Chapter 4

Damon's hand tightened. His teeth ground together.

Serena pressed further.

"Damon, Anya never loved you. If she loved you, how could she have heard your Pack collapsed and run straight to another man's Pack to find a new benefactor? She took his money."

Serena knotted her brows.

"Damon, don't be a fool again."

Damon's face went hard. It wasn't that he didn't know all this. He just loved Anya. He couldn't let her go.

He knew Anya was alone — no Pack, no living parents. He knew his position in Sterling Pack would always make her flinch.

So he staged the Pack collapse, thinking if she didn't have to worry about the hierarchy, they could Bond first and he'd tell her the truth later.

Except the day after he told her the Pack was ruined, Anya showed up at another man's table.

And he knew that man. A notorious playboy. One wave of his hand and She-Wolves lined up.

When Damon got there, Anya was curled into the other man's arms, clutching a bank card.

The man looked at her, guilt all over his face.

"Anya, take this for now. If you need more, I'll get it."

Damon had stared at them, face black.

He had just told her his Pack was gone, and she flew into someone else's arms? Then what were all their plans? A joke?

He wanted to grab her and ask why. Why was she doing this to him.

His legs wouldn't move.

He didn't remember how he got home. He looked at the things she had arranged in their cabin, rubbed his face, and let out a bitter laugh.

"Damon, you're a joke."

He sat on the bed. Anya's call came in.

"Damon, let's — let's break up. I —"

He hung up. Then he went crazy. He hired people to come at him for money, and he demanded they actually hit him. When the pain in his ribs and back hit him full, Damon smiled.

He wanted to see it for himself. If he was about to be beaten to death, would Anya come?

She did.

Not only did she come — she saw him bloody and broken and cried until her eyes swelled, and she knelt down and promised she'd pay the debt.

Damon wiped the blood off his mouth. He knew she still loved him.

But that other man — Damon was eaten alive with jealousy. How could she take money from him so easily?

Watching her crying and dabbing salve on his cuts, Damon had a bold idea.

You were going to leave me the moment my Pack fell? Going off with someone else?

I won't let you. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you by my side. And I'll make sure you can never be with him.

So Damon drew up the Blood Debt Pact, then made sure a friend "happened" to tell her the Wolf's Den paid well, and sent her in.

Damon stood in the second-floor booth watching her sell drinks until she could barely stand. Something hungry pushed up in him.

Anya. You wanted to leave me?

Look at you now. Who else would want you, besides me?

Serena watched the expressions shift across his face and tugged his arm.

"Damon, stop thinking about that ungrateful bitch. She said she was leaving the Wolf's Den. Who knows — maybe she heard you're in debt again and's already on to the next rich arm."

Damon whipped around and closed a hand on Serena's throat.

"What did you say? She's leaving? Didn't I tell you she can't leave?"

Serena fought for air. She forced out the words.

"She — she's with a group of men — already at the airport —"

I hadn't expected to see that face at the airport.

Damon had my wrist locked in a death grip. He yanked me into the nursing room and slammed the door shut. His eyes were burning.

"Anya. Whose arms are you running to this time?"

I tried to pull away. He only squeezed harder.

"It's about money, isn't it? I have money! You come home with me. I won't let you go with them!"

He yanked a card out of his pocket and threw it in my face.

"This is my unlimited black card. Use it however you want."

I pulled a smile onto my mouth.

"Damon. You think I'm the kind of woman who leaves with whoever waves a card?"

He sneered.

"Aren't you, Anya?"

I bit the inside of my lip and forced back the tears. I wrenched my wrist free.

"Then believe whatever you want. I'm going. Let go."

Damon grabbed my chin.

"Anya! What? You've tried Ezra out, so I'm not good enough anymore? Is he better at it or am I —"

I slapped him across the face. My whole body was shaking.

"Damon! Are you out of your mind? If Ezra hadn't come yesterday, do you have any idea what would have happened?"

Damon ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek.

"And what? When my Pack fell, didn't you dive into another Alpha's arms? Why is a second time any different? You're the kind of slut who walks whenever someone flashes money."

He grabbed my shoulders, his eyes full of red veins. He tore at my shirt — and then he saw the marks all over my skin.

"Anya, what —"

I pulled my shirt tight and held back the tears.

"Wasn't this the order Young Alpha Sterling gave?"