Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 204 That’s it?
Victoria’s POV
Grace thought my secret had something to do with last night’s troublemakers.
I texted her back: "Damien and I are together now."
Three little dots appeared as she typed, followed by her response.
"That’s it? I thought you were going to tell me some earth-shattering secret."
Clearly, Grace wasn’t impressed with my revelation. My wolf, Nora, huffed inside me, slightly offended by our friend’s casual reaction.
"How is this not a secret?" I replied, fingers flying across my phone screen. "Aren’t you even a little surprised?"
"Not at all. I saw this coming miles away. You two have been circling each other like wolves during mating season. Getting together was inevitable—hardly qualifies as a secret."
I could practically hear Grace’s smug tone through the text. My cheeks warmed slightly as I realized how transparent we must have been.
"How was it so obvious? Damien and I were perfectly innocent before..." I challenged, though my wolf growled in disagreement. Nora had recognized Damien as our potential mate long before I admitted it to myself.
"You might as well have had ’We’re sleeping together’ tattooed across your foreheads. I’m too smart not to notice," Grace replied. "I’m happy for you both, but don’t lose your head like you did with Ethan. Make Damien work for it. Let him love you, not the other way around."
Her words carried genuine concern, and warmth bloomed in my chest. Grace had always been the friend who told me hard truths when I needed to hear them. After my devastating experience with Ethan, her protective instincts had only intensified.
"Don’t worry," I texted back. "I’m not an idiot. Lightning won’t strike me twice in the same spot."
"I wouldn’t be so sure. You’re pretty gullible, Victoria."
I snorted at her assessment. "I am not!"
"Then how did Damien get you into his bed so easily?" Grace’s teasing reply came instantly.
"It wasn’t easy at all," I defended myself. "I made my decision after careful consideration. And ’gullible’ isn’t the right word—he’s been genuinely honest with me."
A smile curved my lips as I typed. The bond between Damien and me felt nothing like what I’d experienced with Ethan. This was raw, powerful, and genuine—a true mate bond that transcended the physical attraction.
As I was texting, I sensed Damien’s presence behind me. His warm breath tickled my neck as he leaned in close, his scent—smoky cedar with hints of midnight rose—enveloping me like a sensual blanket.
"Who has you smiling like that?" he murmured, his lips grazing my ear. "Should I be jealous that someone else has captured your attention so completely?"
My wolf purred at his proximity, but I kept my composure. "Absolutely. This happens to be my beloved Grace. We’ve known each other much longer than I’ve known you."
Damien’s arms slid around my waist, pulling me back against his broad chest. The possessive gesture sent pleasant shivers down my spine, but I maintained my teasing tone. When I mentioned Grace, I couldn’t help the genuine affection that colored my voice—she truly was my rock through everything.
"You love Grace the most. Where does that leave me?" Damien asked, his voice dropping to that possessive growl that made Nora want to bare our throat in submission.
I pretended to consider the question. "You’ll have to settle for further down the list."
"How far down?" His teeth grazed my earlobe, and I fought to keep my breathing steady.
"Grandfather comes first, then Grace."
"Can I at least be third?" His large hands splayed across my stomach, warm and confident.
"I suppose that’s acceptable... barely." I tried to sound nonchalant, but my racing pulse betrayed me.
"Third place is better than I expected," Damien murmured, seeming genuinely pleased. His wolf, Arthur, radiated satisfaction through our developing bond.
The truth was, having anyone rank in my top three was remarkable. After Ethan’s betrayal, I’d built walls around my heart that I never expected anyone to scale. Yet somehow, Damien had climbed right over them with his persistent pursuit and genuine care.
The days that followed were filled with a blissful intimacy I’d never experienced before. Damien used his injured arm as an excuse to demand my attention at every opportunity, and I found myself unable—and unwilling—to refuse him.
One evening as I was preparing dinner in his gourmet kitchen, Damien came up behind me, pressing his hard body against mine. His hands slid beneath my shirt, exploring the sensitive skin of my stomach.
"How much longer until dinner?" he whispered, nipping at my neck where his mark proudly displayed our bond.
"Twenty minutes," I gasped as his fingers dipped below the waistband of my jeans. "But I need to focus or it’ll burn."
"Twenty minutes is plenty of time," he growled, spinning me around and lifting me onto the counter. "I’ve been thinking about tasting you all day."
My wolf howled her approval as he dropped to his knees, tugging my jeans down my legs. When his hot mouth found its target, dinner was forgotten entirely.
Later, as we lay tangled together on the couch, my head resting on his chest, I traced the tattoo that curved around his bicep—a stylized wolf that mirrored his powerful spirit animal.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, running his fingers through my golden hair.
"How different this is," I admitted. "With Ethan, I was always holding back, hiding who I really was. With you..."
"With me?" he prompted.
"With you, I feel like I can finally breathe." I pressed a kiss to his chest, right above his heart. "Like I don’t have to pretend anymore."
His arms tightened around me. "You never have to pretend with me, Victoria. Your wolf, your power, your alpha status—it’s all part of what makes you mine."
As I drifted to sleep in his arms, I realized that for the first time in my life, I truly believed those words. Damien Sterling wasn’t just my lover or my mate—he was becoming my home.
