Chapter 31
SOPHIA’S POV
I was taken to the station and kept in the holding cell for eight hours.
Yes eight hours.
I counted the time, my eyes never leaving the clock on the wall.
When the door finally opened, I flinched.
A police officer stood there, his expression bored.
“You’re free to go.” He said.
I blinked in shock. “What p>
“Someone posted bail for you p>
I couldn’t help but ask who.
He shrugged. “You can ask them yourself p>
I stood slowly. My legs were stiff from sitting for too long. My body was heavy too. My first thought was my family. Maybe Marco had bailed me. Or mom. Or Dad.
However when I walked out of the station and saw who it was I stopped dead.
Damien.
He stood by the curb, leaning against his car. His suit jacket was gone. His tie was loosened. His jaw was tight and expression looked flat and annoyed. He looked tired, but not worried. Not relieved. Just irritated.
For a moment, I could only stare.
Of all people… him. Why did he bail me out?
My wolf stirred uneasily inside me.
“Damien,” I approached him.
He straightened and looked at me like he had been waiting to get this over with. I hesitated, then forced the words out.
“Thank you… for the bail p>
He did not reply to that. Instead, he spat out. “Get in the car p>
Of course. He showed no concern. He didn’t ask questions. He just ordered. And I obeyed. I had no option but to.
The drive was silent. Painfully so. I stared out the window, watching streetlights blur past.
After a long stretch of road, Damien finally spoke, breaking the quiet.
“How could you act so recklessly. Do you have any idea what you’ve done p>
What I had done?
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I knew this was going to happen, that he was going to berate me, but not like this.
“What did I do p>
He glanced at me like I’d asked a stupid question. “You assaulted a man in public,” he hissed. “You got arrested. You were handcuffed. Dragged out like a criminal in public p>
“And p>
“Did you pause to think what that would mean for my reputation? For the royal family’s? For your daughter p>
My face paled.
“What you did today would affect Ashley more,” he said. “The pack members will talk. They’ll question her upbringing. They’ve always thought you unfit and crazy to be a Luna p>
My chest tightened.
“Now they’ll see you unfit to be a mother p>
The words crushed me. Tears spilled before I could stop them. I turned toward him.
“What more do you want from me p>
He didn’t look at me.
“I never knew I was your Luna in the first place, I never cared what your people think of me but this… telling me I’m unfit to be a mother, entertaining the thought my breath caught as I wheezed, just what more do you want from me p>
“This isn’t about what I want,” he said flatly. “It’s about Ashley p>
I laughed weakly through the tears. “It’s always about Ashley when we both know what you want is to control me p>
He ignored that.
“Her school’s Thanksgiving event is next week,” he said. “You’ll attend p>
Just like I said. Control. Here he was proving me right.
I wiped my face with shaking hands. “No p>
He frowned. “What p>
“I won’t be attending. I already promised my niece I would accompany her that day p>
“Are you choosing your niece instead of your daughter p>
“Yes p>
“Are you being for serious right now p>
It was my turn to say nothing and keep mute.
Then—“if you won’t attend,” the words came out slowly, “Tiffany will go instead p>
He said nothing after waiting for my reply. I know he said her name to hurt me. But unfortunately for him this time it didn’t.
I turned away.
“Do whatever you want p>
“You say?” He clearly was not expecting that.
“I said do whatever you want. I don’t care anymore p>