Chapter 140: Chapter 140 His secret safe place
Damian’s POV
The moment Aria settled onto my back, her fingers gripping my fur, my wolf practically purred with satisfaction.
*Mine. Ours. Safe.*
"Hold on tight, sweetheart," I said, my voice rougher through the shift, carrying both my tone and his growl.
She tightened her grip, her thighs pressing against my sides. The scent of her—jasmine and vanilla—wrapped around us, making my wolf dizzy with pleasure.
I moved to the balcony in three smooth strides. The night air was cool, crisp with the scent of pine and earth. Below us, the forest stretched out like a dark sea.
"Wait—Damian, we’re really high up—"
I didn’t give her time to panic. I leaped.
Her gasp was lost to the wind as we plummeted through the darkness. My wolf reveled in it—the rush, the fall, her arms wrapping desperately around my neck. At the last possible second, I landed in a crouch, absorbing the impact through my legs, keeping her perfectly steady on my back.
"Holy shit," she breathed against my fur, her heart hammering so hard I could feel it. "Holy *shit*, Damian."
*More. Run. Show her.*
My wolf was practically vibrating with excitement beneath her. I took off before she could catch her breath, my paws eating up ground as we shot into the forest.
The trees blurred past us. Moonlight filtered through the canopy in silver shards. I could feel every shift of her weight, every catch in her breath. She was holding on tight, but not out of fear anymore—out of exhilaration.
"Oh my God," she laughed breathlessly, the sound pure and bright. "This is insane!"
*Like it. She likes it. Go faster.*
I poured on more speed, weaving between ancient oaks and towering pines. The forest knew me. Every root, every stone, every fallen branch—I’d run this territory a thousand times. But never like this. Never with her.
Her laughter rang out again, wild and free. My wolf howled in response, the sound echoing through the trees. Pure joy.
We ran for what felt like hours but was probably only twenty minutes. When I finally slowed, we’d reached the heart of my territory—a place I’d never brought anyone before.
A clearing opened before us, bathed in moonlight. A stream cut through one side, its water crystal clear and moving fast over smooth stones. And there, built into the hillside like something out of a fairy tale, was the cabin.
It wasn’t large—just one room, really—but it was sturdy, well-maintained, hidden. Mine.
I padded into the clearing and lowered myself carefully so she could slide off my back. Her legs were shaky when her feet hit the ground. She grabbed onto my fur for balance, and my wolf preened at being her support.
"Where are we?" she asked, looking around with wide eyes.
I didn’t answer—couldn’t, not in this form. Instead, I moved away from her, giving myself space. The shift rippled through me, bones reforming, fur receding. In seconds, I was standing on two legs again.
Naked.
Right. That was the one downside of shifting unexpectedly. No clothes.
Aria’s eyes went wide. She looked at me—really looked—and then quickly away, her cheeks flushing even in the moonlight.
"Jesus Christ," she muttered, covering her eyes with one hand. "A little warning next time?"
I couldn’t help it. I grinned. "You weren’t complaining a few hours ago, baby."
"That was different! That was—oh my God, do you just not care about being naked?"
"It’s natural for us." I walked past her toward the cabin, completely unbothered. "Shifting tears through clothes. You get used to it."
I could feel her eyes on my back. Sense the way her pulse quickened, her breath caught. My wolf rumbled with satisfaction.
*Wants us. Likes what she sees.*
"I keep spare clothes inside," I called over my shoulder. "Give me thirty seconds."
The cabin door was unlocked—it always was. No one came here. No one even knew about it except me. I grabbed the jeans I kept folded on the small shelf by the door and pulled them on, leaving them unbuttoned.
When I stepped back outside, Aria had moved closer to the stream. She was crouched at its edge, trailing her fingers through the water.
"It’s beautiful here," she said softly without looking up. "Peaceful."
I walked over and sat down beside her on the bank. "It’s my place. Has been since I was a kid."
Now she did look at me, curiosity clear in those green eyes. "Your place?"
"My father was... intense. Demanding. He had very specific ideas about what an Alpha King should be."
I picked up a smooth stone from the bank, turning it over in my hand. "Cold. Untouchable. He used to say emotions were weaknesses to be controlled, not indulged."
Aria stayed quiet, listening.
"When I was eight, I found this place by accident. I’d run away after he’d punished me for crying during training."
The memory was old, worn smooth like the stone in my palm. "I built the cabin myself over the next few years. Somewhere I could be... just me. Not the heir. Not the future king."
"You built that?" She looked back at the cabin with new appreciation.
"With my own hands. Every plank, every nail." I tossed the stone into the stream, watching ripples spread across the moonlit surface.
"I haven’t brought anyone here before. Not my father, not my friends. No one."
The weight of that hung between us.
"Why me?" she asked quietly.
I turned to look at her fully. "Because you’re mine, Aria. And I don’t want there to be any part of me—any part of my life—that you don’t know."
Her breath hitched. In the moonlight, she was devastating. Hair falling loose around her shoulders, eyes bright, lips parted.
"My wolf wanted you to see this place," I continued, my voice dropping lower. "Wanted you to know that you’re not just my mate. You’re my safe place now too."
"Damian..." My name came out barely a whisper.
I reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. My fingers lingered on her cheek.
"He’s never done what he did tonight. Shifted without my permission, taken control. But the second he sensed you falling—"
"He protected me," she finished, just like before.
"He’d burn the whole world down for you." I leaned closer, my hand sliding to cup her jaw. "So would I."
Her eyes searched mine. "I can feel it, you know. How much you want me. It’s like this constant pull."
"The mate bond." My thumb brushed across her lower lip. "It gets stronger the more time we spend together. The more we... connect."
"Connect," she repeated, her voice breathy. "Is that what we’re calling it?"
I couldn’t help but smirk. "What would you prefer I call it, baby?"
She bit her lip, and my wolf growled appreciatively. "I don’t know. Maybe you should just show me instead."
That was all the invitation I needed.
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