My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 44: Selfish Entitlement II

Damon

My head went blank.

Not quiet. Blank.

No. No. No. No.

This was all wrong. Impossible.

Me? Replaced?

No such thing could happen.

’It just can’t. She doesn’t know what she is saying!’

"Elena..." I started, but my words faltered from the way she looked at me.

My stomach dropped. She might actually mean it.

She sighed and looked away. "Don’t look at me like that. You can go on obsessing over—"

"I am not obsessed with her!" I yelled, immediately jumping to my feet. "Elena! This isn’t about Violet. You have to understand. I need to maintain order. This is me showing that no one, not even an omega or a wolf of any rank can defy me and just walk away without any consequences."

She rolled her eyes. "I am tired of hearing this. Why does it feel like you’re more invested in punishing her than you are in our relationship?"

"I mean it Elena. I cannot let this disrespect go," I said in a gentler tone, moving closer to her. "She disrespected me. Disrespected this pack. Disrespected everything we stand for. I can’t let that go unpunished, not without looking weak."

"And what about disrespecting me? What about the disrespect of leaving me unmarked for months while you chase after her?" She shook her head and waved me off. "I am tired of telling you the same thing over and over again. This is irritating. You never listen to anything I say."

Something in me snapped.

I dropped to my knees and Elena flinched, her eyes widening. I grabbed fistfuls of her skirt and buried my face in them, trembling.

"Elena, don’t leave me."

"Da—Damon?"

"You’re right. You’re absolutely right." The words came out in a rush. My voice was hoarse and my throat was tight. "I have been so focused on dealing with her situation that I neglected you. And that was wrong of me. So, so, wrong."

"Stop... stop this. It’s not fair."

"No, I know it’s not." My words were muffled by her skirt.

"Damon—"

"But it’s not because I don’t want you." I looked up at her, lowering my voice into something I hoped sounded sincere. She had to believe me. I really did love her.

"You have been there for me and I just couldn’t see it. I am so sorry. Please forgive me, Elena. It’s just that, once I mark you, once we’re officially bonded, I want to give you the attention you deserve. I don’t want it overshadowed by this mess with her. I believe it’s something that could come back to bite..."

Wait...

Why was I even delaying this?

I shook my head, shoving away the thought.

"Elena, the convergence is in four months," I continued. "Once that is done, once she is dealt with and executed, this will all be behind us. I promise you. We can move forward properly after this and—"

"Four months is a long time to wait, Damon." She frowned and looked away from me, towards any other part of the room as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Then I’ll make it worth the wait!" I stood up and cupped her face, forcing her to meet my eyes. "I will make this right. I promise."

She pulled back slightly, studying me with that calculating gaze I was familiar with. "I have conditions."

Of course she did.

But I did not mind.

Anything to make her stay.

"Name them."

"First, you mark me. Tonight. Not four months from now. Tonight."

What?

"Ele—"

"I will accept no negotiation on this," she cut me off, taking my hands off her face and stepping back. "If you actually want me to stay, if you want me to keep playing the role of your patient, understanding almost-mate, then you need to actually make me your mate. Officially. Publicly. No more delays."

I swallowed my objections. A mark was permanent, binding, but... I had already planned to mark her eventually anyway. And having her marked before the Convergence might actually work in my favor. Show some stability maybe.

Wait... if I didn’t mark Elena now, wouldn’t nonsense girl think I still wasn’t over her?

’No. That can’t happen.’

How could I not have thought of this?

"Elena." I took her hand and cradled it between mine. I smiled. "That is fine. I can’t lose you."

She started at me, surprised. "Really?"

I nodded vigorously. "Honestly. I mean it this time. I—"

"Good. I have a second condition."

There was another one?

"I am coming with you to the summit or convergence or whatever that is."

I paused. "Elena, that—"

"You told me before. The Alphas that usually go there with the Supreme Alpha can take five wolves with them each. I want to be one of them. It is my right as your Luna."

I was going to take Marcus and Garret along with the other patrol wolves that were with him along, but I did not account for...

"Lunas usually stay behind to take care of the pack in the Alpha’s absence," I whispered.

"I don’t care. I am going. If there is no space and you are taking Marcus along—in fact, leave your beta behind to take care of the pack while we are not here." Elena eyed me. "I am going to watch you finally end this obsession with her. It would be good to finally see her gone, even."

I stood there, speechless.

Elena stepped closer, her voice dropping. "Unless you don’t want me there?"

I forced a smile. "No. No. You can come."

She beamed and her smile was suddenly victorious. There was a glint of something in her eyes that I couldn’t understand, and for some reason, it didn’t seem new.

Elena pecked me on the cheek and made her way towards the staircase. Then she paused and turned around. "I will be waiting in our bed, Damon. Come join me when you have rested. Then we can make it official tomorrow."

She ran up the stairs, the giddiness in her steps echoing across the small hall until she had left.

Her words felt like a threat.

I collapsed back onto the chair, staring into space.

I did not like where any of this was going.