Alpha Damon novel Chapter 90

Sienna:

The morning light poured through the large windows, soft and golden, casting quiet warmth across the floorboards. I smiled at the familiar scent, one that I found myself growing accustomed to.

I blinked my eyes open slowly, disoriented for a moment until I processed where I was. I frowned, quickly sitting up.

Damon’s suite…

Not my old room. Not the infirmary. Not in Isla’s nursery. His suite. His room.

How…?

Damon had thanked me. And then he left, that was what I remembered. I sat on the rocking chair when he did, but…

Seriously…?

Not just for stopping his mother, but for being there. For seeing through the storm and doing something he didn’t expect. For being stronger than even he thought I could be.

I rubbed my fingers together absentmindedly, remembering how warm his hand had felt on my arm before he walked out of the nursery.

The quiet knock on the door startled me.

I turned quickly, and it opened just enough for his familiar voice to slide through.

“You’re up.”

“And I’m somehow here,” I said, looking him in the eye. He smirked, but was quick to hide it as he looked away.

“You dozed off on the rocking chair. I figured bringing you here to get some sleep would be a lot more comfortable than the chair.” He stated, casually as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“You could have woken me up.”

“You looked to be in peace. I didn’t want to ruin that.” He said, and a small smile formed on my lips before I masked it, doing my best to try and hide it from him.

He walked toward his dresser, dressed in dark slacks and a fitted black shirt, sleeves rolled up to his forearms. His hair was still slightly damp, like he’d just showered. There was something softer about him this morning, less guarded, though he still wore that signature unreadable look in his eyes.

“I didn’t think you’d knock, you know, considering that you brought me here to sleep.” I said, pulling the blanket a little tighter around me. “You don’t usually bother.”

Damon’s brow lifted slightly. “You’re in my room. I figure to be polite.”

“I was in your room,” I corrected. “But now I’m awake, and I’m not sure what that makes this anymore.”

He smirked faintly and walked in, stopping near the foot of the bed. “You’re in my bed. Still counts.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re insufferable in the morning.’

“”

“And you’re still in my bed, it doesn’t really change the reality of things, does it?” he repeated, the smirk growing before it faded into something more serious. “How did you sleep? You seem to have passed out on the chair to the point where you didn’t even feel me carrying you.”

His tone had shifted. Less teasing now. Less distant. It caught me off guard.

I hesitated, then answered truthfully. “Better than I have in weeks. It seems that I needed the rest more than I would have wanted to admit.”

He nodded slowly, eyes meeting mine. “Good. At least you got it.”

The air between us thickened.

And I hated how easy it was to let those words sink into my chest.

I took a shaky breath. “Then stop acting like I’m disposable. Like you’re doing me a favor by letting me stay.” Damon’s gaze didn’t move from mine. “You’re not disposable. Not to me.”

We stood there, both of us too stubborn to back down, too proud to admit how far we’d fallen into each other’s gravity.

And then a soft knock interrupted us.

A maid peeked in gently. “Miss De Luca… Isla is awake.”

I nodded, swallowing hard. “I’ll be right there.”

Damon stepped back, his hand falling away from mine slowly. “I’ll come with you.”

I stared at him. “You don’t have to.”

“I want to.”

It wasn’t just a statement.

It was a choice.

And maybe, just maybe, it was a start.