Chapter 163 Damian... could I talk to you?
Aria’s POV
I felt Damian’s body tense beneath my hand.
He knew what she was implying. That he owed Vanessa something. That he should be at her bedside, not mine.
"Vanessa," Damian said, his voice measured. "Thank you for what you did tonight."
It wasn’t warm. It wasn’t cold, either. Just... formal. Detached.
He kept his arm around me the entire time.
Vanessa’s eyes fluttered open. For a moment, her gaze locked onto Damian, and I saw something flicker in her expression—hope, maybe, or longing.
But then she saw the way he was holding me. The way his hand rested possessively on my hip. The way he stood like a wall between me and the rest of the room.
Her face went even paler.
"It’s nothing," she whispered. "Luna Queen is my business partner. I couldn’t just... stand by and watch her get hurt."
Her voice was soft. Weak. But her eyes stayed on Damian the whole time.
I felt a pang of something—pity, maybe—but I pushed it down.
Vanessa’s mother looked like she wanted to say more, but her husband placed a hand on her arm, silencing her.
"This debt won’t be forgotten," Damian said quietly. "If there’s anything you need—anything at all—you can reach out to me or Luna Aria."
He said my name deliberately. Linking us together. Making it clear that we were a unit.
Vanessa’s expression crumpled, just for a second, before she forced a smile.
"Thank you, Alpha King."
The room fell into an awkward silence.
Then Vanessa spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Damian... could I talk to you? Just for a minute?"
I felt him go still beside me.
"Alone," Vanessa added, her gaze sliding to me. "Please, Luna Queen. Just for a moment."
I hesitated. Part of me wanted to step outside, to give her that.
But Damian’s grip on me tightened before I could move. His fingers pressed into my hip, firm and unyielding.
I glanced up at him, searching his face.
"It’s okay," I murmured. "I trust you."
And I did. Whatever history he had with Vanessa, it was over. I knew that.
But Damian didn’t move.
"Alpha King," Vanessa’s mother said, her voice rising.
"Vanessa has known you since you were children. Surely you can spare her a few minutes of your time. After everything she’s done for you—"
"Luna Crane," Damian interrupted, his tone cutting through the room like a blade.
"I appreciate everything the Riverside Pack has done for me over the years. Truly. If there’s ever an opportunity to repay that debt, I will."
He paused, his gaze hard.
"But that repayment will not come at the expense of my relationship with my wife."
The room went silent.
Vanessa’s mother opened her mouth, then closed it again, her face flushing.
Her father’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Damian turned his attention back to Vanessa.
"If you have something to say, you can say it here. Aria is my Queen. I have no secrets from her."
His voice was calm. Steady. Absolute.
"And if you’d prefer not to speak in front of her," he continued, gesturing to Rick, "my Beta can handle whatever you need."
Vanessa flinched like she’d been slapped.
Her eyes filled with tears, and for a moment, I thought she might actually break down.
But then she swallowed hard, forcing the tears back.
"You don’t have to treat me like I’m some kind of threat," she said, her voice shaking.
"I just wanted to tell you that... that I’m done. I’m letting go. From now on, we’re just... acquaintances. That’s it."
She looked at him, her expression raw and pleading.
"So you don’t have to keep pushing me away like this. Like I’m dangerous."
Damian’s face didn’t change.
"You’re not dangerous, Vanessa," he said quietly. "But you need to move on."
Vanessa’s mother made a small, choked sound. Her father looked away, his mouth pressed into a thin line.
I couldn’t stand it anymore. The tension in the room was suffocating.
"Vanessa," I said gently, stepping forward slightly.
"You don’t need to worry. Damian isn’t going to treat you differently because of the past. I’ll make sure you have access to the best doctors, the best care. Whatever you need to recover."
I met her gaze, trying to convey sincerity.
"You saved my life tonight. I won’t forget that."
She stared at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable.
Then she looked away.
"Thank you, Luna Queen."
I turned to Damian, touching his arm lightly.
"We should go," I murmured. "Let her rest."
He nodded once, his hand sliding to the small of my back as he guided me toward the door.
"Luna Crane. Alpha Crane," he said, inclining his head slightly. "Take care."
And then we left.
I didn’t look back.
But as we walked down the hallway, I heard it—the sound of Vanessa crying.
Soft at first. Then louder.
Her mother’s voice, soothing and heartbroken.
Her father’s, low and bitter.
"She needs to let him go."
"She can’t. You know she can’t."
I closed my eyes briefly, my chest tightening.
Damian’s hand pressed against my back, steady and warm.
"Don’t," he said quietly. "Don’t feel guilty."
"I don’t," I lied.
He didn’t call me on it. He just kept walking, his presence solid and unshakable beside me.
And for the first time that night, I let myself lean into him.
Because whatever happened next, I knew one thing for certain.
Damian wasn’t going anywhere.
And neither was I.