Aegis's P.O.V

I felt him before I saw him. It's weird. Really weird.

There was a shift in the air. A ripple of something. Something that my body recognizes. And Loves.

What the hell?

King Damien is moving through the crowd mingling like a man who doesn’t detest the very wolves he rules over. But I know better. He hates them. The same way I do. I clench my fists and forced myself to focus on Brianna who just got here.

"Hi Everyone.. How's our evening going?"

“You’re late.” Brianna smirks and tilted her head.

“Missed me that much huh?” I narrow my eyes.

“What were you doing?” Brianna sighs.

“I’ll tell you later.” Before I can press her, the air around us thickens. A large and very suffocating presence loomed over us.

King Damien. He stops beside Brianna with a master poker face. “Hello Brianna,” he greets.

Brianna raises a brow before slightly bowing, “Your Majesty.”

Damien’s gaze slides over to Noah, and something in his sharp eyes softens with amusement. “And you must be the Poison Rose.”

Brianna bursts out laughing.She loves it when people underestimate me.

I don't.

“Oh, no,” she shook her head. “That would be her.” She gestures to me.

His eyes land on me.

There was a pause.

Then he extends his hand to shake mine.

I didn’t take it. I fold my arms instead tilting my head slightly.

“Didn’t think a woman could be the Poison Rose?”

His jaw tightens. “I don’t underestimate anyone.”

“Except women, apparently.” His lips curl, but it isn’t a smile. “You think you know me?”

"I don’t need to,” I say flatly. “Your assumption told me enough.” His fingers flex at his side, his control razor-thin. “You assume a lot,” he says, his voice bitingly calm, “A dangerous habit for someone who claims to be intelligent.”

I smirk. “And you talk too much for someone who claims to be powerful.” The men around us stiffen.

Noah steps slightly closer to me. I know he wants to intervene, but he doesn’t. King Damien exhales slowly before tilting his head as he studies me.

“What exactly do you have against me, Poison Rose?” I shrug.

“Nothing. I don’t care enough to form an opinion.”

He takes a step closer and lowered his voice. “Yet you seem very eager to argue with me.”

“I argue when I hear stupidity,” I say. “I can’t help it.”

Brianna chokes on a laugh. Damien’s eyes darken. “Careful, little wolf.”

I hold his gaze, unfazed. “Or what? You’ll throw a tantrum? Or maybe kill me in front of your people?”

Amusement, irritation and intrigue chased themselves across his eyes. “I don’t kill for fun,” he says.

I arch a brow. “No? That’s not what I’ve heard.”

Another step closer. He’s in my personal space now. “What have you heard?” His voice is low, almost inviting.

“That you’re ruthless. That you’re feared. That you rule with an iron fist because no one would follow you otherwise.”

A slow, cruel smirk tugs at his lips. “Yet here you are, still standing and still running your mouth,” he murmurs.“Maybe you’re not as afraid as you should be.”

“Or maybe you’re not as terrifying as they say,” I shoot back taking about step closer.

Now we might as well be hugging. My chest touched and the beat of his heart sped mine up. The space between us crackles.

Something sharp and violent ran between us. Something neither of us wants to acknowledge.

He studies me for moment longer. Then he exhales. The tension in his shoulders eases. “Brianna, a pleasure as always,” he murmurs. And with that , he walks away from us.

Brianna turns to me, eyes wide. “What the hell was that? You've never ever spoken that much words. ”

I don’t answer.

Because I don’t know.

Another man joins us and his voice murmurs from behind me. “I wouldn’t provoke him again.” I turn sharply.

A man stood in the shadows with a sharp and calculating gaze—King Damien’s royal Beta, Jaxon.

I scoff. “Did he send you to warn me?”

Jaxon chuckles, shaking his head.“No. But I know him. And you’re either the bravst woman here… or the most foolish.”

I meet his gaze evenly. “And which do you think I am?” He smirks. “I haven’t decided yet.”

