37 Chapter 37


    37 Chapter 37


    Damien’s POV 1


    The sight of Sera lying unconscious and injured in her small bed made something primal and murderous rise in my chest. Her torn clothing, the dried blood at the corner of her mouth, the violent bruise spreading across her delicate cheek-each detail was like gasoline thrown on the fire of my rage.


    *Someone hurt our mate,* Alex snarled in my mind, his mental voice sharp with protective fury. *Find them. Kill them.*


    But beneath the rage was something else—an overwhelming need to kiss and possess her, to leave my mark on her bare breast. I set


    down the soup I’d brought and moved to the small bathroom, gathering clean washcloths and a bowl of warm water.


    When I returned to her bedside, I hesitated for a moment, my hands hovering over the torn fabric of her blouse. The mate bond between


    us hummed with awareness, and despite her unconscious state, my body responded to her proximity with an intensity that made my


    pants ufortably tight.


    *Focus,* Imanded myself sternly. *She’s hurt. She needs care, not yourck of control.*


    I began cleaning the dried blood from her face with gentle strokes, careful not to apply too much pressure to the bruised areas. Her skin


    was soft as silk beneath the cloth, and I found myself marveling at the delicate bone structure of her face, the way her darkshes fanned


    across her cheeks.


    The torn blouse had to go. As carefully as possible, I eased the damaged fabric off her shoulders, trying not to think about the way the


    movement revealed the creamy expanse of her skin. Her bra was shredded beyond repair, the delicatece hanging in tatters.


    My breath caught in my throat as I took in the sight of her bare chest-pale skin marked with bruises that made my wolf howl with rage,


    but also curves that were absolutely perfect. Her breasts were full and round, the nipples a soft pink that seemed to call to my mouth.


    *Stop.* Imanded myself, even as heat pooled low in my belly. *She’s unconscious and injured. Have some fucking dignity.*


    I forced myself to focus on the task at hand, using the warm cloth to gently clean away dirt and dried sweat from her skin. Each stroke


    was careful, clinical, though my hands trembled slightly as they moved over the soft curves of her body.


    I eased the nightgown over her head, carefully maneuvering her unconscious form to get her arms through the sleeves. The simple


    cotton felt like silk beneath my fingers, and I had to resist the urge to let my hands linger on her skin longer than necessary.


    As I was pulling the covers up to her chin, Sera stirred slightly, a soft moan escaping her lips. Her eyshes fluttered, and then those


    magnificent emerald eyes opened, unfocused and confused as they tried to make sense of her surroundings.


    “This is quite the development,” she said, her voice hoarse but carrying a hint of her usual spirit. “What exactly is happening here, Alpha?


    Are you reenacting Sleeping Beauty?”


    “Something like that, I admitted, settling into the small chair beside her bed. “Though I think you’re mixing up your fairy tales. Sleeping Beauty didn’t wake up making smart remarks.”


    “Maybe she should have,” Sera said, trying to push herself up into a sitting position and immediately wincing as the movement sent pain


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    37 Chapter 37


    shooting through her ribs. “Would have made the story more interesting.”


    “Easy,” I said, reaching out instinctively to steady her. “You’ve been through hell tonight. Just rest.”


    “Adrian,” she said suddenly, panic shing in her eyes as full awareness returned. “Where’s Adrian? Is he safe? Did they hurt him?”


    “He’s fine,” I assured her quickly, my hand settling on her shoulder to keep her from trying to get up. “I found him in the border forests


    and brought him home. He had dinner, told me about fifteen different dinosaurs in remarkable detail, and is now sleeping peacefully in


    his room.”


    Relief flooded her features, so intense that tears began spilling down her cheeks. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice breaking with


    emotion. “God, Damien, thank you. I was so scared. When I realized they’d taken him…”


    “Who did this to you?” The question came out rougher than intended, my protective instincts overriding my attempt to remain calm.


    Sera’s expression darkened, pain and anger warring in her green eyes. “My loving family,” she said bitterly. “Elizabeth, my adopted


    mother called, demanded Ie home. When I got there, they had some disgusting old man named Harold waiting-apparently they’d


    arranged to sell me to him like livestock.”


    White-hot rage exploded through my system. “They what?”


    “Fifty thousand dors for one lightly used omega,” Sera continued, her voice growing stronger with fury. “Harold was quite excited about the prospect of having a young wife who could bear children. Elizabeth thought it was the perfect solution to their financial


    problems.”


    I was on my feet before I realized I’d moved, my hands clenched into fists as Alex howled for blood in my mind. “Give me names,” I said,


    my voice carrying enough alpha authority to make the windows rattle. “Addresses. I want every detail.”


    “Damien, no.” Sera’s hand shot out to grab my wrist, her fingers surprisingly strong despite her weakened state. “They’re not worth it. I


    handled it.”


    “You were beaten unconscious!”


    “After I put Harold in the hospital and left Elizabeth bleeding on the floor.” A fierce smile curved her lips, transforming her face from


    beautiful to absolutely magnificent. “Turns out omega doesn’t mean helpless. Who knew?”


    The pride in her voice made my chest swell with something that felt dangerously close to admiration. My mate was a fighter.


    But before I could respond, Sera’s expression shifted, bing distant and cold. “Anyway,” she said, pulling her hand away from mine and settling back against her pillows, “thank you for bringing Adrian home safely. I’m sure you have more important things to deal with than babysitting a beaten-up omega and her son.”


    “Sera-”


    “Really, Damien, you should go.” Her voice was carefully polite, but there was something underneath it that made my wolf whimper with distress. “I’m sure Anna is wondering where you are. After all, you wouldn’t want to keep your fiancée waiting”


    “Sera, it’s not what you think-”


    She turned her face away from me, focusing on the wall instead of meeting my eyes. “She has your pendant, Damien.”


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    37 Chapter 37


    “Don’t waste your time with me,” Sera continued, her voice growing stronger and more cutting with each word. “I’m just the omega


    employee who you happened to sleep with in a moment of weakness. Anna is your real mate, the one you’ve been searching for. Don’t let


    me keep you from your happily ever after.”


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