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling windows framing snow-covered peaks.
And here I was with Scarlett.
She looked stunning in that red dress, drawing appreciative glances from other diners. I should have felt proud, but I just felt... tired.
Scarlett leaned forward as I cut into my steak, lowering her voice. "Elena's attitude is so cold. I tried to apologize, but she barely acknowledged me."
"She's still upset about what happened before," I said without looking up. "She'll get over it."
"Will she?" Scarlett's fingers traced the stem of her wine glass. "I don't understand why you even brought her. We could've had this trip to ourselves."
I set down my knife and sighed. "My parents are watching me like hawks right now. After that enforcement incident, they don't trust me alone with you." I met her eyes. "But if I tell them Elena's here, they relax. They think I'm being responsible. That way we can actually enjoy ourselves without them breathing down our necks."
Scarlett's expression shifted—part satisfaction, part uncertainty. "So they still prefer her?"
"They prefer what she represents." I took a drink. "She has those calming pheromones that make everyone comfortable. And she's obedient, easy to manage. That's what the family wants in a Luna—someone controllable."
"And what do you want?" Her voice turned intimate, almost purring.
I leaned back, my gaze heating as I looked at her. "I like women with fire. Women who know what they want and aren't afraid to go after it. Who have their own thoughts, their own desires." I shrugged. "Not someone who just does what they're told like a puppet. That's boring as hell."
Scarlett's smile was triumphant.
"So they still think she's perfect for you?" Scarlett pressed, clearly enjoying this.
"They think she's safe. She'll smile and nod and do whatever's expected." I shook my head. "That's exactly what makes her wrong for me. I need someone with spirit. Someone who challenges me."
"Someone like me." Scarlett's smile deepened.
"Exactly like you."
Movement caught my eye—a woman striding toward our table. My blood went cold when I recognized her.
Lila.
Her face was a mask of fury.
"Damon," she said, her voice sharp enough to cut glass.
"Lila." I kept my tone neutral. "What a coincidence."
"Is it?" She stopped at our table, phone already in hand. "Because I just heard every disgusting word you said."
I forced myself to stay calm.
"What did you hear?"
Lila's voice shook with rage. "You brought her as your alibi. Your shield so you can play house with another woman while your parents think you're being dutiful."
Several nearby diners glanced over. I stood slowly.
"This is none of your business."
"Elena is my friend." Lila was already dialing. "That makes it my business. She deserves to know what you really think of her."
Scarlett grabbed my arm. "Damon, if Elena finds out... Will she tell your family? Will she—"
The phone connected. I heard Elena's voice, faint and tired: "Lila?"
I watched Lila turn away, her words rapid and vicious as she told Elena everything. My hands curled into fists on the tablecloth.
I threw down my napkin. "We're leaving."
"But—"
"Now."
---
Elena's POV
I was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, when my phone buzzed.
Lila's name flashed on the screen.
"Lila?"
"Elena, listen to me." Her voice was tight with fury. "I'm at the resort restaurant. I just heard Damon talking to Scarlett, and you need to know what he said."
My stomach dropped. "What—"
"He brought you here to fool his parents." The words came fast and sharp. "He told Scarlett that if his family thinks you're here, they'll believe he's being responsible. That way he can have his little romantic getaway without supervision. You're his excuse, Elena. His convenient shield."
I couldn't find words.
"And that's not even the worst part," Lila continued. "He said you're boring. That you're like an obedient puppet, easy to control. That he prefers women with personality, with fire—women who aren't afraid to—" She broke off, disgusted. "He basically said everything that makes you you is exactly what makes you worthless to him."
Something cold settled in my chest.
"I see."
"Elena—"
"Thank you for telling me."
"How are you so calm?" Lila's voice cracked. "That bastard is using you—"
"I already knew," I said quietly.
Silence.
"What?"
I closed my eyes. "Maybe not the specific words. But I already knew what I mean to him."
When Lila asked why I was even there, I told her about my father. About the failing business, the pack losing faith, the desperate need for Vance support. About how he'd forced me on this trip.
"I'm not making excuses for myself," I added. "I'm just... I'm used to this now."
"Speaking of which, what are you doing at Ice Palace Resort?" I changed the subject, not wanting to hear anything more about Damon.
"This resort is a Vance Industries property, and they're rolling out service robots. Hector's handling the technical integration, and Ethan and I came along to observe and learn."
My pulse quickened involuntarily.
"Is Hector the only one from the team here?"
Lila understood immediately. "Caleb's not here. He's back in the city handling some business matters."
"Oh."
The disappointment was sharp and immediate. It made no sense at all.
"But you should come hang out with us," Lila offered. "Better than staying up there with those two assholes pretending to care about your feelings."
"Maybe," I said. "I'm really tired right now."
"Elena—"
"I need to think. I'll call you later."
After we hung up, I sat in the silence.
Boring. Obedient. Easy to control.
The words should have hurt more.
But I'd heard variations of them before—in the way Damon looked at Scarlett, in how his voice changed when he talked about her. In how he treated me like a problem to be managed rather than a person to be known.
I'd just been too afraid to name it.
---
Twenty minutes later, there was a soft knock.
"Elena?" Damon's voice. "I brought you some food."
I opened the door. He stood there with a covered tray, his expression carefully controlled.
"I got you steak, vegetables, and potatoes." His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Thought you might be hungry."
"Thank you." I took the tray.
"Can I come in?"
I stepped aside.
He walked in slowly, hands in his pockets, his eyes scanning the room. They landed on my phone.
"Lila called you," he said. Not a question.
"Yes."
His jaw tightened. "What did she tell you?"
I set the tray down, keeping my voice even. "She said she ran into you at the restaurant. That you and Scarlett were enjoying yourselves."
"That's all?"
I turned to face him. "She also mentioned you told Scarlett I'm a boring puppet. That I'm too obedient."
He narrowed his eyes, studying my face. "You're not angry?"