Chapter 102 - CLARA -

Hearing my growl, Damon immediately pulled away from the girl and turned to me, guilt evident in his eyes. He'd clearly done something wrong. I smiled at him, then turned back to the girl, who was frowning and glancing between us.

"What are you doing here, Alicia?" Delilah asked.

"I came back for Damon, but it seems he's moved on," Alicia murmured. As she spoke, her eyes rolled back, and she stumbled. Damon caught her before she fell.

"Get the doctor, Luca," he ordered, then carried Alicia to an empty room downstairs.

I was about to follow, but Delilah pulled me aside.

"What are you doing?" I asked. She sighed. "You know who she is, right? She's the girl my brothers fought over," she explained, pointing. I rolled my eyes; it was obvious.

"And?" I questioned, unable to hide my irritation.

"She's obsessed with Damon. You should be careful around her. She seems nice, but personally, I think she's a bitch," she muttered.

"That's why I need to be in there with them," I retorted, yanking my hand away and entering the room. The doctor arrived and examined Alicia. Meanwhile, I held Damon's arm tightly. He noticed my possessiveness and kissed me.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you too," I replied, smiling. The doctor declared Alicia fine, stating she'd fainted from exhaustion.

"Aren't we going on our date?" I asked. Before Damon could answer, Alicia weakly called his name.

"Damon," she murmured. He turned, but thankfully, he was still holding my hand.

"Why did you come back?" he asked in his usual cold tone. Alicia frowned. "I thought you'd be happy to see me. I'm very happy to see you, even though you have another woman," she murmured.

I frowned. "She's not just any woman. This is Clara, my wife and mate," Damon stated. A proud smile spread across my face, contrasting with Alicia's shocked expression.

"Wife? You married her?" Alicia asked. Damon rolled his eyes. "Why are you back here?" he repeated.

She sighed. "I caught a deadly disease, Damon. I've searched everywhere for the right herbs, but the disease keeps returning because I can't find the night herbs. They're rare, but your father has them, so I came here to make medicine."

I felt bad for judging her. She'd only come to heal herself.

"You know everyone thinks you're dead, right? How did you even get in here?" Damon asked.

"I felt bad about running away after treating your mother, so I sent a letter to your father explaining everything. That's why he let your brother go so easily. I knew I'd be back, and I didn't want any bad blood. As for everyone else, they can think what they want," she explained. We all stared at her. I didn't know how to react. Even though Damon said he'd never loved her, I couldn't shake the fact she'd once been his best friend and confidante. Jealousy gnawed at me, but I tried to hide it.

"Did my father know of your arrival?" Damon asked. She nodded. "He wanted to take me to the pack house, but I wanted to see you first. You still look as handsome as ever," she murmured. My fingers tightened around Damon's.

"Give her a room for tonight, but find her a house tomorrow. She can't stay here," Damon ordered. Alicia frowned. "But why? We used to stay here together all the time," she said. I frowned; I didn't know if she was trying to provoke me, but if so, it was working.

"Well, I'm married now, and this is my matrimonial home. Rest now; we'll talk tomorrow," Damon muttered, taking my hand and leaving the room, despite Alicia's calls.

Outside the room, he grabbed my hand. "I'm sorry, Clara. We were supposed to be on a date," he murmured.

"No worries, we can go another time," I said, smiling slightly. He kissed me. "We'll still plan the wedding tomorrow, okay? Her being here doesn't change anything. You know that, right?" he asked. I nodded. He pulled me into his arms, and I sighed contentedly.

After talking with Luca, Damon and I went to our room. I was upset about the missed date, and Damon noticed, showering me with kisses. He pulled me into bed, and I rested my head on his chest.

"You don't have to worry about Alicia. She's nice, and she knows I'm with you, so she'll back off. Even if she doesn't, I'm your husband, and nothing will change that," he murmured. I smiled as he kissed me. His words reassured me, but that feeling faded when I woke to find him gone the next morning.