Chapter 4

Damon's POV

Kira was back, standing directly in front of me, looking at me like I was the last person she wanted to see at that moment.

She wanted to run. I wasn't going to let her do so.

I hurriedly grabbed her by her wrists before she could slip away. Her breath hitched, and the moment her skin touched mine, I felt cold chills run through me, nearly making me lose control.

Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, I thought I heard her call my name. Her eyes darkened.

"Leave me alone, Damon."

I tightened my grip on her wrists. "Do you really think I am going to let you just walk away?" I murmured, my voice low and dangerous.

"You showed up after five years, and I found that you are still my mate. Do you expect me to act like nothing ever happened?"

Her jaw clenched, and she yanked her hand back. "Yes."

I took a step closer, caging her against the wall. She looked tempting, and the wolf in me wanted to claim her for myself right then and there, but I hesitated because there were still a lot of things to be dealt with. Moreover, neither she nor I was in the mood.

"Fate does not work that way, sweetie," I smiled. "You are mine," I said, my voice dark.

She let out a bitter laugh, raising her eyebrows at me. "I am not yours, Damon. I never was."

Her words hit me hard. "Is that what you have been telling yourself?" I muttered, leaning in so close that I could feel the heat of her breath against my skin. "You think ignoring the bond will make it disappear?"

She lifted her chin, refusing to back down. "I have no intentions of being with you."

My wolf snarled at the rejection, but I forced myself to stay calm.

Kira had always been very stubborn. She always had something in her that made her different from others, and that was one of the things I had always admired in her before she left. Now, that was another reason I found it difficult to walk away from her.

"You do not get to decide that," I muttered.

Her eyes narrowed. "Neither do you."

We stood there, eyes locked, each of us refusing to back down.

Then, we heard echoes of footsteps from a distance.

Kira stiffened, and immediately I turned towards the direction where the sound had come from earlier.

It was Alpha Scott, my father.

I watched as my father strode towards us, his suspicious gaze flickering between me and Kira. His expression remained uncomprehending, but I knew him well enough.

"Ah," he said smoothly, looking at us and stepping a few feet away, "it looks like you guys have... reunited."

Kira's entire body went rigid, her fists curled, still looking at him.

I took a step in front of her, shielding her from my father's gaze. "What are you doing here, father?" I asked him.

He smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Checking in on our guest, of course."

Kira's nails dug into her palm. "I was just... leaving."

"Were you?" Scott's gaze flickered to me.

"And here I thought you wanted to catch up with Damon, after all, you guys have a complicated history."

My jaw clenched.

"I do not have time for this," Kira muttered.

Scott chuckled. "Well, I think now that you are back, you should make some time. We have important things to discuss."

Kira's voice was sharp when she spoke. "I do not owe you anything."

Scott's expression darkened slightly. "No, but you do have a responsibility. Your father left behind a legacy. It is a shame to see it in someone else's hands."

She inhaled sharply, her nails digging into her palm.

I stepped forward. "Enough."

Scott turned his gaze towards me, his eyes glinting. "Be careful, son. You would not want to start a war over something so tribal."

I barely ground my teeth. "Dare touch her company, and I will..."

Scott interrupted. "Duly noted."

He turned his head and strode away.

I exhaled slowly, my hands still clenched into fists.

Kira stepped away from the wall, her expression unreadable. "I can fight my own battles, Damon. I do not need you to interfere."

I turned to her. "You should not have to."

She met my gaze, and for the first time, I saw her hesitate.

"This changes nothing," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I let her go. She was mine, whether she accepted it or not, and I was not going to let her slip out just like that.

Kira walked away, her back straight. She thought leaving would create a distance between us, but she was wrong.

I wasn't letting her go.

I followed her, my steps steady and controlled.

"Kira," I called.

She did not stop. I caught up with her, my hand wrapping around her wrists. Her pulse was rapid around my fingers. She wrenched her arms away from mine.

"What the hell do you want from me, Damon?" she snapped. "I already told you I'm not yours."

I exhaled through my nose. "Lying won't make this easier for you."

Her lips parted, but I did not give her a chance to argue.

"I can feel it, Kira," I said, stepping closer, forcing her to look at me. "Every time you look at me, every time you run, your wolf is crawling at you, the same way mine is. Denying it won't change a damn thing."

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, but her chin lifted. "I don't care about the bond."

I scoffed. "That is cute. Do you think it cares about you?"

She turned away.

I moved in front of her, blocking her path.

"You can fight it, Kira. You can pretend all you want, but the truth is, you came back here for a reason."

Her breath hitched. "Did I not let it up was it revenge to take back your father's company? To finally take back what Scott stole from you?"

I tilted my head, lowering my voice. "Or is it because deep down you knew you belonged here? To me?"

She flinched at that, her composure cracking. "I do not belong to anyone," she whispered.

I growled low in my throat. "You are wrong."

Her eyes flickered. "Stay out of my way, Damon," she warned.

I leaned in, close enough that I could feel her breath against my skin. "Not a chance, sweetie."

She let out a shaky breath, but before she could push me away, a voice cut through.

"Well, isn't this cozy?"

I turned, my body immediately tensing as Luke stepped in, a smirk playing on his lips. The bastard has always been good at slithering his way into places he did not belong.

Kira stiffened beside me.

"Luke," I said coldly.

He smiled, but it did not seem real. "I have to sincerely admit that I did not expect this from you two, so soon. Thought it was supposed to only be a matter of time."

A growl rumbled in my chest.

Luke chuckled. "Relax. I am just here to talk."

I did not move. "Then talk."

He turned his attention fully to Kira, his smirk widening. "I hear you are back in town for good."

Kira crossed her arms. "Richardson Industries was never yours to begin with."

"Wasn't it?" Luke mused. "Scott would disagree."

"I do not give a damn about what Scott thinks," she shot back. "That company belongs solely to me."

Luke's smile widened. "Then I suppose we will see how long you can hold on to it."

I took a step forward, forcing Luke's attention back to me. "You should leave."

He chuckled. "Protective already? I expected nothing less."

His gaze flickered back to Kira. "Be careful, darling. The world isn't as forgiving as you might hope."

And with that, he turned and walked away.

Kira exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair.

I watched her, my wolf still on edge. "You know he is working with Scott."

"Of course I do," she muttered. "That is why I really need to act fast."

I frowned. "Act fast how?"

She hesitated.

"Kira."

She met my gaze. "I am taking my company back, Damon, and I am going to make Scott regret everything thinking he could take it from me."

"This isn't just business," I said. "Scott won't let you walk in and take what is his without a fight."

"Good," she said fiercely. "Let him fight. I am ready."

I clenched my jaw. "And if he tries to kill you?"

My grip tightened at my sides. "Damn it, Kira."

She reached out, pressing her palm against my chest, stopping me before I could say more.

"This isn't your battle, Damon."

I grabbed her wrists, holding her there. "You are my mate. That makes it my battle."

Her lips parted slightly.

"You do not want to do this alone," I murmured. "I won't let you."

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, inhaling deeply before looking back at me.

"If I let you in, Damon..." she hesitated, her voice softer now. "Promise you won't try to control me."

My grip loosened slightly. "I do not want to control you, Kira," I let my thumb brush against her wrists. "I want to protect you."

She searched my gaze, then she nodded.

"Fine," she said quietly. "We do this together."