Chapter 3: Mary J Blige: Be Without You
Damien arrived at the palace of the Alpha King earlier than expected. Damien had begun his travel as soon as the sun went down and would’ve arrived even earlier if he hadn’t paused mid-journey to track the pungent, filthy scent of rogue vampires wafting through the trees.
Thank the gods he did.
That detour had brought him to her. His mate. A literal goddess of a werewolf, snarling at danger with blood on her jaw and defiance in her gaze. She’d been seconds away from being mauled by rogue scum. And instead of cowering like most would, she was gloriously unbowed.
Damien hadn’t expected this. Hell, he’d stopped believing this. But when she’d turned those wild eyes on him in the light of the Blood moon, his dead heart had stuttered.
A werewolf for a mate. Rare, yes. But not impossible.
He’d waited centuries. Centuries. So many years of empty pleasure, meaningless seductions, and women with perfect bodies but eyes as hollow as a grave. He was tired of the loneliness that followed every fleeting night of passion. He wanted real. Someone who could challenge him. Set him on fire and keep up with his darkness. And then she’d run.
She ran from him.
But she wouldn’t get far. Because Damien knew how to find her.
He’d spotted the royal seal glinting on the delicate chain around her throat, an Alpha King’s sigil. That meant she was related.
But before he could chase her down, he had a meeting.
There were rogue vampires on werewolf land. Two confirmed. Possibly more. And Damien had come to make things very clear to the Alpha King.
He waited in the opulent guest wing of the palace. Not bad for a pack of wolves, he thought, gazing out at the courtyard beyond the arched window.