Elena POV
"Your mate is cheating on you."
That was the first thing I saw when I blinked awake, the blue glow of my phone screen cutting through the morning haze. The words burned into my retinas, cruelly clear even though my brain still felt fogged with sleep.
For a heartbeat, I just stared. Then my chest tightened, anger flashing hot and sharp—at whoever had dared send that.
Okay, so Damon is many things. A tyrant. A ruthless killer. A man who carries the heads of witches like trophies and demands loyalty sealed in blood. He's cold, terrifying, and half the time too wrapped up in his obsession with power to even notice me.
But never—not once—had I thought of him as a cheater.
My wolf, Zena, reacted instantly, a vicious growl vibrating through my bones. Lies. Her voice thundered in my head, primal and protective. Our mate may be cruel, but he is ours. Ours alone. Whoever sent this dares to defame him—rip their throat out.
