The lost mate
Chapter 53: A promise of safety

Chapter 53: A promise of safety

The door to Damien’s suite clicked shut with a soft finality. The lavish space was tastefully decorated, exuding the elegance and power that came with Damien’s position, but all Annie could feel was the overwhelming weight of fear and uncertainty.

Ryan, oblivious to the tension, clung to Damien’s leg, his small voice breaking through the silence. "Daddy, can I watch TV?"

Damien smiled down at his son, his expression softening. "Of course, buddy." He lifted Ryan easily into his arms and carried him to the plush sofa in the centre of the room, setting him down with care. He handed Ryan the remote, ruffling his hair affectionately. "Pick whatever you like."

Ryan eagerly started flipping through channels, completely absorbed in the colourful cartoons that soon filled the screen. But Annie could hardly focus on anything except the shaking in her hands. She clenched her fists at her sides, trying to steady herself, but the fear kept crawling up her spine, relentless and cold.

Damien turned back to her, his sharp eyes immediately catching the tremble in her posture. "Annie." His voice was low, soothing, as he took a step towards her. "You’re safe here."

Her eyes darted to the door as if expecting Liana or someone from the pack to burst through at any moment. "I shouldn’t be here," she whispered, her voice cracking. "This... this isn’t right, Damien. I don’t belong here."

He closed the distance between them, his large frame towering over her, but his movements were gentle as he reached out to take her hands. "You belong with me."

Annie looked up at him, her breath shaky. She wanted to believe him, but the confrontation with Liana still played vividly in her mind. Her heart raced as the fear churned in her chest, wild and uncontrollable.

"I’m still a rogue in their eyes," she whispered, pulling her hands away from his. "You know what they’ll do if they find out the truth."

Damien’s jaw clenched, the muscles tightening visibly, but he didn’t back away. "No one is going to hurt you, Annie. Not while I’m here."

"How?" she asked, her voice rising despite herself.

"Annie." Damien’s hands found her shoulders, his touch grounding her, pulling her out of her spiralling thoughts. He bent his head slightly to meet her gaze, his eyes locked onto hers with a fierce intensity. "I don’t care what my mother says or what the pack thinks."

"I can handle my family. I’ve been doing it my whole life." He reached up, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "And as for the pack... let me worry about them. I’m the Alpha prince. They’ll listen."

Annie exhaled shakily, feeling some of the tension in her body start to melt away. She wanted to believe him, and the calmness in his presence helped. But the reality of their situation lingered at the edges of her mind, never fully letting her relax.

Damien, sensing her continued unease, led her to the sofa, where Ryan was already engrossed in his cartoon. "Sit down, Annie," he said gently, guiding her to the seat besides Ryan. "Just take a moment to breathe."

She sat down stiffly, her body still buzzing with the remnants of fear and adrenaline. Ryan cuddled up against her, his small body warm and comforting. She looked down at him, stroking his hair as he giggled at the characters on the screen, completely unaware of the storm brewing around them.

Damien stood by the sofa for a moment, watching them both before speaking again. "I’ll talk to my parents tonight. You don’t have to worry about anything, Annie."

She nodded, though her heart was still heavy.

Damien stood up, his hand lingering on her shoulder for a moment longer before he pulled away. "Get some rest," he said softly. "I’ll be back soon."

She watched as he headed for the door. As the door clicked shut behind him, the suite felt eerily quiet, save for the chatter of the cartoon on the television. Annie pulled Ryan closer to her.

*****************************

Damien’s footsteps echoed in the empty corridors as he descended into the grand hall. The once-bustling room was now deserted. The guests had long departed, leaving only the lingering scent of fine wine and the faint rustling of curtains stirred by the night breeze.

"Damien."

The familiar, authoritative voice of his father, Richard, cut through the stillness. He turned to see both his parents standing near the entrance to the study, waiting.

"Follow me," Richard said curtly, turning without waiting for a response. L

Damien took a deep breath and trailed after them, feeling the weight of what was to come pressing down on his shoulders. He had always known that facing his parents would be inevitable, but now that the moment had arrived, the air between them felt suffocating.

Liana was the first to break the silence as she turned to face Damien, her voice sharp but layered with concern. "Why didn’t you tell me about Annie? And the child?" T

Damien steeled himself. "I didn’t tell you because I knew how you would react," he said evenly, his gaze locked on his mother’s. "I met Annie five years ago at the mating party. We... we connected. I knew she was my mate."

Liana’s expression shifted, disbelief flooding her features. "Damien, do you understand how dangerous that girl is? She—"

"She’s not dangerous," Damien interrupted, his voice rising with the frustration he had been holding back. "You don’t know her. You never did."

Liana stepped forward, her eyes flashing with anger. "But she drugged you, Damien! That’s what Jackson said. She drugged you at that party, and that’s why you—"

"She didn’t drug me," Damien snapped, cutting her off. His voice was low, but there was no mistaking the intensity behind it. "Someone else did; she wasn’t trying to manipulate me. Whatever you think happened, you’re wrong."

Liana’s face drained of colour, her hands trembling ever so slightly. "But... if that’s not true, then why did she run away? ?"

"No one believed her while I was knocked out. Alpha Jackson, and you accused her of drugging me."

Liana looked stricken, her mask of control slipping. "Damien, I would never... I didn’t know." She looked at Richard again, as if seeking some kind of reassurance, but found none in his stony expression.

"She was also attacked by our security when she tried to reach me." Damied added.

Liana covered her mouth in feigned shock.

"Attacked by security? That’s absurd," she whispered. What else did Damien know ? If he came to know about her involvement, he would hate her.

Damien’s voice was cold as ice as he continued, "Is it absurd? Or is it just easier for you to believe that than to face the truth? That the pack—our pack—didn’t just fail Annie. They hunted her down like she was some kind of criminal."

"The security was just doing their job, Damien; I am sure there’s a misunderstanding." Liana tried to dispel the situation.

Richard, who had remained quiet until now, narrowed his eyes, the fury boiling beneath his calm exterior threatening to break free. "Whatever might have happened in the past is irrelavant. You should not have brought her here, Damien."

"What do you mean ?" Damien asked.

"You must reject her, Damien." Richard said.