Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 62 You’re absolutely canine,

Victoria’s POV:

I stepped slowly into the steaming shower, letting the hot water wash away the traces of our night of passion. As I reached for the soap, I caught a glimpse of myself in the fogged mirror and couldn’t help but gasp.

"Dear Moon Goddess," I whispered, wiping away the steam to see my reflection more clearly.

My body was like a map of Damian’s possession—bite marks, bruises, and red welts decorated my neck, shoulders, breasts, and inner thighs. Arthur had indeed left his mark through Damian. My white wolf Nora preened contentedly within me, proud of the visible claims our mate had given us.

When the bathroom door creaked slightly open, I clutched the shower curtain tighter to my chest.

"Need help washing those hard-to-reach places, little wolf?" Damian’s deep voice carried over the running water, making Nora stir eagerly.

"Absolutely not," I replied firmly, though my body betrayed me with shivers that had nothing to do with the water temperature. "I think you’ve done quite enough damage already."

His low chuckle sent another wave of heat through me. "Just offering my services. Those marks look good on you, Victoria."

"You’re absolutely canine," I muttered as the door closed again. "Is your wolf part dog? Who bites that much?"

Within me, Nora growled defensively at the comparison. She approved of the marking—thorough claiming by a mate was primitive, instinctual wolf behavior. My human side, however, was still adjusting to this intensity.

As I finished washing, my legs felt pleasantly sore, reminding me of how wild last night had been. Five years with Ethan had never left me feeling so thoroughly possessed, so completely satisfied. I pushed the comparison away—I refused to think about him right now.

After turning off the water, I realized my predicament. This wasn’t my home; I had no clothes here. Wrapped tightly in a towel, I called out.

"Damian? Damian!"

No answer. He must still be in the kitchen, too far to hear me over whatever he was doing. I called several more times with no response.

With no other choice, I clutched the towel to my chest and peeked out from the bathroom door. "Damian!"

He appeared in the hallway almost immediately, dark eyes appreciating my wet hair and bare shoulders without pretense. Arthur’s golden light briefly flickered in his gaze.

"Need something?" he asked, his voice deliberately casual, though I could smell the surge of cedar and roses in his scent—his arousal immediate and intense.

I half-hid behind the door, acutely aware of my vulnerability. Fresh from the shower, without makeup, wet hair clinging to my face, I felt strangely exposed beyond just physical nakedness.

"I don’t have any clothes here," I explained, gripping the towel firmly. "Could you go downstairs and get me something from my place?"

A slow smile spread across his face. "I could. Or you could just stay like that. Arthur approves of the view."

"Damian," I warned, Nora growling softly at Arthur’s presence. "Please."

"What’s your passcode?" he asked, relenting.

I gave him my home code and watched him turn to leave. Relief mixed with some disappointment—part of me had expected him to be more insistent, to try joining me in the bathroom. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

When he left, I examined myself more carefully in the mirror. The marks he’d left were possessive, territorial—exactly what you’d expect from an Alpha wolf marking his territory. Nora seemed quite pleased with this, pressing smugly against my consciousness.

Soon Damian returned with a stack of folded clothes. I reached for them, noticing he’d brought not just outer garments but underwear too. The intimacy of knowing he’d rifled through my drawers should have bothered me more than it actually did.

"Thank you," I murmured, retreating to the bathroom to dress.

He’d chosen a simple white button-down shirt and jeans rather than one of my many dresses. Practical rather than showy—not what I’d expected from him. As I pulled on the jeans, I noticed how they hugged my legs. My wolf legs, as Ethan used to say—long, lean, and powerful even in human form.

When I emerged fully dressed, Damian was busy in the kitchen. The domestic scene—him wearing an apron, stirring something that smelled wonderful—was such a contrast to the ruthless Alpha image I held in my mind.

"Breakfast is almost ready," he called without turning around. "Come eat."

I’d never seen him like this—the powerful CEO of ME Industries, the man who struck fear into boardrooms across the continent, standing in his kitchen making breakfast. It was... disarming.

The contrast with Ethan was impossible to ignore. In five years, Ethan had never once cooked for me. He’d always claimed to enjoy my cooking, using it as an excuse to have me handle all meal preparation. I remembered his dismissive "Thanks, babe," attention still fixed on his phone—probably texting Scarlett even then.

What a waste of five years. How had I not seen it?

