Chapter 31 - Damon
THIRTY-ONE
DAMON
Dawn filtered through the windows of Evelina’s estate, painting golden streaks across the bed where Damon lay with Isla wrapped in his arms. Her auburn hair spilled across his chest like liquid fire, and his obsidian dragon mark on her ribs seemed to pulse with a faint warmth where their skin touched.
The completed mate bond pulsed between them, no longer a whisper but a symphony of shared sensation and emotion.
For the first time since the raid, Damon felt something he’d almost forgotten existed—profound joy.
Not the fleeting satisfaction of duty completed, or the grim relief of another day survived, but pure, bone-deep joy that seemed to radiate from his very soul.
It was the kind of feeling he remembered from childhood, when his parents were alive and the world held infinite possibility.
Now, with Isla’s strength and love flowing through their completed bond, he felt invincible.
Like he could move mountains, tear down empires, rebuild his entire world from scratch.
The intensity of it staggered him. Her emotions amplified his own, creating a feedback loop that made his dragon roar with satisfaction. Every breath she took, every flutter of her pulse against his chest, reinforced the rightness of their bond.
Then, like ice water dumping over his head, another emotion slammed through him with equal intensity—fear.
Not his fear, but hers, bleeding through the bond from some deep corner of her subconscious.
The fear of loss. Of being left behind. Of having this perfect thing ripped away just when it became real.
That fear became his own, magnified tenfold by his dragon’s possessive nature. The thought of losing her, of watching that light fade from her hazel eyes, of facing another century without this warmth—it would destroy him completely. He wouldn’t survive it. Couldn’t survive it.
Damon sprung upright, his sudden movement making the bed shake.
His heart hammered as adrenaline flooded his system.
He’d been idle for five days since the attack, letting Kaelith and Evelina handle the investigation while he healed.
Five days for whoever was plotting against him to solidify their plans, recruit more traitors, and coordinate with Veyrik.
“What’s wrong?” Isla’s sleepy voice cut through his spiraling thoughts. She pushed herself up on one elbow, concern creasing her features.
“I need to start investigating who was behind our ambush.” The words came out sharper than he intended, his Alpha instincts overriding everything else.
“I can’t waste another day sitting here while Kaelith and Evelina figure it out.
Whoever is working against me has had five days to further their plans. ”
Isla sat up fully, the sheet pooling around her waist and her dragon mark catching the morning light. Instead of the acquiescence he expected, her chin lifted with determination.
“Then I’m going to help you.” Her voice carried a steel he’d heard before—when she’d refused to let him push her away.
“I’m not just going to sit here while you handle everything.
We’re bound together now, which means I’m not letting you carry everything alone.
I want to pull my equal weight and stand by your side. ”
Part of him—the part still echoing with that bone-deep fear of losing her—wanted to tell her to stay here where it was safe.
To let him handle the dangerous work while she remained protected within the estate’s walls.
But the larger part, the part that had fallen for her fierce courage and unwavering loyalty, swelled with pride.
This was his mate. Not some fragile flower to be sheltered, but a woman who would face down dragons to save him.
Who chose to stay rather than run when things got complicated.
“Get dressed then.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed, already reaching for his clothes. “We’ll find Kaelith together.”
Her smile was brilliant enough to chase away the last shadows of his fear. “Now that’s more like it.”
They dressed quickly, Damon pulling on dark jeans and a black henley while Isla chose a flowing blue dress. The bond hummed with her satisfaction at being included, at being treated as a true partner rather than a liability to protect.
But soon, the sound of raised voices drew them downstairs to the main living room, where Kaelith and Evelina stood facing each other with obvious tension crackling between them.
Kaelith’s usually easy demeanor had hardened into something resembling frustrated command, while Evelina’s regal bearing had shifted into full matriarchal authority.
“What’s going on here?” Damon’s voice cut through their argument, immediately drawing both their attention.
Kaelith ran a hand through his auburn hair, his jaw tight. “I’m trying to tell Evelina to focus on other clan issues and not worry about this alliance with Veyrik. I have it handled, and I don’t want her getting in the way.”
The dismissive tone sparked Damon’s irritation. Evelina was clan matriarch, had been managing political complexities since before Kaelith was born. The disrespect rankled.
“Evelina is the matriarch of this clan,” Damon said, his voice carrying Alpha authority. “She has every right to investigate this, just like you do as my second-in-command.”
He turned to his aunt, noting the flash of gratitude in her green eyes. “Do whatever you need to help with the investigation.”
“Thank you.” Evelina’s smile was sharp with satisfaction. “I’ll start with the older clan members. They remember things the young ones might overlook.” She swept from the room with regal grace, leaving Kaelith looking distinctly annoyed.
“I was taking care of it,” Kaelith protested. “I just didn’t want Evelina getting hurt. I was trying to protect her.”
“I appreciate your concern for her safety,” Damon replied, though something nagged at him about Kaelith’s insistence on handling everything alone. “But she has methods that could be useful. What do you have so far?”
Kaelith’s expression shifted, excitement replacing irritation. “I think I discovered who started the alliance with Veyrik and who’s been recruiting the younger dragons. Mikal.”
“My head enforcer? Why would Mikal do this?”
“He’s been harboring resentment for a century,” Kaelith explained. “With you ruling from a distance, he felt like he had to work triple duty to make up for your isolation. The resentment festered.”