Free Web NovelChapter 66: Spider’s Web I
For the first time in what felt like forever, I thought I could breathe again. My hands grabbed at my own throat, rubbing at the delicate skin there. Now that I had worn the collar for so long, it felt weird for my neck to be so barren of accessories.
Damon was quick to fix that, however. He hadn’t removed the collar from my neck out of the kindness of his heart or the desire to set me free. Instead, he held up the spider web necklace, allowing me to have a proper look at it.
My guess was correct― it was indeed made of lace. Each strand of the ’web’ was so thin that it looked like it could break at any given second. There were small diamonds attached to each strand, resembling drops of dew that would cling to the web after rainfall. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
It was definitely a beautiful accessory that did not look any bit like the degrading and restrictive collar I previously wore. Although, I did not understand why this one looked so different.
"This is meant for my future mate," Damon explained as if he could read my thoughts. "It’s only right for you to have it, rather than that."
He gestured to the collar on my lap and I looked down as well, picking up the leather piece and massaging it between my fingers.
"Your future mate..." I trailed off, testing the feeling of those words on my tongue. "Wouldn’t that be your future luna as well?"
"Yes," Damon said with a nod. "And that position belongs to my fated mate. You."
"I can’t be your mate," I said, shaking my head.
"Why not?"
"I’m already mated to Blaise," I answered. "Surely you’re not trying to compete with your own brother?"
"I wouldn’t if we had different mates," Damon said plainly. "But if the Moon Goddess paired both of us with you, I am not going to question her reasons." He then continued in a softer voice, "Especially after all the shit you two put me through for doubting it even for a fraction of a second."
"But I don’t have an intention of having two mates―"
"Are you trying to go against the Goddess’s intentions?"
"What?" I asked, stumped.
Damon shrugged. "She paired us together for a reason, a reason which I am sure you’re starting to suspect as well. Isn’t that why you suddenly grew the guts to challenge me to a duel, knowing fully well that you would not stand a chance if you had no wolf?"
My jaw clamped shut, lips pursed together until they formed a straight line.
If Damon knew of the reason why I was so ballsy as to challenge him, that meant that he knew that I was stronger now after meeting them, for some reason. And the only way for him to know that — because mere observation once or twice wouldn’t have been enough — would be if he felt the same too.
He reached forward and placed the collar — or necklace, depending on how one looked at it — around my neck. I let him, staying completely still as he clipped it in place. I didn’t need to tug at it to know that just like the collar, it wasn’t going to come off unless Damon himself took it off my neck.
"I won’t become your luna," I said. However, my voice was much softer this time than all the other times I had declared the same thing. Perhaps I wasn’t as sure anymore, my own confidence wavering.
"Not now," Damon said. "You aren’t ready."
"I can’t be both you and Blaise’s mate. That will mess up the pack hierarchy."
"Not for now," came Damon’s reply. "But when you are ready to become the luna of Fangborne, the position will be yours." In a softer voice, he said, "It can only be yours."
The diamond beads were cold against my skin. They felt like little droplets of ice, cooling down my quickly rising body temperature. I couldn’t understand why the conversation with Damon had changed so drastically, nor why his attitude towards me had flipped so much ever since our challenge.
It felt as though the whole world had gone topsy-turvy and I could no longer make out right from wrong. A part of me wanted to accept Damon and see how far he would go for me — for us — but another part of me knew that if I did, it would just be a blatant betrayal of Blaise’s trust. frёewebnoѵēl.com
He was out there at the borders protecting the pack from harm and here I was, comfortable and safe in House Sirius, striking up sparks with his twin brother.
I was disgusted with myself.
"This is wrong," I murmured. Even though my voice was barely even above a whisper, I knew that Damon could hear it very clearly.
He leaned forward, his face merely inches apart from my own. From how closely spaced apart we were, I could even count the number of strands of eyelashes he had. His gaze dropped to my lips before meeting my eyes.
He said, "What is?"
"Us," I whispered back.
However, there was an undeniable heat rising through my body. I tried to squash it down but every attempt I made only made my body feel hotter than before. Every breath I took in only caused my desire to build and soon enough, my hands were clammy and my breaths were labored.
"I’m promised to someone else."
"But you’ve made a deal," he reminded me. "If you lose the challenge, you will have to spend the night with me."
"I can only spend the night with my mate."
"I am your mate," he said.
With his words, as though it was by a command, the mark he left on the right side of my shoulder began to tingle. It created an itch to burn through my entire body, scorching every bit of my flesh. I sought to extinguish it, but when my hands grazed across Damon’s skin, I realized that the only cure I needed was his touch.
"I can’t―"
"But you want to," Damon said, cutting me off. "I can see it in your eyes. Why lie to yourself, little rabbit?"
He leaned in, his lips just a hair’s breadth away from my own. I could almost taste him, and I instinctively swallowed. My mouth felt dry and my heart was racing a thousand miles an hour. An insatiable lust had grown within me, quickly overpowering all rational thought I had in my mind.
"Give in," he said. "Let me pleasure you."
