CHAPTER 104: 104- LEAVE HER

104

~Damon’s POV

I leaned back on the couch after Kael and Rowan stormed out, their angry footsteps still echoing in my ears.

But instead of feeling bad... I smiled.

Yeah, I knew they were pissed. They didn’t even bother to hide it. But in my head, all I could think was, they’d come around. They always did.

I rested my head against the cushion, closing my eyes for a second. My mind went straight to Lisa.

Before I could sink too deep into my thoughts, the door creaked open.

A guard stepped inside, not just any guard, but one of the men I had personally chosen and ordered to take Lisa home the other day. My mood shifted instantly. I sat up straighter in my chair, leaning forward with a flicker of relief.

"You’re back," I said, already expecting to hear that my orders had been followed exactly. "So... you brought her back to the palace?"

But the way he froze made my stomach knot. His feet seemed glued to the floor. His eyes didn’t meet mine; instead, they darted to the far wall like he’d suddenly found the paint very interesting.

"No, Alpha," he muttered.

My smile dropped, my relief evaporating in a second. I stared at him, certain I’d misheard. "No?" My voice rose slightly. "What do you mean, no?"

He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. "We... left the second day."

I blinked, trying to process his words. "You... left?" I repeated slowly. "You left her? In that house? Alone?"

His shoulders hunched, and his voice was barely more than a whisper. "Yes, Alpha."

For a moment, I couldn’t speak. A sharp, hot wave of irritation surged through me, flushing my skin. I stood so suddenly that the chair legs scraped loudly against the floor. The sound made him flinch.

"And why," I said, each word clipped and hard, "would you do that? Did I not make myself clear the first time?" I stepped toward him, my eyes locked on his. "I told you... no, I ordered you... to stay with her. Watch her. Bring her back here."

He shifted uncomfortably, wringing his hands like a guilty child. "Alpha, we thought..." He hesitated, glancing at the floor. "We thought she would be fine."

"You thought?" My voice cracked like a whip. "Since when do you get paid to think instead of obey?" I could feel my patience snapping one thread at a time. "I gave you one job. One simple job. And instead of doing it, you abandoned her? Do you have any idea what could have happened to her out there?"

He winced under my words, his head lowering even further. "We didn’t think she’d leave the house. She... she seemed fine when we left. We..."

I cut him off sharply. "Fine? You were there to make sure she stayed safe, not to take guesses about what she might or might not do." I took another step forward, my voice dropping into a low, dangerous tone. "If anything has happened to her because of your negligence, I will make sure you regret it for the rest of your life. Do I make myself clear?"

He swallowed hard, "Yes, your majesty,"

"I... I have no excuse," he muttered, voice low, almost swallowed by the tension in the air. "It was wrong. I apologise."

I stared at him, letting the silence stretch just long enough for him to squirm under it. My jaw tightened so hard it hurt, and I could feel the muscle in my cheek twitch. "You apologise?" The words came out sharp, almost mocking. A bitter laugh slipped from me, short and cold. "That’s all you have to say? You apologise?"

He swallowed, eyes flicking down like he couldn’t meet my gaze.

I took a step toward him, my voice dropping to a dangerous quiet. "Do you have any idea what could have happened to her? Any idea at all?" My voice rose again, every syllable sharp. "She could’ve been taken. Hurt. Killed. And you..." I jabbed a finger at his chest, "were standing here, doing nothing."

He opened his mouth, a weak, "I..." escaping, but I cut him off with a sharp wave of my hand.

"Enough," I snapped, my tone final, brooking no argument. "I don’t want to hear your excuses. I don’t want to hear about how you thought it would be fine, or how you didn’t realise the risk." I took another step closer, my voice dropping again, colder than before. "And I don’t want to hear your apology. Right now, it means nothing."

His shoulders slumped slightly, and I could see the shame settle heavier on him. Good. He needed to feel it. He needed to understand.

"You think an apology erases the danger you put her in?" I said, my voice hard. "You think saying ’sorry’ fixes the fact that someone could be watching her right now, waiting for their chance, while you’re standing here useless?"

His face paled, and I could see the realisation sink in, but I didn’t let up.

"You’re going to fix this," I said, my voice low but absolute. It wasn’t a suggestion; it was a command.

His head shot up, eyes locking on mine. The shame was still there, but now something else flickered, fear, and maybe a bit of resolve. He straightened, squaring his shoulders like a man about to face a storm.

"Yes, Alpha," he said, voice firm this time.

"You’re going to go to her place now," I ordered, my tone leaving no room for argument. "And you’re going to bring her back to the palace. I don’t care if she argues. I don’t care if she refuses. You are not coming back here without her. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Alpha."

"Good," I said through clenched teeth. "Now go."

He bowed quickly and turned to leave.

But I wasn’t done. "And if anything happens to her on your watch..." My voice dropped low, almost a growl. "...you will wish you had never been born."

His shoulders stiffened. "Understood."

The door closed behind him.

I sat back down, running my hands over my face. My pulse was still racing from the anger.

How could they just leave her?

What if something bad happened?

I didn’t even want to think about it.