Chapter 234 The Alpha King’s Claim
Aria’s POV
Instead of answering, Damian reached for my hand—the one wearing the ring.
The massive diamond caught the light, throwing rainbow fractals across the ceiling, and the matching platinum band sat heavy and perfect on his finger.
"What are you doing?" I asked, but he was already positioning our hands together, fingers interlaced, rings prominently displayed.
The camera shutter clicked.
Once. Twice. Three times.
"Damian—"
"Trust me," he said quietly, and something in his voice made me go still.
I watched as he examined the photos critically, selected the best one, and then—to my complete shock—opened his own phone and began typing rapidly.
"Wait," I said, my brain finally catching up. "Is that your verified account? The official Alpha King account?"
He didn’t answer, just kept typing with single-minded focus.
Within seconds, he’d uploaded our photo—our hands, our rings, unmistakably together—with a caption that made my heart stop.
Mated. Anyone who suggests otherwise will answer to me personally.
He tagged several of the gossip accounts that had been spreading the photos. Then, for good measure, he tagged the original article.
"Oh my God," I breathed. "Damian, that’s—that account has the blue check. Millions of followers. Every pack on the planet follows it. Everyone’s going to see this."
"That’s the point." He looked at me, expression fierce and utterly unrepentant. "I want everyone to see it. I want there to be absolutely no question about who you are to me."
My face was burning hot, a mix of embarrassment and something that felt suspiciously like joy flooding my system.
"This is insane. The King’s verified Instagram, Damian. Your press office is going to have a heart attack."
"Probably." He turned his attention to my phone, still logged into my Instagram. "Now it’s your turn."
"My turn to what?"
"To post." He was already uploading the same photo to my account, his fingers moving with practiced ease across the screen. "What should we say?"
I stared at him, then at the phone, then back at him. "I—what?"
"The caption," he clarified patiently. "What do you want it to say?"
My mind was completely blank. What did you say when publicly claiming the Alpha King as your mate?
When announcing to the entire supernatural world that you—a human, an outsider—belonged to the most powerful wolf alive?
"I don’t know," I admitted, my voice coming out smaller than I’d intended. "This is all happening so fast."
Damian’s expression softened. He cupped my face in his hands, thumbs brushing across my heated cheeks. "Then let me."
He took my phone back and typed four simple words.
He’s my mate.
Short. Direct. Unmistakable.
"Is that okay?" he asked quietly.
I couldn’t speak past the lump in my throat, so I just nodded.
He posted it, then immediately reposted it to his verified account with an added note: And I’m hers.
"There," he said, setting both phones aside with an air of finality. "Done."
"Just like that?" I asked incredulously. "You just—you just announced to the entire world that we’re together?"
"I just announced to the entire world that you’re mine," he corrected, pulling me onto his lap. "And that I’m yours. There’s a difference."
"Damian—"
"No more mystery woman," he said firmly. "No more speculation. No more gossip about whether this is real or serious or temporary. Everyone knows now. You’re my mate, my partner, my equal. And anyone who has a problem with that can take it up with me directly."
I stared at him, this impossibly complicated, devastatingly attractive man who’d somehow decided I was worth claiming publicly. Worth fighting for. Worth everything.
"You’re really not worried about the backlash?" I asked softly. "About what people will say when they find out your mate is human?"
"Let them talk." His arms tightened around me. "I’ve spent my entire life worrying about perception, about politics, about doing what’s expected of an Alpha King. But with you? I don’t care about any of that. You’re mine, Aria. And I’m not going to hide that from anyone."
Something warm and overwhelming bloomed in my chest, spreading through my entire body until I felt like I might burst from it.
"I love you," I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
His eyes widened. Darkened. "Say that again."
"I love you," I repeated, stronger this time. More certain. "I know it’s fast and probably crazy and we barely know each other, but I—"
He kissed me.
Hard and deep and possessive, one hand tangling in my still-damp hair while the other pressed against the small of my back, holding me flush against him.
When he finally pulled away, we were both breathing hard.
"I love you too," he said roughly, his forehead pressed against mine. "So fucking much it terrifies me."
I laughed, the sound slightly watery. "Good. I’d hate to be the only terrified one here."
He smiled—genuinely smiled—and the sight of it made my heart stutter in my chest.
"Come on," he murmured, shifting us both until we were lying down properly, still tangled together. "Let’s sleep. "
Exhaustion was pulling at me now, heavy and insistent, and Damian’s arms were warm and safe around me.
So I let my eyes drift closed, let myself sink into the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, and tried not to think about what tomorrow might bring.
Because tonight—just for tonight—I had everything I needed right here.
---
Author’s POV
The internet erupted overnight.
Within hours, trending topics exploded across every social media platform. Before Damian’s identity had been officially confirmed, people had speculated in hushed whispers, but no one dared state it outright.
Now? The Alpha King himself had entered the conversation.
Not only had he shut down the Vanessa rumors without so much as mentioning her name, he’d publicly announced his mating bond—to a completely different woman—for the entire world to see.
This was Damian Blackwood, after all.
A figure shrouded in mystery even within the supernatural community. Ruthless. Powerful. The kind of Alpha King who commanded respect through sheer presence alone.
Someone like him was supposed to focus solely on power and territory expansion. Mates were meant to be political arrangements, strategic alliances.
How could someone so formidable publicly declare his bond just to shut down gossip? And with such blatant affection, no less. The man was acting like a complete mate-obsessed Alpha.
It was unprecedented.
Within minutes of Damian’s post going live, the tabloid accounts that had been shamelessly riding the gossip wave scrambled to delete their articles. Every single one of them vanished as if they’d never existed.
The trending topics shifted dramatically. "Vanessa Crane Romance Scandal" became "Alpha King Damian Blackwood Announces Mate Bond" and "Vanessa Crane Rumors Debunked."
But while Damian’s announcement had been a crushing blow to Vanessa’s fans and the media outlets, it was incredibly well-received by the general public.
The image of a powerful Alpha publicly claiming his mate? It was irresistible. Romantic. The kind of story people wanted to believe in.
The official alpha King account gained over a million followers overnight. Even Aria’s barely-used Instagram account jumped by nearly a hundred thousand.