The lost mate

Chapter 127: Teasing

Anne finally found Damien deep in the forest, near the lake.

As she approached the lake, the serene beauty of the water’s reflection glimmered before her. He sat on a large rock by the water’s edge, his back to her, shoulders hunched in quiet contemplation.

Without saying a word, Anne walked up behind him, her footsteps light but deliberate. She reached out and gently touched the mark on his neck. Damien flinched slightly at her touch but didn’t pull away. His hand came up instinctively to cover hers as he let out a heavy sigh.

"I’m sorry," he murmured, his voice low and filled with regret. "For everything. For the bite, for what I put you through. I never wanted to hurt you."

Anne’s heart softened at his words, though the pain they carried was evident. She moved around to sit besides him, their fingers still loosely intertwined as they looked out over the calm waters of the lake. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence between them filled with unspoken emotions.

"It wasn’t your fault," Anne finally said, her voice gentle but firm. "I’ve forgiven you, Damien. You don’t have to keep apologising."

He turned to her, his eyes dark and troubled, searching hers for something he didn’t seem able to find in himself. "But it was my fault, Anne. I should’ve been stronger."

Anne shook her head.

"Damien, we can’t change the past. We can’t undo what’s been done."

"It’s not just about us, Anne. Everything I thought I knew—my family, my pack—it’s all unravelling. My mother... I knew she was strong, maybe even ruthless, but to plot against you? To try and get rid of you?" His jaw clenched, his hands balling into fists as anger flickered across his face. "And my father... agreeing to Jackson’s terms without a fight? What else could they have been hiding from me?"

Anne’s breath hitched at his words. She remained silent, her eyes locked on the gentle ripples in the water. If Damien was this disillusioned now, how much more shattered would he be when he found out that the woman he believed was his mother wasn’t even his biological one? That Liana had taken him from his real mother, Jennifer, and woven a web of lies around his very existence?

"I don’t know what to believe anymore," Damien continued, his voice raw with frustration. "How can I trust anything they’ve said? How can I trust anyone at this point?" He raked a hand through his hair, the hopelessness etched in every movement. "My whole life... it feels like a lie."

Anne’s heart ached for him. She wanted to comfort him, to tell him that things would be alright. But how could she, when she knew the secret that would destroy him?

She shifted slightly, drawing her knees to her chest as she stared out at the lake, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Damien," she began slowly, "you’re right to be angry, to feel betrayed. Your parents have kept things from you—things that should’ve been shared long ago. But I don’t think it’s all been a lie. I think your father... he was trying to protect you in his own way."

"Protect me?" Damien scoffed, bitterness lacing his words. "By making deals with Jackson? By allowing my mother to manipulate everything behind the scenes? I was supposed to be the Alpha—how could they hide so much from me?"

"I can’t speak for your father or your mother," Anne said softly, her voice tinged with sadness.

"But I do know one thing—you’re not like them. You’re stronger than they ever were. You’ve always fought for what’s right, even when the odds were against you. That’s what makes you a true Alpha."

He closed his eyes, as if trying to block out the weight of her words, but she could see the conflict playing out in his mind. The cracks in his resolve were widening, but there was still strength within him, a fire that hadn’t been extinguished yet.

"I’m scared," Damien admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Scared that I’ve been blind this whole time. That there’s more I don’t know. And if there is... I don’t know if I can handle it."

Anne felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She knew the truth would come out eventually, and when it did, it would hurt him even more.

Her thumb was gently brushing the back of his hand. "I’ll be here. You’re not alone in this."

He opened his eyes and looked at her, his expression softening as he searched her face for reassurance. "I don’t deserve you," he said quietly.

Anne smiled, though it was tinged with sadness. "Maybe not," she teased lightly, trying to ease the tension between them. "But you’re stuck with me anyway."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Damien’s lips. He caught her cheek and kissed her. When they broke apart, Anne looked at the scar on his neck and said,.

"You think Jessica can feel your emotions through that ?"

Damien frowned and touched the mark.

"I don’t know, and I don’t care."

"I hope she does," Anne said with a sly smile.

"It might give her a taste of what she’s missing out on," she added mischievously.

Damien looked confused. She stood up and walked towards the water. She pulled her dress slowly over her shoulders, exposing the pale skin of her back. Sliding her arms out of it, she then pulled the dress over the curves of her hips, pushing it down until it silently dropped to her feet. She stepped out of it and bent to pick it up to place it neatly on a rock, allowing him a provocative view of her round and shapely behind.

She then unclipped her bra and let it fall on the rock, unpinning her chignon. She let her blonde curls fall down her back, fluffing it gently with her fingers.

Damien’s eyes widened. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her as she stood before him, completely vulnerable and breathtakingly beautiful.

"Come on, let’s go for a swim." Anne teased.