Chapter 9 "She's just a kid! Quinn didn't mean any harm. Do you really have to be so harsh? Fine, just count it as one more chance." But now that I've cashed in on that promise, suddenly he can't handle the game anymore? "If you're going to feed me that 'she's just a kid' crap again, you might as well leave right now. I've had enough." Damian trembled, a single tear tracing down his cheek and falling onto my arm. "Norah... do you really have to push me this far?" "I told you, it was all a game! It doesn't count!" "Just tear up the bond-breaking deal and pretend none of it ever happened!" I gave him a hollow, bitter laugh. The trauma I've endured over the years. The child I lost. The dignity he allowed others to trample. There's no undoing any of it. And now he wants to pretend it was nothing? That's utterly ridiculous! I looked him in the eye, filled with contempt. "What kind of joke is this, Damian?" "A promise is a promise. You're the one who said it, one hundred chances, and then we break the mate bond." "Well, all one hundred are used up. So it's over. We're done." The words had barely left my mouth before Damian lunged forward and wrapped his arms around me, shaking his head violently. "No!" "You don't get to end this just because you say so! I won't accept it! I'm not letting you go, not in this lifetime!" I shoved him off in disgust. "Isn't this what you wanted? Now you and Quinn can do whatever you want. I won't be in your way anymore." 97 Damian rushed to deny it. "Things between me and Quinn weren't what you thought." "I always treated her like a kid, thought she was sweet and harmless, that's why I let her get away with things." "But now I see it. She was trying to drive you away from the very beginning. She's nothing but a manipulative bitch, a rotten, two-faced slut!" I blinked in surprise. Damian, who once spoke of Quinn with so much warmth, had actually said these words? He must have found out the truth. He'd finally seen who Quinn really was. But what he didn't realize was that it was far too late. "So what if you finally see Quinn for who she is?" "Nothing will undo the pain I've suffered. Not one bit. Just remember this, I will never forgive you. Not in this lifetime." Instead of backing down under the weight of my hatred, Damian grew more desperate. He gripped my face, forcing me to look at him, and leaned in as if to kiss me. I fought with all my strength. "Let go of me! This is my pack territory! One scream and my dad will throw you out himself!" Damian's eyes blazed with desperation. "Go ahead and scream! Norah, I don't believe you hate me that much. I don't believe you'd be cruel enough to leave me like this!" I bit his lip hard, nearly drew blood, but he still clung to me. Just then, Xavier appeared at the doorway.' He grabbed Damian by the collar and slammed him to the ground with a brutal punch. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I instinctively stumbled into Xavier's arms, my gaze cold and full of disgust as I looked down at Damian. Damian staggered back up, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. When he saw Xavier clearly, his expression twisted in disbelief. "Who is he?" Chapter 9 8.04% "Norah, answer me!" But I said nothing. I didn't want to explain, didn't even want to speak to him. Xavier smirked, casually shielding me as we walked out of the restroom. Behind us, Damian's voice echoed like a wild beast's howl. "Norah! Don't think bringing some guy around will make the jealous! You'll be the one who regrets this first!" A week passed quietly, and I gradually regained my strength and peace-if not for the endless stream of calls from "unknown numbers." Chapter 9 8.04