Alpha Damon (Sienna) novel Chapter 213

Damon:

The moment Nikolai walked out, I could still feel his damn presence clinging to the air like smoke. Like poison. Sienna did not say a word. She did not need to, though I understood her pain, her fear and her anger. But I also understood her sympathy. But no matter how much I was going to try and hide it, I couldn’t help but find myself feeling vulnerable to it.

I didn’t move at first. I didn’t dare myself to do so.

I just stood there, watching the closed door, as if I could burn it down with a stare alone. My hands were clenched so tight my knuckles were white. My wolf paced inside me, snarling, restless. He wanted me to stop this. He wanted me to protect my mate. He wanted me to demand answers as to why he had approached my mate in the first place, why he did not come and speak to me without involving her.

Nikolai.

Of all the bastards to show up now, now, when things were barely starting to feel like they were finding balance. And he had the nerve to stand in front of Sienna. In my office. To look at her like he knew her.

I turned slowly, my eyes locking on her.

She hadn’t moved either. But she wasn’t frozen. She was… processing. Her hands were steady, but her eyes were far away. Like whatever Nikolai said had burrowed deep into her and hadn’t let go.

“He shouldn’t have come here,” I muttered, my voice low. “Not without warning. Not to you. And you shouldn’t have allowed him to do so. Sienna, you should call for help when something like this happens.”

She blinked, finally meeting my gaze. “He said he wasn’t a threat. You might want me to call for help, but I am here Luna. I’m not some weakling that needs help every other moment. I need to stand up for myself. I’m not going to let them step over me. And you’re going to need to accept that whether or not you like it, Damon.”

“And you believed him?” I asked, frowning. “Of all people that you could have believed, you choose to believe him? The man is his beta. He could have ended up harming you. Proving yourself does not have to happen in the account of your own life with people like him.”

“I didn’t say that.” Her voice was calm, but her eyes betrayed her, the flicker of unease behind her composure. “But we chose to trust Delilah within our pack. We choose to trust people around us that can be our enemies. It does not mean that we are weak, it does not mean that we’re approving ourselves. But sometimes in war you need alliances, Damon. We’re not going to keep running away.”

I closed the distance between us and cupped her face in my hands.

“You should have called me.” I said sighing. “The man walked in, masking his scent. I did not even know of his presence around the building. What if he had harmed you? What if he did something and I did not know of it? What if I did not walk in on time?”

“I handled it.” She said, looking away from me.

“I know.” I brushed my thumb along her cheek. “But I still would’ve rather been there from the start. I would rather that you allow me to stand by your side. I’m not trying to oppress you, but I’m trying to keep you safe. As an alpha, as your mate, I need to keep you safe. I’m not going to be able to handle this without you. I won’t be able to stand without you by my side, you need to understand that.”

Sienna leaned into my touch for the briefest moment before pulling away gently. “He said he’s sending Delilah and Lysandra. And I think that we need to allow them to stay.”

I stilled.

Even the idea of her accepting something like this was not one that I expected.

“Why?” I asked quietly.

“He said they’d be safer here than anywhere else,” she replied. “He said Giovanni wouldn’t hesitate to kill them both. He said that there is more to the he’s doing to them than we know, than anyone knows.”

And damn it, she didn’t even have to say it like that.

Because the second those words left her lips, I knew my answer.

I would’ve burned cities if she asked. I would’ve gone to war for her a thousand times over. So if she wanted me to protect these women, to make this place a shield instead of a battlefield, I’d do it.

But it didn’t mean I wouldn’t prepare for betrayal.

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her waist, resting my forehead against hers.

“We do this your way,” I whispered. “But the moment I sense danger, real danger, I don’t care who she is. I don’t care whose sister or daughter she claims to be. I’ll end it. Fast. Clean. And without hesitation. The one difference between me and Giovanni is going to be that I’m going to do it quick and clean and I’m going to make them suffer. But I’m not going to let them. If I sense that they oppose danger on you or our daughter, I’m not going to let them live.”

Sienna’s breath hitched, but she nodded. “I understand.”

I kissed her, soft and slow. Not because I wanted to soothe her, but because I needed the contact. I needed her. The chaos in my head always quieted when she was in my arms.

“I’ll let Nikolai send them,” I muttered. “We’ll deal with what comes next.”