My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 137: Disillusioned

Damon

’No... This can’t be real.’

The distinctive omega scent that had once clung to her like a second skin was gone.

And there was something else...

The confusion muddling my head made it very hard to think clearly.

Something flickered across her face, too quick for me to even identify, before she looked away entirely.

"Violet?" Her name left my mouth before I was even conscious of it.

She turned to look at me fully, and for the first time, I saw her frown.

She could even make a face like that?

The wolves at her side, two older men, one of them particularly greying stepped forward with a nod. "Good day. Alpha Damon of Shadowpine, I presume?"

I frowned, shifting my attention to him. I had never met this wolf, how did he know my name? And the way his sharp gaze bore into mine...

How disgusting.

For someone not even on my standing to look at me like this.

He turned his attention to Elena and offered a brief nod. "Lady Elena. An honour to meet you both."

Oh...

These people had done their research.

The other wolf at Violet’s side slightly nudged her.

She remained still for a moment, her jaw tight. Then, as if it physically pained her, she inclined her head in the barest suggestion of acknowledgment.

"Lady Elena. Alpha Damon." Her voice was flat, emotionless.

If I wasn’t sure before, I was sure now.

This was her. This was definitely her.

But how? How had she transformed so completely in such a short time?

It made no sense.

Elena scoffed beside me, "It is Luna Elena to you both—"

"Elena," I hissed, directing a harsh stare at her.

She needed to compose herself!

"What—"

I turned back to Violet, my mind still trying to process what I was sensing, or rather, what I wasn’t sensing.

She was already turning away as the wolves guided her.

How dare she just move aside like that, I hadn’t even acknowledged their greetings.

"What is this?" I asked, letting go of Elena and taking a few steps forward. They stopped, turning back in surprise while that flat look remained on her face. "What are you?" I hissed, walking up to her as my confusion bled into frustration. "Aren’t you still an Omega?"

Violet’s eyes snapped back to mine, and for just a second, I saw such intense rage flash there that it made me stop.

Elena, who had been tugging at my arm in an attempt to pull me back also suddenly went still.

"This is what I was telling you that time! I noticed something odd when I saw her at the market," Elena spat out, her gaze raking over Violet with renewed scrutiny. Surprise slowly took over her tone. "What kind of trick is this? There’s no Omega scent coming from you at all..."

The muted conversations of the wolves filing into the hall created a low murmur of rising background noise that suddenly felt too loud and distracting.

The older wolf turned back to us as the other guided Violet away.

"We will be taking our seats. We can’t invite undue attention when today’s session will ne starting soon." He offered a slight bow in my direction. "If you’ll excuse us, Alpha Damon."

He didn’t wait for my response before joining Violet, the three of them moving towards the far end section of the hall.

Not once did she look back.

"The impudent bastards," Elena muttered under her breath.

I stood there, watching Violet go as my mind burned with questions I had no answers for. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

She moved differently. Carried herself differently. Even the way she’d acknowledged me had been different, that grudging respect offered only because protocol demanded it.

This was someone else entirely.

It had to be.

"Damon." Elena’s sharp voice pulled at my attention. "People are staring. We should get to our seats."

I looked up, immediately noting how right she was.

Several wolves nearby who had noticed our exchange, had paused their conversations, their curious gazes flicking between me and Violet’s retreating form.

Annoyed and irritated, I let Elena guide me toward our designated seats, my body moving on autopilot while my mind remained fixed on Violet.

She had settled into her section, flanked by those two advisors who seemed far too protective and confident over a mere Omega who was supposed to be on trial. They spoke to her in low voices, and I saw her nod occasionally, her expression focused.

Composed.

Like she belonged here.

The thought sent a fresh wave of irritation through me.

"You’re staring at her?!" Elena hissed in my ear as we took our seats.

I flinched away from her, shocked and annoyed at how close she had been. "What?"

"I can’t believe this. Why are you staring at her?"

"I am not—"

"You are! Don’t tell me you want to change your mind?"

I glared at her and looked around, hoping her rising tone wasn’t causing any unwanted attention. "Lower your voice. And don’t be absurd. I was just trying to figure out what was wrong with that idiot."

Elena sunk in her seat, her face twisted in a tight frown as if she didn’t believe me, but she didn’t say anything else.

"Don’t bother yourself," she grumbled, turning to look at her where she sat. "She will be punished, and whatever deception she is using will be exposed."

Deception?

I wasn’t sure that was it.

If anything, that wasn’t even what bothered me.

The confidence in her posture. The way she had looked at me like I was nothing more than an obligation to be endured.

Like I didn’t matter.

My hands clenched into the armrests.

I was so certain she would have learned her lesson and came crawling back. So sure that rejection would have broken her completely even if she had lived.

Instead, she had disappeared into Fresna’s territory and emerged as... this.

Whatever this was.

She sat with such perfect posture, her hands folded neatly in her lap, her expression almost calm.

Like she had nothing to fear.

Like she knew something I didn’t.

A slow chill went down my spine.

Why did looking at her now make me feel like I had made a terrible mistake?