Laura's POV

"Ash, you have to believe me," I begged, clutching my best friend's hands so tightly my knuckles turned white. "I know what I saw. He wasn't human...he was something else."

Ashley's eyes softened. She had come over first thing that morning. It was Sunday, and thank God for that, because I was in no condition to even pretend to face the world.

"Of course I believe you," she said firmly, her voice steady in the way mine could never be again. "You're not crazy, Laura. Tell me again,how did he look?"

I shuddered. "His eyes... they were red. Not just red, but glowing. And his teeth-fangs. His hands-claws. He just...he just slashed James's throat like it was nothing. It happened so fast, Ash, I couldn't..."

The words crumbled, and so did I. The sobs tore out of me like broken glass, raw and violent.

"Hey, don't cry, baby," Ashley whispered, pulling me into her arms. "I can't even imagine how terrifying that must've been. But you're safe now. You're safe with me."

Her arms were warm. Steady. Human. For a fleeting moment, I clung to her as if I could squeeze the memory out of existence.

When my breathing finally calmed, I pulled back, my eyes red and swollen. "What should I do, Ash? He...he told me I belonged to him. His exact words. I'm so scared. I shouldn't have gone to the club that night. I shouldn't have slept with him. God, I'm so stupid!"

"Stop." Ashley's tone cut sharp, protective. "Don't do that to yourself. Don't blame yourself for his obsession. You didn't know what he was." She gripped my chin, forcing me to look at her. "Listen to me. The best thing you can do is move in with me. Right now. You're not staying here another night. He knows where you live. And until we figure out what this thing want,no more going anywhere alone. Understand?"

I nodded, the lump in my throat choking me. She was right. She was always right. I couldn't stay here. Every shadow looked like it was about to grow eyes.

"Thank you, Ash," I whispered. "Thank you for believing me. For not treating me like the cops did."

"You don't need to thank me, love. I'll always be here." She brushed a strand of hair from my face, smiling softly. "Now go freshen up, eat something before you collapse. You look like a ghost."

My lips quivered into the tiniest smile. "I love you so much, Ash."

"And I love you too." She kissed my forehead before hugging me again, tight and certain.

I peeled myself away, dragging my trembling legs to the bathroom.

The mirror didn't recognize me.

Dark circles bruised the skin beneath my eyes. My cheeks were hollow, pale. My hair clung to my temples like I'd been drowning. I gripped the sink until my knuckles ached.

"I look like I've aged ten years overnight," I whispered to my reflection.

Tears blurred my vision, and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to shut out the replay of James's body, the crimson pool spreading across the concrete, the way those monstrous eyes burned through me as though branding me.

"This has to be a nightmare," I whispered, my voice shaking. "Please, God, let me wake up. Please let me wake up."

The mirror gave no mercy.

Only a pale, haunted girl stared back at me.

And in the silence, beneath the sound of Ashley moving in the kitchen, I thought-just for a heartbeat-that I heard it.

A low, dark chuckle. The sound of someone breathing just behind me.

I spun around, my chest heaving.

The bathroom was empty.

By nightfall, I felt almost human again. Ashley had done everything to pull me out of the darkness - ordering my favorite pizza, queuing up a mindless romantic comedy, even forcing me to laugh at the cheesiest parts. For the first time since last night, I thought maybe, just maybe, I could breathe.

I'd packed a small bag and moved into her apartment, leaving mine behind . Here, wrapped in a blanket on Ashley's couch, I could almost forget the monster with blood-red eyes and claws sharp enough to tear a man apart.

Almost.

The shrill sound of the doorbell shattered that fragile peace.

I froze, a slice of pizza halfway to my mouth. "Ash... are you expecting anyone?"

Ashley frowned, shaking her head. "No. Not at all. But maybe it's one of the neighbors or..."

The bell rang again, sharp and insistent.She stood up to check it out.

"No!" I blurted, my heart hammering. Fear surged back like a flood, cold and suffocating. "Don't...don't open it. Whoever it is will get tired and go away. Please, Ash, don't."

She crouched in front of me, her hand warm on my knee. "Hey, it's okay. There's no reason to be scared. I promise I'll be fine."

The bell rang a third time, longer this time.

Ashley sighed and stood. "Stay here. I'll check. Don't worry."

"Ash..." My voice cracked, useless against the sound of her footsteps fading toward the door. My nails dug into the couch cushions as if I could anchor her there.

Every second stretched like glass ready to break.

Finally, she returned, holding a large bundle of lilies tied with a black satin ribbon.

