Chapter 221

This was a terrible idea. No excuses, no upside, no noble sacrifice. Just bad.

I exhaled, eyes closed briefly as I checked on my wolf. Before even getting in the car, I’d made my position clear: no dramatics, no stubbornness. If I called, she’d listen. A flicker of amusement was my only response, but I trusted she’d be there if needed.

The restaurant was unnervingly empty, a vast, stage-like space. Damien wasn't there yet, but I knew better than to relax.

The door creaked. I stiffened. Steady footsteps. My wolf growled, the vibration deep in my chest. I spun around, expecting Damien.

It was Grayson.

We stood, speechless. I didn't know what to say, or why he was here. Had Damien called him? Or had he followed me?

More footsteps. My wolf’s growl turned savage. I glanced away from Grayson just as Damien strolled in from the other side, that familiar, infuriating smile plastered on his face. A smile I'd once found reassuring, a smile I now knew was utterly fake. Every single one of them.

“The golden couple graces me with their presence,” he purred, arms outstretched. “What an honor.”

I opened my mouth, but he raised a hand, silencing me. “The vault’s rules apply here, Little Dove. Don’t speak unless I allow it. I still have a target on all your friends… and non-friends.” His gaze flicked to Grayson, a dark twist to his smirk.

“You know, you frown too much,” Damien mused. “Wrinkles aren’t a good look. Why do I smile so much? Because I’m a lunatic,” I spat.

Damien's smirk sharpened, his eyes flashing. Grayson remained silent, but the tension radiating from him was palpable. Even without his wolf, his commanding presence was undeniable. A sliver of reassurance pierced my dread. But I shoved it aside. I didn’t need him.

“This tension is suffocating,” Damien sighed dramatically, moving toward the door. “Let’s clear the air.”

I glanced at Grayson; his eyes were fixed on the doorway, his expression cold. Then, with chilling nonchalance, Damien vanished.

Seconds later, he returned carrying a single chair. He set it down, flipped it, and straddled it backward. His eyes flickered between us, amusement glinting.

“Tense,” he observed, shaking his head. “Expected more warmth… chemistry. Trouble in paradise?”

My jaw clenched. “Don’t,” I warned.

Ignoring me, he studied Grayson. “Your Highness, do you ever stop brooding long enough to talk to her?”

“Enough,” Grayson interrupted, his voice like ice.

Damien arched a brow. Grayson stepped forward, gaze locked on Damien. “No more games. What do you want?”

Damien laughed, a low, amused sound. “Ah, there it is. That lovely edge I’ve been waiting for.”

Silence. Then, Damien leaned forward, eyes glittering. “Alright, then. Let’s get to the good part, shall we?”

The room was impossibly still. Damien’s eyes snapped to the window behind us. His smirk widened.

“I have a question,” he mused. “Why is the curse still intact? He marked his fated mate.”

Grayson froze. The shift in his presence was jarring. My teeth ground together.

Damien’s smirk stretched. “Oh,” he breathed, delighted. “You didn’t tell him, did you, Little Dove? About the misunderstanding? How your sister, the one I took, was supposed to be his fated mate? It was you all along.”

My breath hitched. I couldn’t look at Grayson, couldn’t see the realization dawn on his face, the understanding that we were meant to be.

Damien whistled. “So many secrets. Time to level the playing field.” His eyes snapped to me. “You found out about your sister after he threw you out. He knew she existed. He was searching for her. He had his PI looking for her, believing she was his fated mate.”

My chest tightened. Damien’s gaze drifted to Grayson. “Of course, he failed. Couldn’t find a trace of her.”

I forced myself to look at Grayson. “You knew? You knew I had a twin sister? You thought she was your fated mate? And you didn’t tell me?”

For a heartbeat, his gaze softened, a flicker of regret. Then it hardened. “Get to the point,” he said to Damien.

Damien sighed. “You were all just pieces on my board. And now? Refusing to work through your issues. Refusing the truth.” His eyes found mine, chilling amusement in their depths. “But no matter. I have a proposition, Little Dove.”

I stiffened. “I know what you are,” he said, his voice dropping, the playfulness gone. “The product of a prophecy. The vessel of something ancient. My mistake was trying to kill you instead of harnessing you.”

The air crackled. “I accept my misstep. But I offer you something greater than any chains. You and I, together, could take the realm. With your power and my influence, we’d be unstoppable.” His gaze flicked to Grayson. “They would be nothing.”

Silence. Then I exhaled, tilting my head. “And that was supposed to tempt me?”

Damien frowned, then his smirk returned, smoother than before. “What if I promised you something more? A real family, more connected than anyone could imagine?”

My pulse stuttered.

“You and I,” Damien said, his voice almost gentle, “We’ve always made a good team. That’s not just history, it’s nature. A trait I shared with both Pierce daughters.” He paused. “It’s time you met your sister, Little Dove.”