The breakfast smelled wonderful, though the sides Damian had prepared looked somewhat bland. I tasted them, immediately identifying what was missing.

"Let me enhance these a bit," I offered, taking the plate to the kitchen. With a few additional seasonings, I transformed them into something more flavorful.

As we ate together, I remembered the original purpose of our meeting last night. "So, about that contract—when do you plan to sign it?"

Damian looked up, dark eyes flickering with mischief. "I believe our appointment was last night, wasn’t it? But if I recall correctly, you abandoned me to rush off to someone else."

"I didn’t abandon you for someone else," I protested, Nora bristling at the implication of infidelity. "That was Grace’s emergency. And..." I lowered my voice, feeling heat rise to my cheeks, "I think I made up for it adequately afterward? We did end up together, after all. The contract was verbally agreed upon, so can’t you just sign it now?"

He narrowed his eyes, his wolf peering through. "Are you suggesting that what happened between us last night should count as a business transaction, little wolf? Are you trying to secure contracts through seduction?"

"Of course not!" My wolf snarled at the suggestion.

"Then business is business," he replied smoothly. "We’ll discuss the contract another day. Finish your breakfast."

Despite being the one who’d canceled our dinner, Damian had clearly been the beneficiary of last night’s activities. Yet somehow I still hadn’t secured the contract. I was beginning to suspect he was deliberately avoiding the partnership—but why?

After breakfast, I returned to my own home. Checking my phone, I found several messages from Grace:

"Did that Sterling wolf abuse you, V?"

"Why aren’t you answering? Should I come over with reinforcements?"

I quickly replied: "Everything’s fine. But Grace, your dress... got damaged. I’m sorry. I’ll compensate you."

My phone rang almost immediately. "What dress?" Grace demanded. "Last night’s jellyfish dress?"

"Yes..."

Her tone shifted from concern to delighted scandal. "Wow, things got that wild with Sterling? He actually tore the dress off you?"

I felt my face heat. "Um..."

"That’s exactly what happened, isn’t it?" She sounded thrilled. "How could you possibly compensate me for my precious creation?"

"I’m serious, Grace. How much do I owe you?"

She laughed. "Don’t be ridiculous! It’s just a dress. I have the design, I can make another. Actually, I always prepare backups for runway pieces in case of emergencies. If Sterling has a habit of destroying dresses, I can send you several more!"

"That’s not necessary!" I replied quickly, relieved about the backup but mortified by the suggestion.

"So..." Grace’s voice dropped conspiratorially. "How was it? Is he as fierce as he looks, or all bark and no bite?"

"Grace! That’s private!" Nora paced restlessly within me, uncomfortable discussing our mate.

"Come on! We’re pack sisters. Spill the details. Please?"

I hesitated, feeling my face grow hotter. "It was... adequate."

"Adequate?" Grace sounded disappointed. "That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement. Sounds mediocre."

’Adequate’ was my attempt at modesty. In reality, Damian had awakened parts of me I didn’t know existed. My wolf had never reacted so strongly to anyone—not even Ethan at our best moments.

"I was just being modest," I admitted. "It was actually quite... impressive. Like, internationally acclaimed level."

"Really?" Grace’s excitement was palpable through the phone. "I knew it! I’ve seen how tall he is, and you know what they say about tall wolves. You lucky thing! You must be walking funny today!"

I couldn’t help but laugh. "I’m perfectly capable of going to work, thank you."

"You can still walk?" she teased. "Maybe he’s not as Alpha as he looks after all. From the way he was looking at you last night, I thought he’d keep you locked in his den for days!"

I paused, remembering the intensity in Damian’s eyes this morning when he saw me wrapped only in a towel. If I hadn’t insisted on leaving...

"The real world doesn’t work like those trashy wolf romance novels you read," I finally said, though my inner wolf whimpered slightly at the denial.

After hanging up, I stared at my reflection again. The marks were mostly covered by clothing, but a few peeked above my collar. I needed makeup before going to the office.

As I prepared for work, Nora kept pushing images of Damian into my mind—his powerful body above me, his teeth at my throat. She was already longing to return to him, to feel Arthur’s presence again.

I told her firmly, watching my eyes briefly flash gold in the mirror. "Don’t get attached."

But even as I said it, I knew I was lying to myself. Something fundamental had changed between us last night, something beyond physical pleasure. I just wasn’t ready to admit what it might mean yet.