He suddenly freezes at something behind me. Then just like that, he's gone, melting into the crowd.

The band resumed their playing and the music takes up in the room. The ballroom dims and couples move toward the dance floor.

Noah steps up beside me. “Want to get out of here?” I nod. “Please.”

But before we can move, an announcement echoes through the hall.

“The King shall take his partner for the first dance.” The crowd parts. And Damien--his eyes dark and knowing--walks straight toward me. I stiffen.

Brianna hisses beside me. “Oh, hell no.”

He stops in front of me, extending a hand. “Dance with me.”

It isn’t a request.

It’s a challenge. A dare. A declaration.

I glare at him. “No.”

He smirks. “Scared?”

"No,” I snap. “Just not interested.”

The room is silent. He leans in slightly, his voice just for me. “Run all you want, little wolf. But you and I both know, this isn’t over.”

Then, without another word, he turns and walks away. The moment he’s gone, Brianna grabs my arm. “We need to leave. Now.”

Another group of people make their way towards us again. At this point I think I'll just cut of their heads. The fascination with getting to know me is becoming irritating. I turned around and my entire being froze at the sight of who it was.

Elias and Sheila. My mate and his mate--My sister.

Elias smiles warmly. “Alpha Aegis. We've heard so much about you.”

I didn't say nothing.

Sheila’s eyes softens in faux adoration as she reaches me. “I love your name. My sister was also called Aegis.”

Something in my chest twists violently. I think I'm going to vomit.

Brianna frowns. “Your sister?”

Sheila sighs. “Yeah. She died in a rogue attack. She was visiting another pack at the time.”

My stomach drops.

Solice steps forward and extended a hand to Noah. “Beta Solice.” Noah shakes it too tightly with a cold look on his face that made Beta Solice since in reproach and pain. “Beta Noah.”

He turns to me, “And you must be....”

Noah and the others shift immediately blocking me. They know.

Brianna doesn’t. Not at first. But then----understanding flashes in her eyes as it all click together. She mindlinks me. "Aegis I need you to tell me the truth. Is this man your father?."

I could barely breathe. 'Yes.'

Brianna moved immediately “ Our deepest apologies but we’re leaving. Now.”

Solice sighs in fake sadness. “We actually only wanted to... She looks so much like our daughter."

"Well that's too bad because Aegis is my daughter. Where did you think she got the beauty from?"

"Oh my. Please accept my apologies."He quickly apologized sensing Brianna's anger.

This time, I spoke up.

"Beta Solice, as much as I offer my most sincere condolences. I no longer wish to have a conversation with you about your dead daughter. If you have anything pack-related to discuss with me, you can reach out to me. But anything apart from that would be frowned upon. By me." I said coldly.

"Now if that's all. Please excuse us."

"Wait.. Please. We understand and we're deeply sorry. To show our deepest apologies,"Elias steps forward, holding out a bouquet of white roses.

“ Please take this. We're sorry once again.”

Noah takes them. I don’t even glance at them.

“We’re done here,” I say turning sharply.

The guys turned with me and shielded me on all sides as we made our way out.

And so we left.

The journey back was quiet. Everyone was too lost in their own thoughts to say anything. I know I'll still have to explain myself to Brianna tomorrow. But for tonight, I can't even find the strength to care about anything.

Then all of a sudden, I snatch the flowers from Noah’s hands.

And tear them apart like an animal. Petals scatter across the floor. Thorns cut into my palms.

No one speaks. No one stops me. Because they all know. Some wounds never heal.

But even as I decapitated the flower. The memories of him still didn't leave. I can still feel his eyes running down my body. His smell engulfing me. His body next to mine.For a man rumoured to be so adept at killing, his eyes were remarkably soft.

____________________________________________ Hi guys. I'm so sorry... It's already exam season and I'm really struggling. My exams end on the 20th. But until then, I'll try to update when I can... Enjoy.

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