CHAPTER 67
Ariana's POV
“I am not getting married to you, Damien.”
The room froze. The once lively chatter had vanished, replaced by a thick, suffocating silence. Seline's smile faltered, her eyes darting between Damien and me. My stepsisters, Sabrina and Vivian, looked stunned, as if I had just declared something unimaginable. Elara remained quiet, but I could feel her tense presence beside me.
Damien's gaze darkened. His jaw clenched, the muscle twitching beneath his skin. "Why?" His voice was low, dangerous. "Why are you refusing?"
I held my ground, even though my heart pounded relentlessly. "Because I don’t want to."
His brow furrowed, clearly unsatisfied with my answer. "That's not a reason, Ariana. There has to be more."
"Maybe I just don't believe in forcing myself into something I don’t want." My voice was steady, though the weight of the room threatened to suffocate me.
He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "You’re still in love with Lycus."
The accusation hung in the air like a blade.
"And what if I was?" I shot back, my pulse quickening. "That doesn’t change the fact that I won’t go through with this marriage."
His eyes flickered with a dangerous glint, though I refused to look away.
"I won’t be a pawn in your scheme, Damien. I know exactly why you want this marriage — to use me against Lycus. You think tying me to you will bring him to his knees, but I’m not a weapon for you to wield."
His nostrils flared, but before he could respond, I continued.
"I remember the promise I made to you. But let’s be clear — that promise never included marriage."
Seline shifted in her seat, her fingers toying with the edge of her napkin. I caught the briefest flicker of satisfaction in her eyes, but it didn’t matter. She may have enjoyed the drama, but this wasn’t about her.
Damien’s hands curled into fists on the table. The tension radiating from him was palpable. "You think Lycus will protect you? You think he’ll give you anything more than I could?"
"I think Lycus isn’t forcing me into something I never wanted," I said sharply. "And that’s already more than I can say for you."
Sabrina gasped, clutching her chest like she had witnessed something scandalous. Vivian’s mouth hung open, completely stunned.
"Ariana," Damien growled, his patience clearly wearing thin. "You made a commitment to this pack. To me."
"I made a commitment to survive," I countered, my voice trembling but firm. "Not to become your wife."
A tense silence settled over the table, the weight of my words hanging in the air like a storm. Damien’s jaw clenched, his dark gaze burning into me, but before he could respond, Seline chimed in.
“Oh, Damien,” she cooed, her voice dripping with fake concern. “Don’t take it to heart. Ariana’s just having a little case of wedding jitters. It’s perfectly normal for brides to feel overwhelmed.” She smiled sweetly, her green eyes glinting. “I’m sure she didn’t mean what she said.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Wedding jitters? That was exactly what she wanted Damien to believe — that I was just some emotional, confused little girl who didn’t know what she wanted.
But I knew. And no amount of manipulation would change that.
Sabrina scoffed, clearly enjoying the opportunity to take her own jab. “Ungrateful, as always. You act like you have so many choices, Ariana. But tell me, do you really think Lycus will even give you a second glance?”
“That man rejected you, remember?” Vivian added with a smug grin. “You’re lucky Damien even wants you. Most Alphas would’ve tossed you aside.”
My stomach twisted, but I refused to let their words seep under my skin. I had endured their taunts for years. This time, I wouldn’t break.
“I’ve said my mind,” I said coldly, pushing my chair back. The screech of the legs against the polished floor echoed in the heavy silence. “If you don’t like it, that’s not my problem.”
Damien’s glare darkened,
"Think carefully, Ariana," Seline called after me, her tone still dripping with false sympathy. "You wouldn’t want to regret this decision."
I didn’t bother acknowledging her.
I heard Damien’s chair scrape back. He was going to follow me.
I quickened my steps, but Seline’s voice stopped him.
"Damien," she said smoothly. "Let her go. She needs time to calm down. Please, don’t let this ruin the night. I’m sure she’ll come to her senses soon enough."
The nerve of her.
“I’m sorry for her behavior,” she continued. “I’m sure she didn’t mean to embarrass you like that.”
I didn’t hear Damien’s response, but I could picture it. Silent. Brooding. Calculating.
Let him think whatever he wanted.
\-----
It had been hours since I returned to my room. The lingering tension from dinner still gnawed at the edges of my mind, but I pushed it away.
Instead, I sat cross-legged on my bed, letting the hum of my power distract me. The small wooden jewelry box I had placed on the nightstand floated steadily in the air, spinning gently under the influence of my telekinesis. The control I had over it was oddly satisfying, a temporary relief from the frustration I’d been carrying.
But as the minutes passed, boredom crept in. I glanced toward the door, thinking of Elara. Maybe she could offer some sort of distraction. She’d definitely have something to say about dinner, and honestly, I wouldn’t mind the company.
With one last flick of my fingers, I set the jewelry box back down. It landed softly without a sound.
I stretched, the weight on my chest feeling lighter than before. Maybe Damien had finally gotten the message. Maybe my refusal to marry him actually sunk in, and that’s why I hadn’t heard from him since.
Curious, I stood and walked to the door, bracing myself for the usual sight of the guards stationed outside. But as I cracked it open and peeked into the dimly lit corridor, I saw—
Nothing.
No guards.
The hallway was empty.
I blinked, confusion settling in. Where were they? Damien never left me without supervision. He made sure there were always eyes on me.
Unless…
A small flicker of hope ignited in my chest. Maybe he finally understood what I said. Maybe he was actually giving me space. The thought almost seemed impossible, but I wasn’t about to question it.
Taking a cautious step forward, I listened for any signs of movement. The hallway was eerily quiet, the flickering lanterns casting long shadows along the stone walls. I hesitated for a moment before deciding I wasn’t going to waste this opportunity.
I made my way down the corridor, the sound of my bare feet barely audible against the cool floor. Elara’s room wasn’t far, and I could already imagine the look on her face when I told her about the guards’ mysterious disappearance.
But just as I passed by Seline’s room, a muffled sound caught my attention.
A sharp laugh. Followed by a low murmur.
I froze, my curiosity piqued. The door to Seline’s room was cracked open ever so slightly, enough for the warm glow from within to spill into the hallway. My instincts told me to keep walking. It wasn’t any of my business.
But the sound of another giggle echoed through the silence.
My brows furrowed. What was going on in there?
I leaned closer, my heartbeat quickening. The temptation was too strong. Careful not to make a sound, I peeked through the small gap.
And what I saw made my blood boil.
The two guards — the ones who were supposed to be standing watch outside my door — were inside. One of them was pinned against the wall, his lips feverishly locked with Seline’s. The other trailed kisses down her neck, his hands possessively gripping her waist.