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Chapter 2
“Zoey, I’m your brother.” Damon’s voice was low, laced with the commanding weight of an Alpha. “You’ve been sick. You lost some memories. These important documents… I’ll keep them safe for you.”
I slowly looked up and met his eyes, catching the flicker of guilt and avoidance in his gaze—but I didn’t call him out.
If he wanted to act, I’d act right along with him.
The air was thick with his signature Alpha scent, strong, dominant, but it no longer brought me comfort.
Just then, a syrupy–sweet voice cut through the air like claws on glass.
‘Damon, there you are!”
I turned toward the voice and saw Clara tottering toward us in stilettos, a bright smile on her face and a bounce in her step, as if she couldn’t wait to make her claim.
When she was just a few steps away, she suddenly stumbled, pretending to trip on a stone.
Damon instinctively let go of me and turned to catch her.
His grip was strong. Too strong. My shoulder was yanked aside, and I slammed hard into the stone wall behind me.
The impact rang through my skull, making my already pounding headache flare into a blinding throb.
Clara landed right where she wanted–safe in his arms, beaming with triumph. “Damon, thank you for catching me.”
It was only then that Damon seemed to realize what had happened. His expression changed immediately as he turned to look at me, worry etched into his features.
“Zoey, are you hurt? Clara’s sick. If she fell and started bleeding, it might not stop. That’s why… I helped her first. I’m sorry.”
I forced myself upright, ignoring the searing pain in my shoulder. Brushing the dust from my clothes, I replied flatly, “I’m fine.”
Clara wasted no time pressing herself to Damon’s side, clutching his arm and whispering just loud enough for me to hear, “It’s just a broken mate bond. Why were you taking so long? I waited forever.”
I watched her pale, delicate fingers hook around his arm, saw how close they stood with no space between them.
Damon cleared his throat, glancing at me with a flicker of guilt, but he didn’t push her away.
“It’s over now,” he said hoarsely. “We can start planning the mating ceremony in peace.”
Clara’s face lit up, casting me a smug glance. “Zoey, I’ve been dating your brother for five years. And now we’re finally sealing the mate bond. The ceremony is in three days–you have to come!”
I lifted tny gaze and smiled, though there was no warmth in it. “Of course. It’s my brother’s mating ceremony. How could I miss it?”
Her eyes narrowed with contempt, but her smile grew even sweeter. “Then you can be our bridesmaid. Be sure to capture the moment Damon and I kiss at the ceremony.”
*Clara” Damon’s voice dropped, sharp and cold. “She doesn’t have to be part of our mating ceremony.”
He frowned at me, as if trying to read some flicker of hurt in my expression—but my face was calm, unreadable,
And that unnerved him.
Clara pouted and leaned into his chest, feigning sudden weakness. “Damon, my heart… it hurts. I can’t breathe.” Damon’s instincts kicked in He caught her immediately, protective Alpha urgency flooding his movements. “It’s flaring up again? Hold on, I’ll get you to the pack doctor.”
As he turned with her in his arms, he looked at me. His voice softened. “Zoey, do you remember where the pack house is? Should I have a Beta escort you?”
I shook my head gently. “No need. I remember the way,”
Darnon paused.
The pack doctor had told him that the potion worked by selectively erasing memories–only memories of the one a person loved most. Everything else should remain intact.
Chapter 2
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He
seemed to
relax at
that thought.
“Alright. Head back then. I’ll take Clara first.”
With that, he carried
her to the car.
Clara nestled into
his
chest, murmuring weakly, “Damon, being
held by you
like this, in front of others…
even if I died
now, I’d be
happy.”
Damon
frowned. “Don’t
say things like that.”
Through
the car window,
I saw him buckle her seatbelt. A second later-
-Clara slipped her
arms around
his neck
and brushed a soft kiss against
his ear.
In that moment, it felt like my
world was tearing apart.
My heart
hollowed out. A cold, piercing pain sliced through
my
chest.
Deep inside, my
wolf let out a soft, wounded I whimper.
This
wasn’t pain-
-it was betrayal. A brand of humiliation and fury that seeped from the marrow of
my
bones.
The car sped
off, kicking up dust behind it.
My phone
“Zoey,
lit up.
the Royal
Medical Academy
has scheduled your induction ceremony. We look forward to seeing you
in three
days.”
Chapter 2
