Chapter 4

Elena shrieked, stumbling back a few steps as she clutched her burning cheek.

Her eyes flared with rage as she glared at the rogue. "You filthy rogue! How dare you lay a hand on me?

"Go and tear him to pieces!"

The four bodyguards immediately lunged at the rogue.

Despite his scrawny appearance, the rogue was surprisingly fast.

He slipped through them like a shadow, landing precise, brutal blows to their vital spots.

Within seconds, all four giant bodyguards were down on the floor.

Elena turned pale. She scrambled behind a pillar, ripping off a diamond ring and hurling it at a bystander.

She shrieked, "Call Damon. Get him over here right now!"

The man caught it, bowed frantically, and scrambled out the door.

The rogue's face darkened, his long strides carrying him straight toward Elena.

Panicking, Elena shrieked at me, "Sylvia, call him off. Damon will destroy you if you don't!"

I knew what Damon was capable of; that terror was etched into my very bones from my previous life.

"Wait," I called out, trying to stop the rogue.

But he ignored me, marching straight toward Elena.

"Help!" Elena screamed, covering her head as she scrambled to run.

At that exact moment, the tavern doors burst open.

Damon stormed in, flanked by a squad of formidable pack warriors.

Elena threw herself into his arms, sobbing. "Damon, save me. Sylvia is trying to kill me!"

"You've got a death wish!" Damon roared, his guards swarming the rogue and slamming him to the floor.

Tough as the rogue was, he couldn't fight off an entire squad alone.

Damon stared down at him with absolute contempt before redirecting his fury toward me.

He said, "Sylvia, I get that you're bitter about the rejection, but that was my decision. If you have a problem, take it out on me. Don't harass Elena."

I laughed coldly, pointing at the shredded invitations littering the floor. "Open your eyes, Damon. Look around and tell me who actually started this fight."

Elena sniffled, tears pooling in her eyes. "I only came to invite her to our mating ceremony out of courtesy. If she still has feelings for you, I-I wouldn't mind sharing you. I wanted to help."

"Elena!" Damon was so moved that his voice shook. "You shouldn't compromise like this. I swore I'd take care of you for the rest of my life, and I meant it."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Elena's talent for playing the victim was truly a work of art.

Damon swallowed every single word.

He shot me a freezing glare. "Sylvia, we are done. Stop trying to claw your way back into my life."

He slipped an arm around Elena's waist, ready to lead her out.

"Ouch!" Elena let out a soft yelp, her knees buckling as she slumped to the floor.

Damon caught her immediately. "Elena! What's wrong?"

She glanced at the pinned rogue, whispering weakly, "That rogue... he shoved me earlier."

Damon's face went pale, his hand instantly flying to her stomach. "Is the baby okay?"

"I think so," she murmured. "My ankle hurts a bit; that's all."

Without hesitation, Damon scooped her into his arms and barked at his guards, "This rogue dared to touch my mate. Beat him to death."

Nestled against his chest, Elena peeked over his shoulder and shot me a triumphant smirk.

Fury surged through me. I lunged forward, shielding the rogue. "Stop! Damon, you're the Warwick heir. Since when do you execute people on a whim?"

Damon's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You're defying me over a filthy rogue?"

I refused to back down, locking eyes with him. "I don't care who he is. I won't let you touch him."

"Unbelievable," Damon spat, menace flashing in his eyes, a cruel laugh escaping his lips. "The more you protect him, the more bones I'll break."

He grabbed a heavy glass bottle from the counter, swinging it straight toward the rogue's head.

Before the glass could shatter, a dark figure intercepted the blow, catching the bottle with a bare hand.

Several Enforcer Hall men in sharp black uniforms strode into the tavern.

"Lord Damon, trying to commit a murder in broad daylight?" their leader said.