Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 200 What happened?

Victoria’s POV

Through the bathroom door, I could hear Damien’s movements in the shower. Despite my reluctance to admit it aloud, I worried about him. The wound on his arm wasn’t something to take lightly, even for a wolf with our supernatural healing abilities.

I hovered near the door, my wolf Nora pacing anxiously within me. If anything happened to Damien, I wanted to be close enough to help immediately.

Suddenly, a sharp cry echoed from inside. "Ah!"

My heart jumped into my throat. "What happened?" I rushed to the door, pressing my palm against it. The scent of his blood wasn’t in the air, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t reopened his wound.

Before I could say another word, the door swung open. Strong fingers wrapped around my wrist, and I was yanked inside with surprising force.

"Ah!" My startled cry bounced off the tile walls as Damien pressed me against the wall. Water droplets cascaded down his bare chest, following the defined ridges of his muscles. His raven hair was slicked back, dripping onto his shoulders, and his eyes—those piercing eyes that seemed to see right through me—were fixed on mine with primal intensity.

The steam from the shower wrapped around us like a veil, making the already small space feel even more intimate. The scent of his smoky cedar and midnight rose filled my senses, clouding my judgment.

"You..." My voice caught in my throat as my gaze traveled over his naked form. My wolf Nora stirred within me, responding to the proximity of her mate.

Damien’s lips curled into a half-smile, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. "Victoria..." The way he said my name sent shivers dancing along my spine.

I swallowed hard, trying to maintain some semblance of composure. "Damien, what are you doing?"

"My arm makes it difficult," he murmured, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. "I thought you might help me wash."

I couldn’t help noticing he was holding me with his injured arm. The one with fresh stitches. The one that should be resting, not pinning me against bathroom walls.

"I won’t!" My cheeks burned hot despite the cool tiles at my back. I tried to keep my eyes fixed on his face, but the awareness of his nakedness—and his growing arousal—made it nearly impossible to focus.

"Victoria..." he whispered again, his voice like velvet against my skin. His long lashes lowered as his gaze settled on my lips.

Before I could protest further, his mouth was on mine. The kiss was gentle yet commanding, his tongue skillfully parting my lips. Despite having kissed him numerous times before, my heart still raced like it was our first. Heat pooled in my core, and my palms grew damp with anticipation.

I found myself responding, arms wrapping around his neck in a rare display of initiative. My wolf howled in approval within me, recognizing what I’d been fighting for so long—this man was meant for me.

Damien’s gentle kiss transformed into something more urgent, his hands roaming over my body like he wanted to devour me whole. The bond between us seemed to strengthen with each passing moment, our energies intertwining.

After what felt like both an eternity and not nearly long enough, he pulled back slightly, giving me room to breathe.

I seized the moment to ask something that had been weighing on my mind. "Damien, I need to ask you something." My voice trembled slightly. "If we truly become mates... if we make this official... I want to maintain my pack’s independence. I don’t want to merge the Crescent Dawn with your pack. How do you feel about that?"

This was the second time I’d broached this subject. The first conversation hadn’t gone well, and I held my breath waiting for his response.

His brow furrowed, highlighting the small scar above his left eyebrow. "According to alliance laws, packs are supposed to merge when their Alphas mate."

My heart sank, but then he continued.

"But if independence is what you want, I’m willing to challenge those rules." His voice grew deeper, more resolute. "We can make our own rules. You would remain Alpha of the Crescent Dawn."

My eyes widened. "You’re serious?"

"Completely." He pulled me closer, his scent enveloping me. "Or I could become your Luna instead. Before meeting you, I would never have considered relinquishing any power. But now? You’re what matters most to me. More than traditions, more than power... more than anything."

Joy bubbled through me, and I pressed my lips to his in a passionate kiss. It felt like a dream—one I’d never dared to hope for.

While we hadn’t solidified anything yet, my greatest concern had been addressed. The thought of giving up my pack’s independence had been the final barrier between us.

"I... I think we should try being together," I whispered against his lips. "For real this time."

Damien’s pupils dilated instantly, his body tensing against mine. "What did you say?" he asked, as if afraid he’d misheard.