"A delivery guy," she said, her tone forced casual, but I saw the tension in her jaw. "He said these were for you."

"For... for me?" My stomach turned to stone. "Who are they from?"

Ashley set the flowers on the coffee table, rifling through them until she found a small cream-colored card tucked between the stems. "Let's find out." She handed it to me.

My hands shook as I opened it.

The words were written in bold, deliberate strokes, each letter heavy with ownership.

"I'm sorry I frightened you yesterday. I will never hurt you. The bastard needed to die for touching what's mine."

All the blood drained from my face. My fingers went limp, the card slipping from my hand onto the table.

Ashley caught my expression and snatched the card, scanning it quickly. Her eyes widened, and the flowers tumbled from her grip, scattering across the carpet.

"Oh God," she whispered, horrified. "He's insane. He's completely insane." She turned to me, voice rising. "Laura, he knows where you are. He knew you were here. How does he even know that?"

I couldn't answer. My throat closed, the tears spilling silently down my cheeks as I stared at the lilies scattered on the floor. Lilies. My favorite flowers. Flowers I'd never told him about.

"How?" I whispered, my voice breaking. "How does he know? How does he always know?"

Ashley grabbed my hands, squeezing them tight. "Don't cry, sweetheart. Please. You've cried enough." Her eyes blazed with something fierce. "I don't care what he is-human, monster, demon-I won't let that bastard get to you. He'll have to go through me first. I'll fight him with my last drop of blood if I have to."

"Why me?" The question burst out of me, raw and desperate. "Why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this?"

Ashley pulled me into her arms, holding me so tightly it almost hurt. "You did nothing wrong," she said firmly. "Nothing. He's obsessed, that's all. Sick and obsessed. But listen to me,it says here he won't hurt you, right? That's something. That means you're safe... for now. We'll figure this out. Together. I promise you, we'll find a way."

Her words should have comforted me. But they didn't.

Because the note didn't make me feel safe.

It felt like a warning.

Like he wasn't just watching me. He was claiming me.

Damien POV

Blood pooled around my shoes, seeping into the dirt. The copper tang of it filled the air, sharp and heavy, but I didn't flinch. I stood still, breathing hard, watching the last flickers of life drain from the three wolves sprawled at my feet. Kael's men. His pawns.

"No one comes for me and leaves unscathed," I growled, my voice low and vicious. I swiped the blood off, my chest rising with unspent fury. "This is just the beginning. Kael's blood will be in my claws soon enough... and when I take it, he'll beg for death before I give it to him."

Adrian stood a step behind me, his usual calm presence steady even among the carnage. He never flinched, never questioned my brutality. That was why he was mine.

"Tell them to burn the bodies," I ordered, my tone final.

"Yes, Alpha." He turned immediately to bark commands at the men waiting in the shadows, their faces grim but unquestioning.

I didn't wait to see them follow through. My anger had already turned inward, festering, feeding on the memory that haunted me since yesterday.

Laura.

I stormed into my room and slammed the door so hard the frame shuddered.

The moment replayed over and over: the man's arm around her, the smug look on his face as he leaned in to kiss what was mine. My vision had gone red, my wolf clawing to the surface, and I let it take me. Rage took over reason. By the time I realized what I'd done, James was on the ground, his throat open, and Laura's eyes were filled with horror.

Fear. Hatred. At me.

I slammed my fist into the wall, cracking it. The sting in my knuckles was gone before I could even feel it,my skin knitting itself back together in seconds. But the wound in me, the way she'd looked at me, that wouldn't heal.

I didn't want her to see me as a monster. But that's exactly what I'd shown her.

The flowers and the note... it was a pathetic attempt to soften what she'd witnessed, but it was all I could think of. She had to understand. I wasn't gentle, I wasn't clean. I'd spilled blood and would spill it again, but always for a reason.

She was mine. My wolf had chosen her. And I would not-could not-let her go.

A knock sounded on my door. I ignored it.

Then the door opened anyway.

Lisa stepped inside, swaying her hips deliberately, her half-bare body draped in something that was more suggestion than clothing. She smiled, lips painted red, eyes sharp with intent.

I scowled, but she ignored it, continuing toward me.

"Alpha," she purred, her voice dripping with practiced seduction. "You've been in a dark mood lately. Let me make you happy."

My wolf snarled at the audacity of her tone.

"What do you want, Lisa?" My voice came out like a blade, sharp and cold.

She blinked, feigning innocence as she placed a hand on my chest. "You know what I want. You've always come to me when you needed release. I can help you forget..."

