SHATTER

Chapter Seven

Raine...

She was alive. The heart in his chest beat at an irregular rhythm. Damon hadn't seen her in almost ten years, and here she was. Not only was she alive, but she was the Captain of the King's guard. Impossible! The last time he saw her, she could barely walk without being told to. This couldn't have been the Raine he grew up with. Damon turned to his side, and low and behold; his pack shared the same glossy eyes as he did. None of them could comprehend the sight of their lost packmate in one of the highest positions in the Imperial Army. A Captain none the less.

"Wake up, boy! You're gonna miss the show!" Winsor slammed his hand down onto Damon's back to bring him back to reality. His bellowing laugh proved to be successful in bringing the young Alpha out of his stupor. Damon blinked several times as if just noticing his surroundings.

Damon didn't remember leaving the grand hall, and he didn't remember the journey to the arena. How could he miss it? This area was massive. Damon stood up and placed his hands on the concrete wall the separated the audience from the grassy pit below. This must be the Arena of Broken Crowns. This arena had been famous for breaking men and building Kings in past legends. Stories of some of the battles and tournaments that had taken place here had traveled from pack to pack, inspiring each person to work harder and get stronger. Being there in person felt surreal to him. Everything was just as lavish as the inside of the castle. The tiny gemstones infused at the top of the wall sparked in the daylight making the wall have a glittery effect up top. People sat on concrete benches all around the arena. Those at the top craned their neck, trying to see closer to the pit. People at the bottom crowded the edge of the wall, all wanting to get the best view of the challenges about to take place. Damon swiveled his head in every direction, trying to grasp every detail of his surroundings. If he didn't feel so sick, he might have been enjoying himself. Oh Goddess, did he feel lightheaded. However, he had to keep it together. If he let it be known that this news affected him, it would affect his pack.

Raine....

He couldn't get her face out of his head. She looked so much different than the last time he saw her. Damon's mind kept replaying the memory of her taking her hood off. It was her eyes that had stopped his heart. The last time he saw them, they had been wet with tears. They cascaded down her face and wet the fabric of her dress. He had never seen someone look so frail. It was as if a hard knock of the wind would cause her to shatter to pieces. But now, she seemed so cold, like she allowed no light to pass through her body. What had happened to her? She had obviously gone through some extreme changes in the past ten years.

Damon released a string of curse words into the wind. He had so many thoughts and questions that he simply could not process them all. He had to talk to her, but he knew it would take hell and high water to get her to listen. Those tears, they were his fault. Her tear-stained face kept flashing through his mind. The way she looked at him on that day still haunted his nightmares. The betrayal that laced her features that day shot a lightning bolt of guilt through his body. After everything that happened, she still had the sense to feel betrayed by his actions. What did he do when she begged him not to walk away from her? He ignored her. He didn't care about her then, so why does it matter now? This was too much—too much to process. Everywhere he turned, he saw her face, the old and new one, flashing back and forth. Damon gripped the edge of the concrete wall and breathed in the musky smell of the air. In and out, in and out. He had to keep himself together. He took this moment to do nothing but feel. He felt the gems on the concrete under his palms as he rubbed his hands from side to side on the wall. In his anger, he had crushed a few of the stones. He could feel the dust between his fingertips slipping away as he moved them. He felt the sun's rays burning his neck, back, and side of his arms. He felt the wind pick up in pressure and blow his shirt away from his body. He also felt his wolf prowling inside of his mind, and he felt his rage. His wolf dragged its claws across the floor in his mind, and Damon winced from the pain. He now knew why his wolf had been inconsolable since they stepped foot on the castle grounds. Damon couldn't blame his wolf's restlessness. His mate had returned after all this time.