Arranged To The Beast Alpha
It's not that bad

LEAH'S POV.

Damien didn't say a word as we left the diner. His grip on my hand was firm, not painful, but just enough to remind me who was in charge. My heart was pounding, but I dared not speak. The tension in the air was thick, and I didn't want to make it worse. I could still feel Tamara's eyes on my back as we walked out, her confusion almost as evident as my own guilt.

He was pissed. Although I had acted tough thinking, I wouldn't mind any reaction of his. Now I knew I regretted it, he wasn't saying anything at all, which made things even worse.

The car ride was silent. I kept my eyes on the road, stealing glances at Damien now and then. His jaw was tight, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. I wanted to say something, to explain myself, but every time I opened my mouth, the words got stuck in my throat.

Finally, he pulled over to the side of the road. We weren't in the middle of nowhere, but it was quiet. Just trees and the sound of birds chirping. He turned off the car and turned to face me, his blue eyes piercing and unreadable. "Leah," he said, his voice low but calm. "What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I was curious, and I was hungry, and you were gone for so long..."

He sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "You could have waited. Do you realize how dangerous it was for you to wander off like that?"

"I'm sorry," I said quickly, feeling the sting of tears in my eyes. "I didn't mean to cause trouble. I just... I didn't know what else to do."

For a moment, he just looked at me, his expression softening slightly. Then, to my surprise, he leaned back in his seat and let out a small chuckle.

"You really are something else," he said, shaking his head. "Come on, get out of the car."

I blinked, confused. "What?"

"Get out," he repeated, opening his door. "We're going for a walk."

I hesitated but followed his lead. The fresh air hit me as soon as I stepped out, and I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. Damien walked around the car and took my hand again, his grip gentler this time.

We walked for a while, the tension between us slowly easing with each step. The path we followed led to a small clearing, and to my surprise, there was a picnic blanket spread out on the grass, a basket sitting in the middle. "Did you plan this?" I asked, glancing at him.

"Not exactly," he admitted. "But I figured we could both use a break."

He guided me to the blanket and sat down, gesturing for me to do the same. I settled across from him, still feeling a little unsure but grateful for the change in atmosphere.

He opened the basket and started pulling out food-sandwiches, fruit, bottles of water. It wasn't anything fancy, but my stomach growled at the sight of it.

"Go ahead," he said, handing me a sandwich. "Eat."

I didn't need to be told twice. I unwrapped the sandwich and took a big bite, the taste reminding me of how hungry I still was. Damien watched me, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You're like a kid sometimes," he said, shaking his head.

I swallowed and gave him a mock glare. "And you're like an overbearing parent."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yes," I said, my confidence growing now that the mood was lighter. "You're always telling me what to do, where to go, how to act... It's exhausting."

"It's for your own safety," he countered, his tone firm but not unkind. "You have no idea how dangerous the world can be, Leah."

I sighed, setting down my sandwich. "I know you're trying to protect me, Damien, but I'm not a child. I can take care of myself."

He looked at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable again. Then he reached across the blanket and took my hand, his touch surprisingly gentle.

"I know you're capable," he said quietly. "But that doesn't mean I'll stop trying to keep you safe. It's... it's just who I am."

His words caught me off guard, and for a moment, I didn't know what to say. There was a vulnerability in his voice that I hadn't heard before, and it made my chest ache in a way I couldn't quite explain. "Thank you," I said softly, squeezing his hand. "For caring."

He smiled, a real, genuine smile that made my heart skip a beat. "You're welcome."

We spent the rest of the afternoon talking and eating, the tension from earlier fading away completely. It was nice, just being with him like this, without the usual stress or arguments.

By the time the sun started to set, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink, I realized something had shifted between us. I wasn't sure what it meant or where it would lead, but for the first time in a long time, I felt at peace. As we packed up the picnic and started walking back to the car, Damien's hand found mine again. This time, I didn't pull away. Instead, I held on, letting the warmth of his touch chase away the lingering shadows of my guilt and fear.

Maybe things between us weren't perfect, but at that moment, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that we were here, together, and for now, that was enough. I was getting to know him, Sarah was home and safe, I had Chloe and Tamara here. There might be a chance I had magical powers. Maybe life isn't that bad after all.

"Let's head back into the car, it's getting late outside " Damien whispered gently, our gaze had met and something seems different about him, his eyes held a glint at them. I shrugged, brushing it off.