DAMIAN

I knew coming here was a risk.

It's my home. I grew up here and I've longed to be back but not like this. Never like this. Before I went to earth and meet Camille, I did what was asked of me irrespective of the consequences. It was all about getting the job done and I was good at it, but it's all changed when I met the sassy young lady who can't keep her mouth shut to save herself. She doesn't know this but she taught me how to follow my heart, go with my gut, and the first thing I thought when I saw Jessica hurt was doing everything I could to save her, anything that would prevent us bringing her here because I feel like everything father and El has been planning would be easier.

Camille can sense something's wrong but she doesn't ask, and I appreciate that because I don't know how to explain. I can't shake the irritating feeling that something bad is about to happen. I don't feel scared because I've been up against all sort of monsters and lived through it all but this time I don't know... I'm not sure if I would be able to live through it.

She wanted to see the realm, I showed her my favorite places but she didn't know it. Haygun was where I grew up, it was a finsia gunsdi and if I were to translate that to English, I'd say it's a no man's place. No one goes there because that places house some of the most dangerous plants in the realm and so past El put the place out of the map and walkable area. Father's job kept him away a lot and if I wasn't working or doing anything, I went there to watch the realm from above. It's easier to learn somethings from studying and that was what I did.

She told me she wanted to participate in the knife festival because she thought it was fun, I let her because I know there was no stopping her.

Camille does whatever she wants and never takes no for an answer. It was funny seeing her among the Dihipian women seeking life partners. She was having fun but not as much fun as she wanted. I know this because I can see how her face curled in disgust when the first set found each other. She didn't like it but she continued.

Honestly, I also find it boring. I've done this dance for so long that now I just think they are all just wasting their time but then something happens.

The pull.

I feel that first before walking away from the crowd and walking past the men rounding the women. I reach into my pocket and remove the mate dagger that I don't remember putting there, and tosses it forward. I never knew how the mate bond work, all I know is you'll know when it's ready and I wait as my knife goes for my one. Not surprised when it's hit Camille. I can't explain the pull I felt but I've always knew my one is Camille. I'm not sure when my feelings changed or how I knew for certain that she is but I know and this confirms that Camille is my mate.

She turns back and freeze when she sees me coming for her. Her frozen face holds a questioning look, she's confused and she shouldn't be. I've explained how this works and she said she wanted to participate, nobody forced her.

"What the fuck–"

I cut her off before she can start with me. "You were supposed to wait for me to remove the knife before turning," I tell her. It doesn't changes anything but tradition.

Everyone around us is surprised because they all thought I'm not destined for a mate. Camille might not look so different from us but they know she's a stranger.

Ignoring them, I move closer to her and stop in front of her. "Damian, what is happening?" She asks. The men feels the bond first, so she probably doesn't understand what's going on.

I wrap my arms around her waist, my hand searches her back until it stops at the steel impaled in her. I remove it and put it back in my pocket before looking into her eyes. I already feel what I need to feel and done everything I need to do, what happens next is all on her.

She gasps after I remove the knife and stares at me, her pupil dilates and without wasting time she brings her hand behind my neck and pulls my head down until our forehead is touching and that's when we begin we feeling everything.

The rest of the crowd disappears, leaving just she and I in our own world. My eyes closes but my inner eyes opens, seeing Camille for who she is, who she's always meant to be. Mine.

The moment breaks when she opens her eyes and takes a step back. I open my eyes and watch her wrapping her arms around herself. "What just happened?" She asks.

"You're my mate, Camille."

She frowns. "So that's it? You stabbed me with a knife, press your forehead against mine and suddenly we're mates?"

"I... I don't understand, didn't you feel what I just felt?"

She shakes her head. "Oh yes I did but everything I just felt is the same feeling I've had for you since we met and now because of some stupid tradition, you think it's okay to feel the same way. It's not done like that, you're–"

I do the unthinkable as I lunge forward and slam my lips against hers, shutting her up.

She pushes me away and raises her hand to slap my cheek, my head don't move and while I don't feel anything physically, I feel her pain, her confusion.

"You do not get to kiss me." She looks angry and I don't know why. I try tapping into her memories but that's a crime here.

"You're angry, why?"

She shakes her head and stops when she notices we are still at the festival grounds. "Get me out of here and we'll talk."

I carry her in my arms and fly her to her room. I want to show her my room and let her know everything about me but I can't do that if she's angry with me.

"Tell me what's wrong." I beg when we're alone.

She runs her hands through her hair and glares at me. "You're what's wrong. I can't be your mate."

"Why?"

"Because you Dihipians don't do physical and right now all I need is being close to you... Physically. Yes, the forehead thing is intimate enough but that just worsen the case because I'm a girl and–"

"If you want me to touch you Camille, all you need to do is ask. Do you want me to touch you?" I ask.

She raises her eyebrows in a are-you-kidding-me way. "Yes! Why the hell would I be angry? I just find out that the guy that I've been crushing on for a while is actually my soulmate. So hells yeah, touch me and don't stop."

I smirk. "I never plan to." I pull her to me and press my lips against hers.