Scarlet's POV
The room fell into a heavy silence, everyone waiting, watching for Damien to speak.
I felt myself tense, my heartbeat quickening in my chest. I had no idea what he was about to say, and that scared me more than anything.
Then, without taking his eyes off me, he turned to Emma and his beta, Callan.
"Leave us."
They both dipped their heads. "Alpha," they responded in unison, then quietly exited the room.
Even the guards flanking him stepped back and walked away, their boots echoing against the floor until the sound faded completely.
Now, it was just the two of us alone in the vast, silent hall.
Just then, he cleared his throat and started walking toward me, slow, steady steps that made my stomach twist.
He looked massive, intimidating. The way he carried himself, so sure, so dominant, it almost knocked the air out of my lungs.
I moved back a little, one careful step at a time, feeling the heat rush to my skin. My heart was pounding so loudly I could hear it in my ears.
"So," he said, eyes locked on me, "you want to join hands with me... take revenge on Kayla and Alex?"
He lifted his hand like he was going to touch my face, but I backed away quickly.
Still, he kept coming.
That scent of his-vanilla and something else was messing with my head. I hated how it made me feel.
Drunk.
Weak.
But I told myself it was just the mate bond. Nothing more.
Even though deep down, I knew I was lying to myself.
I could feel how wet I was getting, but I shoved that thought aside. Now wasn't the time. My heart was broken, and that was louder than anything else.
"Yes," I said, blinking fast. "Are you in or not?"
I needed to clear my name. To prove I wasn't the traitor. That I didn't betray my best friend, when she was the one who stabbed me in the back.
He looked at me for a long second, unreadable. Then said, "What are you going to give me if I do everything you want?"
He stepped in, and I realized I had nowhere left to go. My back hit the wall, and I froze.
My heart was racing like crazy. Way faster than before.
My eyes flicked from his face down to my waist. His hand was there, trailing slowly along my side.
I slapped it off and stepped back, my fists clenched.
"No touching," I snapped. "I said I'd be your Luna, not your damn sex toy."
He didn't flinch. Just looked at me, like he expected that reaction. It amused him.
And just when I thought I'd already tasted the worst of him, he grabbed me and pulled me into him.
Hard.
My body hit his chest, and I froze. His scent hit me all over again. His breath grazed my cheek.
My heart slammed so hard against my ribs I thought it might give out.
He leaned in, his lips so close to mine it was dizzying.
I've never been this close to a man before. Not even with Alex. He never touched me-hell, he never even kissed me.
"Why are you nervous?" Damien murmured against my ear, soft... too soft.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said quickly, swallowing hard, trying to push away from him.
But my chest was rising and falling fast, like I was running. My throat was dry.
My palms were damp. And fear mixed with something else I didn't want to name was buzzing in every inch of me.
He didn't let me go.
"Damien–"
"You're scared, aren't you?"
"No."
He pulled back slightly to look me in the eye, his brow arched. "No?" he echoed. "Then why is your heart saying something else?"
Then he touched my face, just a brush, but it was enough. My body trembled.
That was it. The wall I had built around myself cracked, then crumbled completely.
"My heart?" I whispered.
And just like that, he let go of me.
He stepped back slowly, his eyes scanning me, slow, deliberate, almost calculating.
"Scarlet," he said, his voice low, "are you a virgin?"
