Chapter 44

Damon

I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw their faces—those girls, the ones who wouldn’t make it through the weekend. I had a plan, but it wasn’t foolproof. There were too many variables, too many things that could go wrong. I could feel the pressure mounting. There was no room for mistakes this time.

But what really had me restless? Her. Seri. I couldn’t shake her from my mind.

We’d been circling each other all week, each of us keeping our distance, but the tension was there, thicker than ever. She’d always been smart—too smart for her own good. And with everything that was about to happen, I wasn’t sure if I could protect her the way she needed.

I needed to find out what she was planning. I could sense she was up to something, but she wasn’t giving me anything. No hints, no slip-ups. The way she kept looking over her shoulder, always scanning the room—she was anticipating something, and it made my gut twist. What was she not telling me?

I ran my fingers through my hair, staring at the clock. It was past two in the morning. I should’ve been in bed, resting, preparing for the hell that was about to unfold. But no matter how hard I tried to focus on the plan, it kept slipping away—always pulled back to her.

I couldn’t just sit here anymore. I grabbed my jacket, slinging it over my shoulders, and walked out the door, heading straight for the sorority house. I knew where she would be—she’d be in her room. She always was at this hour.

I moved through the shadows, my feet light on the damp pavement. I couldn’t stop thinking about her—how she was keeping her distance, even though I knew she was caught up in this mess just as much as I was. The difference? She thought she could handle it on her own.

I knew better.

I reached the front door of Alpha Phi quietly, glancing around to make sure no one was watching. The house was mostly quiet, the occasional sound of a door creaking or a laugh echoing from somewhere deeper inside. It wasn’t late enough for everyone to be asleep, but I was used to working in the dark.

When I slipped into the house, I kept my movements fluid, quiet. I made my way up the stairs, past rooms where girls were still talking or finishing up studying, until I reached her door.

I stood outside for a moment, listening to the muffled sounds of her moving around inside. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but I knew one thing—whatever it was, it was dangerous. She was walking a fine line, and I had to be the one to pull her back before she crossed it.

I knocked softly at first, but I could already feel her presence on the other side, and that only made me more impatient.

“Seri,” I murmured through the door. “I need to talk to you.”

The door opened a fraction, and she peered out, just enough for me to catch a glimpse of her, standing there in the dim light of her room. She wasn’t surprised to see me, but I could see the wariness in her eyes.

“What do you want, Damon?” she asked, her voice guarded.

“Can I come in?” I didn’t wait for her to answer before I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me softly. I didn’t want to spook her, but this had gone on long enough.

She backed up a few steps, eyeing me cautiously, but didn’t tell me to leave. Good. That was a start.

I stepped closer, my voice lowering, “I know you’re planning something. You’re always planning something, Seri. But you’re not gonna get away with this on your own.”

She crossed her arms, a defiant move that only fueled my frustration. “I don’t need your help, Damon. I’ve got it covered.”

I could tell she wasn’t being truthful, and it pissed me off more than I wanted to admit. But I didn’t push her on it.

I moved closer still, closing the gap between us. “You really think you can handle all of this? You think you can just waltz into these parties and stop a girl from being taken? It’s not that simple, Seri.”

She was quiet for a long moment, and I watched the way her eyes flickered with thoughts I couldn’t quite pin down. Then, she lifted her chin, standing a little taller. “I’m not like you, Damon. I won’t hide in the shadows waiting for things to happen. I’m going to do something about it. I’m going to stop it.”

She was determined. It was admirable in its own twisted way, but I couldn’t let her do this on her own. “No,” I said, my voice harder now. “You’re not. Because if you do, you’ll get caught up in something worse than you can imagine. You’ll end up just like the others, lost.”

There was a flicker of something in her eyes then, something that almost made me hesitate. But I couldn’t afford to doubt her. I couldn’t let her fall down this path alone.

I reached out then, pulling her closer, my hands at her waist, and for a moment, everything else fell away.

Her breath caught, and she leaned into me, just a fraction, before pulling away. She wanted to push me away, but she wasn’t. I could see it in the way she stood there, caught between resistance and something else—something I couldn’t quite put into words.

I lowered my voice to a whisper, close to her ear. “Promise me you’ll stay safe. I can’t protect you if you keep running headfirst into this.”

She didn’t answer immediately, but her eyes softened, just enough for me to believe that she might be listening.

Finally, she nodded, though it wasn’t a promise. Not really. But it was something. It was the closest I would get.

“I’ll try,” she whispered.

I stepped back then, breaking the tension, because I knew we were both teetering on the edge of something we couldn’t control. I couldn’t leave it there. Not without marking her. Not without letting her know just how much I needed her to stay safe, even if she wouldn't admit it to herself.

I reached for her again, pulling her into me with a fierceness that caught her off guard. She barely had time to react before I claimed her lips with a kiss—deep, demanding, a warning, and something more. My fingers tangled in her hair, tugging her closer, forcing her to feel every ounce of my desire and frustration.

She stiffened at first, surprised by the intensity, but I wasn’t letting her go. Not now. Not when everything was this close to falling apart.

“Don’t you ever forget,” I whispered against her lips, my voice rough, “you may belong to no one but yourself. But I will always have a claim on you, Seri.”

She didn’t say anything, just stared up at me, her lips still warm from mine, her breath shaky. I could see the struggle in her eyes, but I didn’t give her a chance to speak.

I pulled away slowly, each inch between us feeling like a lifetime. “Stay safe,” I repeated, my tone softer now but still carrying the weight of my warning.

Then, without another word, I turned and left her room, leaving her to digest the weight of what had just passed between us. I couldn’t protect her from everything, but she was mine to protect. And that was something I wouldn’t let go of.