Alpha Damon (Sienna) novel Chapter 154

Damon:

The scent of cedarwood and ink lingered in the air, mixing with the soft hum of sunlight seeping through the windows behind my desk. Papers lay untouched in front of me, the reports Ethan had dropped off hours ago forgotten as I sat across from the one man whose silence always came with weight.

My father.

Alpha Kael Lockwood.

No matter how hard I wanted to deny it, his presence often held more weight than I wanted to carry when he was in my office, when he was as quiet as he was, when he sat as sharp as he was.

He sat with his arms crossed, eyes fixed on me, though he pretended to glance over the paperwork in his hand. His fingers drummed slowly against the armrest, like a quiet countdown to something I knew was coming. And I knew that I wouldn’t have to wait for long. He did not like to linger about, but I also did not know what to expect.

“You did well,” he said finally, breaking the silence. “Announcing her. Marking her as your own.”

I didn’t move. “It was time.”

My father nodded, his gaze sharp. “More than time. You should’ve done it earlier. I believe that she would have been a more suitable mate than even your exes. And I’m not only talking about Lysandra.”

“I was waiting for the right moment.” I said, trying to ignore the pang that hit my chest. I knew that he was pushing on the subject, that he knew that I was wrong with choosing another woman despite them trying to get me to be with her since the very beginning.

He huffed under his breath. “You were waiting for the fear to settle. Waiting for the pack to be ready. But it was never about them. It was always about you. You never wanted to find this in yourself. Settle down. You would have found a different woman to do so with. And I believe that you know that. You’ve spent more years with Lysandra and yet you never wanted to settle with her.”

I didn’t argue. Because he was right.

“She’s earned it,” I said instead. “Everything. That title. Their respect. Mine. Lissandra never did that. I believe that you of all people know it. You never respected her. I’m not even going to start with the pack members who simply feared her presence. Had it not been for your mother, I doubt that the pack would have ran the way that it did until today.”

He tilted his head slightly. “And it seems to me that she has earned your mother’s respect as well, despite Lysandra not doing so. Sienna managed to.”

I gave a small nod. “She changed. I don’t know what it was, if it was seeing Sienna with Isla, or watching her take the role seriously. But she changed. Mother always did love Sienna, but I don’t think that she saw her as a fit Luna for the pack. I believe that now she does.”

“She came around,” my father said. “Not everyone will. But that woman, your mate, she’s doing something no one thought she could. Not even you.”

I let out a breath, tired but grounded. “I never doubted her strength. Just didn’t know if I could be the one to protect it. I just didn’t know how I was going to be able to handle it even when we were younger. I believe that everyone knows how strong she always was.”

He leaned forward now, folding his hands. “And that’s where you need to wake the hell up, Damon.”

I looked up.

“She’s not like the others,” he continued. “You don’t get to love her half-heartedly and expect her to stay. What happened with Delilah, even if nothing physical happened, was enough to damage something. Don’t pretend it wasn’t.”

I didn’t hesitate. “I do.”

“Then hold onto her. Protect her. Not just from the outside world, but from yourself.” He started walking again, heading for the door. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking the war is over just because you’re winning a battle.”

I watched him leave, then looked at the photograph of Sienna and Isla on my desk.

For now, they were safe.

And that was enough to keep me breathing.

But I knew one thing for certain…

If they ever came for her again… I wasn’t just going to protect her.

I was going to burn the entire world down.