Chapter 102 102
"W… why are you locking the door?"
Her voice trembled, the words barely steady on her tongue. Her breath caught when he turned to face her.
"What the hell was Dominique talking about?" Damien asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Damien was always the calm one. Controlled. Composed. It was the first time she had ever seen anger blaze so openly across his face.
"N-nothing. I need to go." She swallowed hard and tried to slip past him.
He didn’t allow it.
His hand shot out, gripping her arm and pulling her back in front of him.
"What was Dominique saying?" he demanded again.
She looked away. His olive-green eyes burned with restrained fury.
"He was joking. Trying to rile you up. It was our plan and it worked." She snapped, jerking her arm free before moving toward the door.
Her fingers barely brushed the handle when he spun her around again. His hand locked around her wrist.
"Now what?" she shot back. "Fine. I admit I like you. I was trying to make you jealous so you’d confess first. But you didn’t. Instead, you came up with your own little scheme. Such a fox."
He clicked his tongue softly.
The anger in his eyes shifted dark amusement replacing it as he stepped closer, deliberately, threateningly.
Her eyes widened at the blunt confession. Color crept into her cheeks and she looked away shyly.
Damien blinked then burst into laughter.
She stared at him in disbelief.
"You’re blushing. The tomboy is blushing," he managed between laughs.
Her jaw dropped.
The next second, her fist drove hard into his stomach.
He groaned, doubling slightly. "Fuck. You’re strong," he muttered through clenched teeth.
Before he could retaliate by tackling her to the floor, she darted out of his room.
He stood at the doorway, eyes narrowing.
"Come inside," he said coldly.
She merely shrugged, a radiant smile playing on her lips.
"Tonight at midnight, I might find my mate," she said softly. "And if my prayers are answered if my mate is the one I want I’ll make the most heartwarming confession you’ve ever heard."
He stood there, frozen, watching her.
She winked.
His heart stumbled.
Then she ran, laughter trailing behind her like music.
Damien rubbed the stubble along his jaw. His pulse thundered in his ears.
Midnight couldn’t come fast enough.
"Aww, that was sweet. My heart’s pounding," Alexandre drawled as he entered, steel-gray eyes gleaming with mischief.
"So romantic," Dominique added, stepping in as well.
Damien groaned.
"What the hell do you both want?" he muttered, dropping onto his bed with a sigh.
"To tease the hell out of you," Dominique said with an evil chuckle.
"Tick-tock, tick-tock. Midnight," Alexandre sang.
Damien and Dominique both shot him identical irritated looks.
"Shut up!" they snapped in unison.
Alexandre smirked. "Whatever."
"What should I wear? What should I wear? Why is this so freaking difficult?" Gabrielle muttered for what felt like the hundredth time.
Charlotte sighed while Eugénie watched her with an unreadable expression.
"You own so many beautiful dresses, yet you’re pacing like someone who has nothing to wear to her own birthday," Eugénie said bluntly.
Charlotte gasped and glared at her.
"Gabrielle, wear the peach one," Charlotte suggested gently. "It’ll look beautiful on you. And Damien prefers lighter colors."
Gabrielle’s eyes widened slightly.
"Yes. It fits perfectly too," she agreed, carefully placing the other dresses back.
By now, everyone knew about her and Damien except the elders.
"I’m scared," Gabrielle said suddenly.
Eugénie stared at her. "You? You taught me there’s no such thing as fear."
Gabrielle rolled her eyes, but Charlotte stepped closer and took her hand.
"What’s wrong?" Charlotte asked softly.
"What if Damien isn’t my mate?" Gabrielle whispered. "I… I won’t survive that."
Eugénie immediately wrapped an arm around her.
"Don’t worry. I’d bet my life you’re his mate just like Charlotte is Alexandre’s."
Charlotte gasped. "Eugénie!"
"It’s called the future," Eugénie winked.
Gabrielle giggled. Charlotte flushed.
"You have half an hour," Charlotte reminded her.
Gabrielle gasped and rushed to get ready, complaining about the time she’d wasted choosing a dress.
Soon, everyone gathered in the backyard. A cake was placed at the center.
When Gabrielle stepped outside, Damien forgot how to breathe.
Alexandre, meanwhile, couldn’t stop staring at Charlotte.
"Alexandre is gawking at you," Eugénie whispered teasingly.
Charlotte turned red.
"Stop eye-raping her," Dominique muttered under his breath, earning a sharp look from Damien.
"I just hope she’s my mate," Damien said quietly.
Dominique heard. He wrapped an arm around Damien’s shoulder and squeezed.
"She is. You’re meant for each other. Three minutes."
A smile broke across Damien’s face, dimples showing.
Then
A chilling growl split the air.
The scent of rogues.
Within seconds, chaos erupted.
"Women and children to the pack house!" Fernando roared.
The men formed a shield but a massive brown wolf lunged toward Charlotte and Eugénie.
Damien, Dominique, and Alexandre attacked it instantly.
Then Damien saw another rogue heading straight for Gabrielle.
Their eyes met.
A single word tore from him.
"Mate."
Her gaze softened.
He ran.
But
Screams.
Cries.
Agony.
He was too late.
Her body hit the ground.
Fernando tore the rogue’s throat open.
Too late.
"NO!" Damien’s scream ripped through the night.
He collapsed beside her, pulling her against his chest, pressing desperately against the blood pouring from her stomach.
"No, no, no…" he choked, his hands trembling and stained red.
A single tear slipped from her eye.
Alexandre and Dominique fell beside him. Charlotte held a sobbing Eugénie. Jeanne fainted. Sofía and Corinne caught her.
The rogues fled.
Only firelight and devastation remained.
Gabrielle lifted a trembling hand to Damien’s cheek.
"M… mate…" she breathed.
A sob tore from him.
She reached toward Alexandre next, her bloody palm resting against his chest.
"I… kept my part of the deal… you… keep yours… partner…"
Blood stained her lips.
Alexandre shook his head, tears falling freely.
"D… Dominique?" she whispered.
He leaned closer, eyes wet.
"I’m always scared… for your mate… you’re not right in the head… with all that anger… please… don’t hurt her…"
Sofía screamed for the doctor.
Fernando’s eyes shone with tears. Ricardo wept. Étienne stood rigid and hollow.
"Take care… of mom…" she whimpered.
Fernando nodded.
"Don’t say that!" Damien cried. "You’re not going anywhere. Don’t talk."
She smiled softly despite the blood.
Her palm lifted. He pressed his face into it as she caressed him weakly.
"S… sparks…" she breathed, almost laughing.
"I… love you… Damien."
He shattered.
"I love you too. Please don’t leave me. I’ll break."
"My time… has come… but I’ll die in peace… knowing you are my mate… my mate…"
Her hand slipped from his cheek.
Her eyes went still.
For a heartbeat, the world stopped.
Then the pain came.
It tore through him, searing, crushing, splitting his heart into fragments.
"NO!" he screamed as thunder cracked and rain poured from the sky.
Alexandre closed her eyes.
Damien’s body shook violently.
The agony.
The loss.
It was unbearable.
He had found his mate.
And lost her in the same breath.