Bonds that bind us novel Chapter 7

Damien

“Samara?” I call out as I follow her. I knew she was heading for home as her pace picked up speed. She wouldn't even stop to look at me, desperately trying to get out of the sight of others.

She crashes in through the front door, slamming it shut behind her. This was not the reaction I was expecting. When Dane told me why Neah wanted to see her, I thought keeping it quiet would be a pleasant surprise, and that she would be happy. I did not expect it to go like this.

I find her on the sofa. Her legs pulled up to her chest as she rested her forehead on her knees. She wasn’t crying. There were no snuffles of her trying to hide any tears.

“We are not doing this!” I tell her, lifting her face until I can see her grey eyes. “Whatever this is, it’s not happening. I am right here. The silence is not needed or wanted. I’ve let that happen once before, and I’m not making that mistake again.”

I see her chest rise as she takes in a deep breath. “It’s risky.” Her brow crinkles into a small frown. “There are a lot of people in this pack that don’t want me to be here, Damien. It’s not just Blair. They want me dead, and the only reason I am alive is because of you. They know that if they did anything, it would be the end of their life. It’s so hard, Damien. To be told by Dakota that I am made for this, that this is who I am. Do you know how many times a day she reminds me?

"Too much?"

She rolls her eyes at me. "What if they blame Neah for making this decision? What if it turns everyone against her?”

"They won't."

"Of course they will. The only reason they don't say it now is because they are worried they will get punished. Why can't they see me how you see me?"

"Because if they did, I might have something to say about it."

I had been keeping an eye on Blair from afar. Yes, she did her job and kept her head down unless Samara was nearby. It was as though Blair couldn’t control her anger around my mate. Not enough to make her shift or physically attack Samara. Still, I was waiting for her to cross the line.

I drop on the sofa next to her. My weight forces her body into mine. “If you don’t want to be Neah’s Beta, that's fine. She won't hold it against you.” I tell her as I slip my arms around her. She drops her head against my chest and sighs.

"She won't"

"No."

She frowns, “I wish the answer were a simple yes or no.”