"Forget?" My laugh was bitter, humorless. I grabbed her wrist and shoved her hand away. "Do you think anyone could make me forget her?"

Her smile faltered. "Her?"

I stepped forward, forcing her to back up until her spine hit the wall. My wolf surged under my skin, my eyes flashing dangerously.

"You've been useful, Lisa," I said, low and menacing. "A warm body when I needed one. But that's all you ever were. And now... now you're nothing. You will never be my Luna. That place belongs to someone else."

Shock flickered in her eyes, quickly replaced with hurt and anger. "You'd throw me away for a human? For someone who looks at you like you're filth?"

"Careful," I snarled, my voice vibrating with restrained fury. "Watch how you speak about her."

Lisa paled, her mouth snapping shut. She knew better than to push me when my wolf was this close to the surface.

"Get. Out." The command rumbled from my chest, threaded with dominance.

For a second, she just stared, as if hoping I would change my mind. But the look on my face made it clear-if she didn't leave now, she wouldn't leave at all.

She turned quickly and hurried out, slamming the door behind her.

The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating. My hands shook with rage.

"Fuck this," I muttered, ripping off my shirt. My wolf clawed at me, restless, demanding release. I couldn't cage it anymore.

I needed a run.

I needed the forest.

Only there could I breathe. Only there could I find a shred of control.

---

I decided to check on one of the boutiques under Blackwood Enterprise myself. The store was thriving-polished floors gleamed under the lights, customers moved in and out with full bags, and the staff worked with a precision that pleased me.

The manager nearly stumbled over himself trying to impress me, pointing out the new sales reports and the steady growth. For once, I found no fault. "Good work," I said, my voice even but firm. His relief was almost comical.

I allowed myself a faint nod of approval as I turned to leave. Blackwood Enterprise had been built from the ground up with my hands, my blood, and my ruthlessness. Seeing it flourish was nothing short of satisfying.

I turned to leave, then I froze.She was here.

Laura.

She walked in with her friend, laughing softly, unaware. She was carrying a small bag, her hair gleaming under the boutique lights. She looked beautiful, fragile, everything my wolf craved.

My chest tightened. The wolf inside me stirred, tail lashing. She's here. She came back to me.

I took a step toward her.

Adrian caught my eye . He gave a subtle nod and stepped back, signaling others not to follow me. This was between her and me.

She turned just as I reached her. Her eyes widened, lips parting. Fear flickered across her face like a shadow.

"We need to talk, Laura," I said quietly, stopping in front of her.

Her friend immediately stepped forward, shielding her. "Stay away from her. She won't talk to you." Her voice was cold.

My jaw clenched. A weak human dared to speak to me like that. But I forced my anger down. Not here. Not in front of Laura.

"Laura," I said again, my voice harder now. "We need to talk. Now."

For a moment, no one moved. Then Laura lightly touched her friend's arm. "Let me talk to him."

"Laura..." Ashley's eyes were wide.

"Don't worry," Laura whispered. "This is an open place. He can't do anything to me."

I frowned at that. I would never hurt her not even in private. But she didn't know that.

We walked outside together. My driver opened the car door. She hesitated, her whole body tense, then finally slid inside. I followed and shut the door behind us.

She sat rigid, staring straight ahead. I drank her in, every inch of her.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," I said at last, my voice low. "You weren't supposed to see that."

She turned to me, eyes flashing. "What are you? And what do you want from me?"

"I'm a werewolf," I said simply. She had already seen enough not to doubt it.

Her breath hitched. "Then what do you want from me?"

"You're my mate," I said, leaving no room for argument. "You are mine."

Her lips trembled. Then she whispered, "I'm not yours. You're a monster. You killed an innocent man in front of me. I will never be yours!" Her voice rose, trembling with anger and fear.

"He wasn't innocent," I growled. "He touched what belongs to me."

I grabbed her face, forcing her to meet my eyes. "You belong to me, Laura. No one else is allowed to touch you."

Her eyes blazed with terror. "I will never belong to you! You're a stalker. You're crazy. You're a monster!"

"You're mine," I said between clenched teeth. "You're my mate. And there's nothing you can do about that." I released her roughly.

"Drive," I ordered the driver.

"What?!" Laura gasped. "Let me out! Are you kidnapping me now? You said you just wanted to talk!" Her fists pounded the seat as the car lurched forward.

I didn't answer. I leaned back, closing my eyes, trying to force my wolf down before it tore through the thin control I had left.