The blood-smeared note felt like ice in my hands
"They are coming for you."
My heart pounded, my breath coming in short gasp. Since the moment I left Craven Pack, my life has been in constant danger. First the attack on the journey here—now this. Someone wanted me gone.
I needed answers.
The shower could wait. Right now, the only person who can give me the answer I seek is Damien
Clutching the note tightly, I Bolted from my room, my feet carrying me straight towards Damien's office. My mind raced with questions.
Who was after me? Why? Did it have something to do with my second—chance mate bond? Or was there something deeper at play?
I was too lost in thought to notice the figure stepping into my path until I nearly collided with him.
Beta Enzo.
His sharp eyes immediately locked into my face, scanning it with concern.
"Zendaya," he said, his voice calm but probing, "what's wrong?"
I hesitated, gripping the note tighter, but Enzo's presence had always seemed.... safe.
He was Damien's beta, yes he had never given me a reason to doubt him. Right now, I needed someone to understand what I was feeling.
Wordlessly, I handed him the note.
The moment his eyes scanned over it, his expression darkened, he immediately looked me over as if checking for injuries. Finding none, his shoulders relaxed slightly—But his grip on the paper tightened, his jaw clenching slightly. He knew something—I could feel it.
"Where did you find this?" he asked, voice eerily controleld.
"My room," I whispered. "By the window. Someone was there."
Enzo inhaled sharply, his gaze flickering with something unreadable. Then, just as quickly his expression shifted into a reassuring smile.
"I'll handle it," he said smoothly." Go back to your room. I'll inform the alpha."
I frowned. "But I was going to—"
"It's better this way, you must be terrified," Enzo interrupted.
Before I could protest, he placed a firm hand on my shoulder, noticing how close he was to me. The moment his skin touched mine, Cassidy my wolf, recoiled violently, repulsed by his touch.
"Only our mate has the right to touch us!" she snarled, blocking herself off from me entirely.
A sharp, uncomfortable shiver ran down my spine. Something didn't feel right, but I couldnt place it
"Damien is already dealing with a lot. He continued smoothly," Let me take care of this for you. Okay?"
A part of me hesitated but nodded. Beta Enzo has been nothing but kind to me since I arrived.
So, reluctantly, I agreed, trusting him with the note.
Then I felt it.
The shift in the air.
A low, dangerous growl and simmering fury.
I just turned in time to see Damien step into the view.
His bright amber eyes burned with pure rage. At first, his gaze landed on Enzo's hands holding the red note then flicking to me. But then it moved slower, to where Enzoz's other hand still rested on my shoulder. His entire body went rigid.
A dark growl rumbled deep in his chest, so raw and unfiltered that the walls seemed to vibrate from it, His wolf was barely restrained.
Beta Enzo immediately dropped his hands and took a step back, but it was late. Damien had already seen it
"What the hell is going on?" Damien's voice was dangerously low.
I opened my mouth, but before I could speak Enzo cut in.
"A red note." he admitted, quickly holding it up. " the same as the one you received."
Damien snatched it from him, his grip so tight that his knuckle turned white as he read the words smeared in blood.
The tension in his body only grew.
" Where did you find this?" his voice was sharp
Enzo hesitated—just for a second. "Zendaya, sorry Luna found it in her room."
Luna, I blinked.
Just a moment ago he was calling me Zendays. But now, in front of Damien, he suddenly remembers the title.
Something was off.
Damien's jaw twitched, his wolf clawing to the surface.
"Go back to your room," Damien orders, his time leaving no room for argument.
I stiffened. "But I—"
"That wasn't a request, zendaya," he cut me off sharply, his gaze hard and unreadable." You are not safe. Do not wander alone. I'll handle this.
My teeth clenched. He was dismissing me. Again. Just like always.
Frustration burned in my chest, but I knew better than to fight him on this. Not when his Alpha command hummed, dangerously close to the surface.
I spun on my heel and stormed back to my room, slamming the door shut behind him but not without noticing that he was mind-linking with his beta.
Damn him.
Why wouldn't he just tell me what's going on?
Why does he treat me like some weak, breakable thing?
The anger sat heavy in my chest, mixing with something deeper, as minutes passed, I sat on my bed staring at the wall, my heart pounding with frustration.
Then—a knock.
I knew it was him
For a second, I thought about ignoring it, but Cassidy my wolf nudged me to answe, Slowly I opened the door.
Damien stood there, his towering frame tense. His expression was unreadable, but something flickered in his eyes— something deep, conflicted.
Without a word, he lifted a sleek black box toward me. I stared at it. Then at him.
The sharp scent of his presence filled my lungs and made my she-wolf purring in response.
Hesitantly I took the box from him.
He stepped inside briefly, his gaze scanning my face as if he wanted to say something, but then, just as quickly, he turned and left.
No explanation
No apology
Just silence
The door clicked shut behind him leaving me stunned, I stood there staring at the gift in my hands
A bitter laugh escapes me.
So he could buy me a phone....but he couldn't stand to be near me?
The rejection stung.
I clenched my fist, blinking rapidly to hold back the stupid tears threatening to spill.
"why doesn't our human mate want us?" Cassidy, my wolf, whimpered in my mind.
I didn't answer.
But deep down, I didn't know too.
But I was going to find out.