Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 197 No way,

Victoria’s POV

Damien’s eyes turned glacial as he surveyed the approaching thugs. My wolf, Nora, growled deep within me, sensing the danger.

"When you get the chance, get to the car and drive," he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. "I’ll handle these men."

The gravity in his tone sent chills down my spine. He wasn’t joking—he was ready to face these people alone so I could escape. Even if there was only a slim chance of survival, he wanted to give it to me while he confronted the danger himself.

"No way," I protested, my heartbeat accelerating. "They’re here to kill me. You need to get out of here!"

I couldn’t bear the thought of Damien facing these self-proclaimed hitmen alone. Could he really handle them by himself? My wolf whimpered at the mere thought of leaving our potential mate in danger.

"I can buy time. Help will arrive soon," he said, his voice dropping to a tense whisper that made my heart clench painfully. "You need to go. Your safety matters more."

Every fiber of my being wanted to refuse. I didn’t want to leave Damien alone here. The thought of him getting hurt—or worse—made my stomach twist into knots. But staying might only make things harder for him.

"Be careful," I finally relented, hating every second of it.

One of the men—clearly growing impatient with our whispered exchange—barked out, "Hey buddy, I’m giving you one chance to walk away. Otherwise, we won’t be so nice!"

Damien didn’t waste time with words. In one fluid motion, he launched forward and kicked the man square in the chest, demonstrating exactly who wouldn’t be "nice" in this situation.

"Go! Now!" Damien shouted to me.

Taking advantage of the distraction, I made a dash for the car. Behind me, I heard the leader yell, "Get him!" followed by the sounds of multiple attackers converging on Damien.

Despite his strength—and my wolf recognized the powerful Alpha in him instantly—Damien was outnumbered by these gang members. They weren’t weak either, and there were too many of them.

Once I reached the car, I didn’t hesitate. I jumped behind the wheel and, channeling the same fighting spirit Damien had shown, aimed the vehicle straight at the cluster of attackers. My wolf roared her approval as I accelerated.

These people had planned to kill me. This was self-defense, pure and simple. And I wasn’t about to let Damien get hurt protecting me.

The men scattered like leaves in the wind. Apparently, they hadn’t actually intended to kill me—at least not then and there. Their leader shouted, "Fall back!" and just like that, they retreated into the shadows.

"Get in!" I yelled to Damien, who didn’t need to be told twice.

As soon as he slammed the door, I floored the gas pedal, tires squealing as we sped away from the scene.

What I couldn’t see was the exchange happening in the darkness. A tall, imposing figure—Howard Reiner, I would later learn—was consulting with the attack leader.

"Boss, your moment was stolen. What now?" the man asked.

"We’ll find another opportunity," Howard replied before disappearing into the night, irritated that Damien’s presence had foiled his plans.

Once we reached a crowded area where I felt safer, I turned to Damien, concern flooding through me. "Are you hurt?"

"I’m fine," he replied, but the metallic scent of blood reached my nostrils, making Nora whine anxiously inside me.

"You’re bleeding," I accused, my enhanced wolf senses picking up what he was trying to hide.

"Just a scratch," he dismissed. His casual tone contradicted the protective ferocity he’d shown earlier.

"We’re going to the hospital," I decided firmly, making a sharp turn at the next intersection. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"It’s unnecessary. Just a minor cut," he protested.

"Absolutely not!" My tone left no room for argument. Injured was injured, regardless of severity.

I tossed my phone to him. "Call Grace for me. She’s probably worried sick. Let her know I’m okay."

Damien made the call, and Grace answered immediately, her voice high with panic even through the speaker: "Victoria! Are you alright? I’ve called the police—they’re on their way!"

"She’s safe," Damien reassured her. "She’s with me now."

"Damien? Thank God you’re with her! Keep her safe, please. Don’t let anything happen to her!" Grace’s relief was palpable.

"Grace, don’t worry," I called out while keeping my eyes on the road. "Go home and we’ll talk tomorrow. I’m driving now, just wanted you to know I’m okay. Gotta go."

After hanging up, I turned my attention back to Damien. "I thought you went to the office. How did you end up there?"

I didn’t suspect for a second that Damien had orchestrated this as some elaborate scheme. Unlike Patrick, Damien wouldn’t play games like that. There was no need.

"The business could wait. I was worried about you, so I followed at a distance." His admission sent warmth spreading through my chest, despite the tension of the situation.

I couldn’t help glancing at him—this man who’d put himself between me and danger without hesitation. The way he’d fought to protect me, the way he’d prioritized my safety over his own...

In that moment, I knew with crystal clarity that I couldn’t stand the thought of Damien getting hurt. I wanted him safe and whole.

"Damien Sterling, you’re an absolute idiot," I said, the words coming out softer than I intended.

"Guilty as charged," he admitted with no hesitation.

It struck me then that only with me would the powerful, intimidating Damien Sterling ever admit to being anything less than perfect.

"Of course, Ms. Lancaster made me a small fortune today," he added lightly. "You might be my golden goose. I need to protect my investments."

I understood exactly what he was doing—trying to lighten the mood, to remove any pressure of expectation from me. My heart felt full to bursting with something warm and bittersweet that I wasn’t ready to name.

My lips moved, but it took me a moment to find my voice. "Complete fool," I whispered.

Because that’s what he was—beneath all that brilliance, an utter fool.

"You said these men were targeting you specifically," he prompted, changing the subject. "Any thoughts about that?"

I knew he’d messaged Jeff to investigate, but answers wouldn’t come immediately.

"I have no idea," I shook my head. "Never seen them before. They claimed someone hired them to kill me, but something felt off."

"What seemed strange?" Damien asked, his eyes intent on my face.

"Their approach," I analyzed. "What kind of hitmen operate like street thugs? Professional killers work from the shadows. If someone truly wanted me dead, there would be plenty of better opportunities—when I’m alone, outside my home, in a parking garage. They could poison me or use a gun. But this method..." I trailed off, trying to piece together the puzzle.

"Also, they all wore masks and were unusually tall. Except for the leader, none of them spoke. I got the feeling they might not even be from this country."

I continued analyzing, trying to extract meaning from these details as my mind raced through possibilities.