111

111

DIANA

I headed to my room, and a headache had formed in my head. Everything was too much and too soon.

The list, Damon at the top of it, just a few years after his parents' death. What Bradley had told me.

How they had opposed it initially but suddenly they were the top funders.

The cook who had deliberately kept information about this J, I had left wolves to keep watch. I'm sure he was hiding something and I wanted to find out by all means.

I had told Bradley that I was going to simply take a walk but I had decided that I would take a run instead. What was the risk anyway, Jonathan would be with me. He was like a personal guard lately.

I changed into my running clothes, it had been a long time since I had taken one. For months, even I missed it.

I could feel the energy flowing in me, the eagerness to let it all out.

When I had changed I went out.

“Where to Luna?" Jonathan asked as I walked towards the back door.

"I'm going for a run,” I said.

He followed me dutifully. I didn't have any issues with that. I was anxious, especially with how crazy Damon became when he didn't get what he wanted. He would go to an extent and I didn't want to face him alone.

Soon we were in the field before the woods, and I headed towards them.

I could hear Jonathan's footsteps behind me when I set off on a Sprint. It was time to let the wild side out of me. Too much of it had been pent up for too long. The training didn't expand as much as it should have.

My pace picked up, my mind flying away from where I was headed to which was nowhere in particular.

I didn't look where I was headed, simply darting around trees. Soon everything was a blur.

When I felt free enough, I slowed down a little to see where I was.

It was then that I noticed that I had long passed Jonathan; I couldn't hear him behind me.

I stopped, turning around to see where I was. I couldn't recognize the trees anymore, and I didn't know how far I had run away from the pack house, and I was alone.

I shook the fear that began to creep into me. Nothing would happen, I would find my way back and I could howl anyway to signal where I was.

I stood still, catching my breath, trying to figure out my next move.

Then I heard it, the sound of crunching leaves. I froze then, sharpening my hearing and listening avidly.

It took a while but I heard it again. Someone was close to me. I looked around to see if I would find them, but there wasn't much sunlight anymore, and I couldn't see much.

Soon they began to approach me, closer and closer.

There wasn't much time now I was sure that indeed I wasn't alone, I turned around to sprint away.

Before I could make it far a hand stopped me, holding onto my wrists tightly.

I turned, throwing a punch. They caught it, holding both my hands behind me now.

They held me against the tree, their breathing in my ear.

I groaned, the bark of the tree tearing my skin. “Who the fuck are you" I uttered in panic. My voice was shaky.

They didn't speak, holding me quietly. I took a deep breath, don't panic Diana. You can be fine on your own.

I decided to use my sense of smell, there was something familiar about this person.

It was then that it hit me, the familiarity. It was Damon, the bond had been screaming it to me for ages. I didn't want to believe it. That after so long I was so close to him again.

“You've realised," he said in a sigh. The tightness that he had held me with released a bit, but he didn't let go.

"What do you want?” I gritted out from clenched teeth. Anger, which had built up in my chest, had doubled at the sight of him.

I heard a laugh come from him, his chest rumbling with the movement behind me.

Before, the feel of his body on mine would have been a turn-on; I would have craved it, but I didn't care for it right now. I wanted him gone. I wanted to breathe.

“Don't you see why?" He asked, his tone mocking.

I tried to push away from him but he forced me back, holding me there.

“I don't know why," I answered sarcastically. I wasn't in the mood for his nonsense.

He made a sound before speaking, “I'm here to take you back. Enough with playing house with Bradley, it's time to come back to your mate, me." he didn't seem so playful.

That edge that had always been in him, the anger and roughness when he didn't get what he wanted. It was back.

I pulled my strength, trying to push back, but he was an alpha, so his strength was greater.

Suddenly I was tired, tired of fighting everything. I had been fighting for too long. I wanted to rest, so I went lax on him.

He seemed to notice the way I had dropped, and his hold loosened a bit.

“I'm never coming back" I gritted out.

He snorted, “You are mine, no one else's Diana. How many times do I have to tell you?"

“I wasn't yours when you chose Celeste as your Luna," I said, my voice rising.

“She had to be my Luna, it was only for the pack and business," he said, he sounded pleading now.
I wanted to forgive him, forget everything, but he had chosen, and I wouldn't go back. I wouldn't lose my self-respect for him.

“Then stay loyal to her, you couldn't do to me and as much as I don't like Celeste, I won't be the one you cheat on her with. I won't be your side piece, Damon," I told him, rushing it out.

“Your place as beta is still there. You can come back, don't you see? Everything will be as it used to be" he muttered, he had moved his face close to my ear.

The change of movement made me uncomfortable.

The craze in his voice was obvious, and it made it twice as bad. I couldn't do it.

I wriggled away from him, “That's not happening Damon. I'm not coming back. I've found my home here" I told him.

It wasn't a complete lie, I couldn't tell him I hadn't chosen Bradley either. That would only enforce the idea that I was still in love with him.

“Your home is with me Diana, you are coming back with me, I don't care if you agree or not. I'm tired, so tired of waiting" he said.

He let me go, and I turned around, ready to escape.

He pushed me closer, his fangs extending out of his mouth. He would bite me unconscious.

Before he could let out a howl, Jonathan wouldn't be too far. He had followed me for a long time.

Damon's face twisted into anger. “You're only making this more difficult Diana. I don't want to hurt you"

His words elicited a sick laugh from me. "Your fangs are extended, ready to bite into me and you don't want to hurt me?”

He shook his head, his head descending on my neck. I closed my eyes, ready to succumb to the weakness.

Suddenly, along with the sound of rushing footsteps, a claw dug itself into Damon's back.

He let out a painful growl, turning around to meet Jonathan's angry and threatening face. There were five wolves behind him.

Damon was outnumbered.

Jonathan looked ready to attack again, but Damon didn't let him; he turned to me.

"I'll come back for you, I'm never letting you go,” he said before he set out on a Sprint.

Two of the wolves went after him, but they wouldn't catch up. Even though Damon had been injured, he had a high pain tolerance and he would be out of the woods in seconds.

I turned to Jonathan, I was weak and tired.

"Did you tell him?” I asked.

He shook his head, "No, I missed you so I stayed to search. When we go back I'll” he said.

I couldn't stop him, it was his duty. I could only imagine how angry Bradley would be.

We walked back to the house. I didn't know how far I had run but the distance going back made it obvious.

I had gone so deep that night had fallen. I groaned, Bradley would have noticed.

Just as I thought that, I heard voices not far away.

Soon we stood in the field where I found Bradley and Elias talking with the other pack members. I could feel the tension and restlessness among them.

When they noticed us, they all turned around.

I could see the wave of anger in Bradley's body, as he walked towards me briskly, his fists clenched tightly beside him.

He was definitely angry.

“Where have you been? I thought it was only a walk?" He asked.

I looked away, I didn't want to be the one to say it.

“Alpha, Damon found her, and he attacked her. I've dealt with him" Jonathan said.

At his words, it seemed as if everything froze. Bradley's jaw clenched.

He looked furious now.