Chapter One Hundred and Ten - Captured and Saved - Damian's POV

I'm taken as a prisoner. There is nothing I can do or say to change their minds. They've all decided that this is the best solution to their problems, though I know that it will end the wolf shifters. I breathe in a deep breath as they hoist me up from the ground and drag me with them outside. It only takes a few minutes before they tie me to one of the largest trees, right at the edge of the treeline. Sadly, it's not rope or anything I can easily break out of. It's iron laced with silver. As it burns my skin, I grit my teeth and suppress the whimper threatening to escape from the pain. I can't do this. I refuse to show weakness at a time like this. 'How does it feel to know that you'll die and this will all just come back around years from now?" Simon asks, as he pushes one clawed fingertip to my throat. 'If you had just let Lorcan kill you, then we could have been saved sooner." 'Do you really buy that old story?" I ask, laughing. 'They really fed you some lies. We are not the original twins reincarnated. I've never heard of such a thing and I should know." 'Well, it's either you die, or Lorcan goes and gets your woman. Oh, wait. She's not yours, is she?" He asks in an amused tone. 'She ran from you because you were just too cruel." My brows raise in surprise. 'Cruel? You told me before that I was too soft, so which is it? Am I cruel for buying her and hoping she'd love me or am I too soft for giving her time to think and hoping she'd fall for me as much as I have for her?" His grin fades before he strikes. One hard slap to the cheek knocks my head to the side. I pant for breath, but then my eyes drift upward and I see my brother in the distance. He wears my face, but is thicker. So much thicker. Lorcan has always been the one with more muscle bulk and looked like he ate five dozen eggs for breakfast. 'So, this is how it ends," he says, his smile growing wider as he gets closer. 'Two brothers, one must die." 'If you all had just left me alone, I was going to save us all, and no one had to die," I snap. 'If you kill me, then we all die. You know it's me that has to break the curse." 'Why is it you? Why do you get to be the hero when the darkness cloaks us both?" He asks, his eyes roaming over my face. 'You were always the hero, brother. But me, I'm the villain and don't care to be what it takes to save the wolves." 'Your way is going to kill us all." He stops, his eyes locking with mine. For a moment, I almost see regret, which quickly changes to doubt. He shakes his head, clearing his thoughts. 'No, this is the only way. Lorcan killed his brother and that sparked the curse. The same actions will end it. We must repeat this cycle until it stops altogether." 'Humor me," I say, trying not to laugh. 'If this all happened before and we are reincarnated, then why did the last time you killed me not work? Have you thought of that?" He stops, pretending to think it over, then laughs. 'This time, I will mate with the woman and ensure it ends. It doesn't hurt to cover all of our bases." As he turns, looking at the gathered pack, he acts victorious, as if he just fixed everything, but there is one key detail he's forgotten. 'She has to be willing," I mutter. This seems to stop him in his tracks. 'Willing? Why wouldn't she be willing? I'm not the one who bought her and forced her to live with me. I'm the good brother. She can have the best of both worlds. Your face, but without the horrible circumstances." I breathe out a heavy breath. 'If I caused her so much trauma, why would she want a man with my face? If I'm so cruel, she won't want to look at your ugly mug every day for the rest of her life." As he laughs, everyone seems to forget the part about her having to be willing. They are delusional and think this will work. I feel weak. It's like no matter what I think of doing, I just know it won't work. Without her, I'm nothing. Even if I managed to break free, what does it matter? We're all going to die, anyway. And then, like a breath of fresh air, the wind blows in my direction and I can smell her. At first, I thought it was an old scent, something from when she left, but I quickly realized I'm wrong. It's not old. This is fresh. I whip my head to the side, my eyes searching through the trees, only to find her in the distance. 'Maya?" Suddenly, panic seizes in my chest as I realize how close to danger she's in. 'No. Run. Stay back." There's a grim smile on her face as she takes everything in, but she doesn't run. All she does is mouth the words, 'I love you and I want to be your mate." Something inside of me snaps and I let out a guttural growl. Heads turn and Lorcan, well, he finally realizes the beast has awakened. He turns slowly, almost amusingly. His eyes widen with fear as he sees my wolf take over. 'You're chained up and can't break free," he says, his voice low. For the first time, I reach for the darkness that has been at the back of my mind and let it flood through me. It's the only time I'm willing to do this, but I know once I do, the only way to save me is to mate. Because letting it take over speeds everything up. It's a secret I've kept for a long time. My grandfather warned me years ago what it would do, so I have fought it back ever since. Lorcan's eyes become like saucers as he realizes what I've done. 'No, I have the same wolf as you." 'I told you the darkness chose me and you weren't it." My body shakes as I push against the chains. I snap my head to the side, looking at Maya one last time in hopes that she understands what I've done. 'Save me," I whisper, knowing she can't hear me from that distance.