Chapter 14

Arielle’s POV  

Pain.  

It pulsed through my shoulder in heavy bursts and my breath came in shallow gasps but it was nothing compared to the chaos inside me. I stared at him and realized I couldn't breathe and I wasn't sure if it was from the pain. 

Damian was here. 

My mate.  

Damian. The same man who had rejected me who had marked me despite that binding me to him without thought for my life. 

And now—he had saved me. Fought for me. Protected me. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, his jaw clenched and filled with over a weeks worth of beard,  his muscles were taunt with tension. 

Blood streaked across his arms—some of it his from a wound that I forced myself not to look at or acknowledge and some of it from the rogues he had just killed. 

And his eyes—gods, his eyes. That deep, golden colour that managed to look stormy from his worry, that had haunted my dreams since the day I had realized he was my mate and he had rejected me.  Even now, my wolf whimpered at the sight of him, craving the bond that still tethered us together despite everything.  

The marking pull, that was only possible because of the mating bond we shared in the first place, it hit me like a freight train that undeniable and suffocating feeling of belonging to someone without my control. 

I hated it.  I hated him. I hated that even after all he’d done, my body still reacted to him, still longed for him.  

I should have been grateful, he had of course saved me stepping in before those rogues could rip me apart.  I should have said thank you but I couldn't because I wasn’t grateful.  

I was furious. Furious at him for still making my heart race despite everything he had done. Furious at my body for craving his touch, even as my mind screamed at me to stay away. Furious at the mating pull that made my knees weak each time I stared at him, shirtless and covered in blood, his golden eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my pulse hammer.  

I wanted to pretend it didn’t affect me, wanted to be stronger than this. But it wasn't easy to do that, especially not with my shoulder throbbing like I had been stabbed with a fork, I felt blood running down my fingers, my vision blurred at the edges, I felt like my entire world was spinning around me all out of control.  

“Arielle.” he said sighing, his voice hoarse and filled with something I couldn’t place.

“You’re hurt. Let me help you.”  

“Let me—”  Instinct kicked in, and I pulled away fast.  

“No.” My voice cracked as I stumbled back, pressing a hand against my bleeding shoulder. “Don’t touch me.”  

I jerked away from his outstretched hand, nearly stumbling in the process the pain that spread through my shoulder had me biting back a whimper, I refused to show weakness in front of him.  

A flash of something—pain or was it frustration?—flashed across his face. But he didn’t move towards me again, he  just stood there, watching me with that same  intense, unreadable gaze.  

“I just saved your life, you should know by now that I don't want you hurt” he said, his voice quieter this time.  I let out a bitter, shaky laugh. 

"And so what? I’m supposed to thank you?” I asked my throat tightening and  chest heaving as the rage clawed its way up. “After everything you did to me?”  

His jaw tensed. 

“Arielle—”  

“No!” My voice snapped like a whip, and suddenly—I couldn’t hold it in anymore.  Not after everything he had done. His jaw clenched.

“You need to let me help you.”  he argued and I laughed—a sharp, bitter sound even to my own ears.

“Help me?” I spat furiously looking him dead in the eyes. “Like you did when you rejected me?” A muscle ticked in his jaw as he murmured.

“Arielle—”  he started but I shushed him immediately.

“Or maybe like when you marked me without my consent?” I asked my voice rising , filled with fury I could no longer contain. “Or maybe, Damian, you can help me the way you did when you disappeared and left me to figure out what the hell was wrong with me on my own!”  

I hit him my fists pounding against his chest, again and again, tears blurring my vision as my rage spilled out like a storm.  

“I hate you!” I sobbed, my voice breaking. “I hate you for rejecting me and I hate you for marking me anyway! You had no right! No right to do this to me!”  He just stood there, letting me hit him, letting me break against him.  

Until finally—I couldn’t anymore.  

My fists fell weakly against his chest, my breath coming in ragged, uneven gasps. I was shaking still my whole body trembling from the overwhelming emotions battering me like a hammer. 

And Damian—damn him—he just watched me. He didn’t stop me. His eyes darkened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. 

"You don’t understand.”  he hissed and I snapped.

“Then make me understand!” I shoved him, ignoring the way my hands tingled at the contact. “Tell me, Damian! Why would you do this to me? Why would you mark me, reject me, and then act like you give a damn now?”  

He didn’t answer. I hit him again—my palms slamming into his chest with all the strength I had left.

“Tell me!”  

Still, he said nothing. I was shaking now, breathing hard, tears instead of pain blurred my vision. My entire body ached—from my wound,but if I paid attention to it, it would get worse.

“You ruined me,” I whispered softly looking down at the grass. “Do you even care?”  he became agitated moving across the grass like something inside him had snapped.  

“I rejected you to protect you!” he roared. The force of his voice sent a shudder through me. I took a step back, my breath catching.  

Protect me?  

What did that even mean. He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his bloodied hair. 

“You think I wanted to reject you?” He whispered beneath his breath his voice was raw now, “You think I wanted to hurt you, is that how shallow you feel I am ”  I clenched my fists. 

“You didn’t have to.”  I mumbled. “Hurt me.” I muttered. His eyes met mine,glowing in the darkness.

“You don’t understand, Arielle. It’s too late now.” a chill ran down my spine.  

“Too late for what?” I demanded but he still hesitated.  

“What do you mean it’s too late?” I hissed my pulse pounding against my ears.  

The air stilled and he exhaled sharply then finally, he looked at me—really looked at me.  

And his next words sent a shiver down my spine.  

“They’re coming for you.”  he whispered. My breath hitched and my blood ran cold.  

“Damian,” I whispered as his gaze flickered to the darkness beyond the trees.  

“They’re coming for you.”  he muttered again and my stomach dropped because he was definitely serious this time.

“Who?” I breathed and his jaw tightened. His eyes darkened. 

“It’s too late.”