The Scorned Luna-Chapter 78: Perfect Girl

​Damien’s words were caught in his throat. He couldn’t give her the answer she wanted because his mind was a mess. Sofia saw the hesitation on his face and didn’t need to hear him speak. She already knew.

​She scoffed bitterly and shook her head, tears blurring her silver eyes. "Of course you can’t. You can’t let the pack know that their Alpha is mated to this—" she paused and looked down at herself. "To this... murderer. To this unattractive girl."

​Damien frowned deeply. His chest tightened with a mix of anger and confusion. Why did she keep thinking she was unattractive? To him, she was the most stunning woman he had ever seen. Her curvy body and soft skin were all his wolf wanted.

​Sofia moved away from him, her thick thighs shaking as she walked toward the window. She stood with her back turned to him, looking out at the dark forest. Damien couldn’t help himself; his eyes stayed on her rounded ass and the way her dress hugged her hips. His wolf was howling inside his head, screaming at him to claim her right now.

​"Sofia," Damien rasped.

​"Leave, Alpha Damien," she said, her voice cold. "Go back to your room and pretend this never happened."

​No, his wolf growled. Don’t leave her.

​Damien wondered if she even felt the bond. Was she really that strong? Could she just ignore the pull between them?

​Sofia did feel it. The smell of him—like pine and rain—was filling her lungs, making her dizzy. She wanted to turn around, wrap her arms around his neck, and kiss him until she forgot the last two years. But her heart wouldn’t let her. She wouldn’t be his secret.

​Damien lost his control. Driven by a wave of possessiveness, he rushed toward her. He grabbed her waist and spun her around, pinning her back against the tall mirror on the wall. The glass felt cold against her skin, but Damien was pure fire.

​He crashed his lips onto hers, a rough, desperate kiss meant to show her she belonged to him. The bond felt suffocating, pulling at Sofia’s soul, trying to make her surrender.

​But Sofia fought back. As his tongue pushed into her mouth, she bit down hard on his bottom lip.

​Damien grunted in pain and pulled back, the taste of blood filling his mouth. He looked at her, shocked, as a small trail of blood ran down his chin.

​Sofia’s silver eyes were wild. "Get out, Damien, or I’ll scream and let every person in this mansion know we are mates."

​He frowned deeply. Did she really think he was afraid of people knowing they were mates because he didn’t want her? No. He was scared because he knew his pack. The moment they realized their Alpha was bonded to the girl accused of killing her own sister, they would demand a formal rejection. And over his dead body would he ever let her go.

​Yes, he hated her for what she had done. Yes, she had shattered his heart. She might be a murderer in his eyes, but she was his mate. Heaven itself would have to fall before he would ever utter the words of rejection.

​But he couldn’t tell her that.

​Unable to stand the suffocating pull of the bond or the sight of her bleeding heart, he turned on his heel. He walked out of the room without another word.

​The moment the door slammed shut, Sofia’s legs gave out. She collapsed onto the cold floor, her body shaking with violent sobs. She curled into herself, her hands clutching her heavy breasts as she tried to breathe through the agony.

​She didn’t even know why she was crying anymore. Was it because, despite everything, she still loved the monster who had just left her room? Was it because the Moon Goddess had played a cruel joke by mating her to her greatest enemy? Or was it because she knew that after today, there would be no going back?

​"He loves you, Sofia," a voice whispered in her mind. It was the comforting voice of her wolf.

​Sofia scoffed through her tears, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "You’re wrong," she muttered to the empty room. "You are just feeling the bond, wolf. The bond forces a connection, but it doesn’t force his heart. He hates me."

​"No," the wolf argued, her presence becoming stronger, more solid within Sofia’s soul. "I can feel his emotion and soon you will. The hate is just a mask."

​Sofia let out a small, watery smile despite the situation. She felt a sudden spark of comfort. For two years, she had been entirely alone—no friends, no family, no one to talk to. Now, she finally had her best friend. Her wolf.

​"You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you?" Sofia whispered, feeling the internal heat of her transition settle into a low, comforting hum. "I’ve waited so long for you. I was beginning to think you’d never come."

​The wolf wagged an imaginary tail in her mind. "I was always here. I was just waiting for the right time."

​Sofia stood up, inhaling deeply. She felt stronger now, as if she were no longer carrying the weight of the world by herself. "Since we’re going to be spending the rest of our lives together... what should I call you? Do you have a name?"

​"My name is Nyx," the wolf whispered.

​Sofia nodded, a small, genuine smile spreading across her lips. "Nyx. I like it."

​Meanwhile, in Damien’s room, the air was thick with the smell of alcohol.

​Damien sat on the edge of his bed, two empty bottles of whiskey on the floor by his feet. It was already morning. Outside, he could hear the sounds of the pack preparing for the memorial service. The servants were moving chairs and setting up flowers, but Damien didn’t care about any of it. His mind was trapped with Sofia.

​A sharp knock came on the door. Damien didn’t answer, but the door pushed open anyway. His father, Sir Morrison, stepped inside. He stopped and stared at his son, seeing the messy hair and the empty bottles. He shook his head, thinking Damien was drinking because he was heartbroken over Lola.

​Sir Morrison sat down across from him and sighed. "I know you are hurting today, son," he said, his voice soft. "But you are the Alpha. The memorial starts in less than an hour. You have to get up and get ready."

​Damien frowned, looking at the floor. He wanted to tell his father to leave him alone. He didn’t want to hear Lola’s name.

​"I know how much you liked Lola," Sir Morrison continued. "I know you wanted to make her your wife."

​Damien’s jaw tightened. He never actually liked Lola. She was loud, fake, and mean. He had only pretended to want her to make Sofia feel bad. It was a lie he had lived for two years, and now it was choking him.

​"You have to let go, son," his father said. "And that brings me to why I am here. Your mother and I have found the perfect girl for you."

​Damien looked up, his green eyes flashing with anger. "A perfect girl?"

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