"I said we can try," I clarified quickly. "We should see if we’re compatible before making any permanent decisions. I’m not saying yes to forever... yet."

I knew my feelings for Damien ran deeper than I’d been willing to admit, even to myself. Somewhere along the way, my attraction to him had evolved into something more profound than I’d ever experienced before.

"Trying is more than enough for now." His arms encircled me completely, his joy radiating through our touch. The happiness in his eyes made my heart skip several beats.

Then his mouth was on mine again, kissing me with renewed fervor. Now that I’d agreed to be his girlfriend—his potential mate—he kissed me like a man who’d been granted his most fervent wish.

The atmosphere in the bathroom turned electric. I barely registered the moment my clothes disappeared, only becoming aware when Damien lifted me into the bathtub with him.

"Bathe with me," he murmured against my neck.

Reality crashed back. "Damien, your wound!" Even in the heat of passion, I couldn’t forget his injury. He’d just carried me effortlessly, using muscles that could easily reopen his stitches.

"It’s fine," he dismissed my concern.

I didn’t believe him. Fresh stitches could tear open easily, especially when exerting force.

He extended his arm for my inspection. "Really, it’s fine. If the stitches had torn, the bandage would be soaked with blood."

I examined the clean white bandage, relieved to see no crimson seeping through. My shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Join me, Victoria," he said again, settling into the tub that suddenly seemed much smaller with both of us in it.

In the confined space of the bathtub, Damien continued his sensual assault. Having finally secured me as his girlfriend, he seemed determined to celebrate by kissing every inch of me. His lips traveled from my mouth to my neck, then lower, making my skin tingle with each touch.

Water splashed around us as his hands explored my body with increasing urgency. I could feel how much he wanted me, his arousal pressing insistently against my thigh.

I gripped his shoulders, feeling the powerful muscles beneath my fingers. "Behave yourself," I warned breathlessly. "You need to finish bathing, and your wound can’t get wet."

"Do you want me, Victoria?" His voice was pure seduction, ignoring my practical concerns entirely.

"Not now," I insisted, though my body was betraying me with every racing heartbeat. "We need to get clean and then sleep. It’s already past midnight."

We’d left the gala late, then had the accident and hospital visit. By now, dawn couldn’t be far off.

I also suspected, based on Damien’s current state of arousal, that if we started something more intimate, we wouldn’t finish quickly. My wolf Nora whined in disappointment at my restraint.

Damien chuckled, the sound vibrating through me where our bodies touched. "Going to bed can involve another kind of sleeping," he murmured against my ear, his voice dropping to that irresistible timbre that made my insides liquify.

I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. Now that I’d agreed to try a relationship with him, Damien was becoming more shameless than ever.

He captured my hand and guided it to his abdomen, pressing my palm against the defined muscles there. Half-submerged in water, his body looked like something carved from marble—powerful, beautiful, and impossibly tempting. My fingers traced the ridges of his abs, feeling them tighten under my touch.

I knew exactly where this was heading if my hand moved any lower.

"Help me," he pleaded, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper. Despite being the powerful Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, Damien looked at me with such vulnerability and need that it made my heart stutter.

He brought my hand to his lips, kissing my fingers one by one with reverence. "Victoria, please... help me."

"Damien..." My breathing became shallow as heat pooled between my thighs. "You’re impossible..."

But my protests lacked conviction. When he kissed me again, I surrendered to the desire coursing through both of us. My hand moved lower under his guidance until my fingers wrapped around his hardness.

I stroked him with increasing confidence, knowing from our previous encounters exactly how he liked to be touched. The water made my movements fluid as I slid my hand up and down his length. His breathing grew ragged, his eyes half-closed in pleasure.

"Just like that," he groaned, his hips rising slightly to meet my touch.

I increased my pace, watching his face contort with pleasure. There was something empowering about reducing this dominant Alpha male to a state of such raw need.

"Victoria," he gasped my name like a prayer as his body tensed. With a final groan, he reached his climax, his release pulsing through him in waves.

As he recovered, he pulled me against his chest, our wet bodies sliding together in the most delicious way.