Go to Her - Damian's POV

The rest of our meal goes by quietly. Maya doesn't speak to me, but nibbles on a few things and watches the room. Eventually, we leave. As we get further down the hallway, away from the pack, she clears her throat. 'I can fight my own battles, you know?" I stop, turning slightly to look at her. She just glares back at me in pure defiance. 'What?" 'Not against them. Not yet." When I reach out to touch her arm, she takes a step back, crossing her arms over her chest. Frustration reflects in her gaze. 'You think you can fight a wolf shifter, but you can't. Not only that, I won't let them touch what is mine. You are special." Her breath hitches in her throat as surprise floods her features. 'I never said I was yours to begin with. You bought me from my father and that is it." 'You will," I say as a slow smirk tugs at my lips. 'We are just beginning and this is fate. No one can escape it." 'Fate?" She scoffs. 'I'm getting tired of hearing about it. It's always one day, or some other version of that. Don't even get me started on you saying something about a prophecy, then completely disregarding it." I want to tell her. Everything in me is screaming to tell her it all, but I can't. She already wants to run, and all she knows about is that we are all wolf shifters. A pack. Telling her she is going to save us all by being my mate is probably going over the top. Who wouldn't have a meltdown hearing that? 'Go back to your room to shower and rest," I tell her. 'Evelyn will be with you or just outside your door. I'm going to go by my office and see if I can figure things out." She hesitates. 'What happened to me staying by your side and not being out of your sight?" 'It's only for an hour or two." My wolf is restless and unsatisfied. He is pushing for me to do more, but I can't. 'So, that's it? You're just going to send me to my room to wait for you again." 'Please," I urge her. 'Just go to your room and wait." 'Fine," she says as she shakes her head. I watch as she turns on her heel, her frustration clear in the way her shoulders tense and her steps seem to speed up, away from me. The defiance in her eyes makes my wolf stir again. She just doesn't understand how much she means to me. Not yet. As soon as she disappears down the hallway that leads to her room, I see Evelyn taking off to check on her. I wait until the sound of their footsteps fades before I turn to head to my office. It only takes a few minutes and the second I step inside, I shut the door, walk toward my desk, and press my palms onto the surface. The wood groans beneath the weight as I inhale deeply, trying to regain control. She is mine, but doesn't trust it yet. Not yet. I try to convince myself that she'll come around, but I know it's going to take forever. At least, that is how it will feel while my wolf rages beneath the surface of my human flesh. The urge to mark her still lingers. It's a hunger deep in my core that refuses to fade. My wolf paces inside me, restless and seeking relief. 'She's in her room, alpha," Simon calls out from the other side of the door. I didn't even ask him to check, but I guess I'm glad he did. The door groans as he opens it and steps inside. 'She's probably terrified. Who wouldn't be? She didn't know until recently that monsters like us even existed and now she's been through into our world, expected to adapt." 'Well, she has a reason to be terrified," he admits as he comes closer. 'You are intense and look like your wolf might burst free to claim her at any moment." I let out a low growl, but he doesn't even flinch. He is used to how I am. 'And yet she is still here, though she's tried to run from me. At least she listened to me this time." As I lean away from the desk and stride toward the bookshelf, I scan the books, looking for something to distract myself with. There has to be something that I can do to delay it. 'You know as well as I do that we have a traitor," I say, more to myself than Simon. 'Someone who knew that the vampires would be there. We can't admit she is my mate and the one who fits the prophecy until we eradicate them." I look back over my shoulder, right as Simon crosses his arms over his chest. 'Here we go again. The pack already suspects it. We've discussed this. It's time to just admit it and then we fight back however we have to. They're going to try again and again until we are worn down." My jaw clenches. He's right. If they know what she means to the pack, maybe they will be more willing to help protect her instead of challenging her right in front of me. Another low, menacing growl escapes me as I look at the bookshelf again. Simon exhales and chuckles. 'Maybe you're looking in the wrong place." I turn to glare at him. 'Then tell me where I should be looking." His gaze is steady as his lips pull into a smirk. 'At her." 'Smart–" my words trail off. 'I would, but she's not happy with me right now. So, she's in her room for an hour or so. That's probably all my wolf will allow." 'Go to her already. Woo her. Make her feel like she's the only thing in your world. Then claim her like the beast you are." I nearly choke on my own saliva. 'Was that necessary?" 'Yes," he says teasingly. 'You know it's true. Right now, I bet every part of you is just longing to seal the deal and get this savior thing started." 'Not quite," I say, clearing my throat. 'But almost."