Mag-log inAria’s POV
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.
Damon stood there like a storm that had taken human form, silent and unmoving, his broad frame filling the space in a way that made everything else feel small.
I noticed the dried blood smeared along his jaw and the dark b
Damon’s POVMy focus was on the small, trembling figure kneeling beside Aria. Mira. Her hands hovered uselessly over Aria’s broken form, trembling so violently it was a wonder she hadn’t collapsed beside her already.“What happened!? What is she doing here? Did you release her!?” I demanded, my voice sharper than intended, my chest tight, every nerve on fire.Mira shook her head, her hair plastered to her face by the rain. Her lips quivered as she spoke. “She… she found the neutralizers, but one of the…” She swallowed hard, the rest of her words choking in her throat. “One of the wolves… got her as she deneutralized it. I… I was there for the last bit. I knocked him out.”
Damon’s POVThe first wolf lunged before I could finish the order.“RETREAT! FALL BACK!” I roared, my voice cutting through the chaos as rain lashed against my face and soaked through my skin. My ribs screamed in protest when I moved, but I ignored it, stepping forward instead of back as the first clash erupted.Steel met flesh.A silver dagger plunged into a wolf’s side, and the creature howled, thrashing violently before collapsing, its body twitching against the mud. Another took its place immediately, jaws snapping, eyes wild and glowing with that unnatural yellow.“Move!” I barked again, shoving one of the Enforcers
Aria’s POVThe moment I heard the lock click, something inside me snapped.I stared at the door for half a second, my chest rising and falling too fast, Damon’s words still echoing in my head.“Stay here.”My hands curled into fists.“Unbelievable,” I muttered under my breath, pacing the small room like a caged animal. Anger burned hot beneath my skin, sharp and relentless. “Absolutely unbelievable.”He thought he could just lock me in here like I was fragile. Like I couldn’t handle myself. Like I would just sit and wait while he ran straight in
Damon’s POVThe second the ground shook, instinct took over. I didn’t hesitate, I just moved.“Stay here,” I ordered, my voice sharp as I grabbed the door and yanked it open.Behind me, Aria stumbled a step forward. “Wait, what do you mean stay here?” She demanded, her voice tight with panic. “Damon, you’re injured. You can’t just run out there—”“I said stay,” I cut in, turning to face her fully.Her hair was still damp from the rain, strands clinging to her face and neck. The faint scent of vanilla and rain curled in the air between us, distracting, dangerous. My wolf stirred re
Aria’s POVThe impact was so sudden that Damon actually staggered.For a split second, his body swayed, his balance thrown off as Kade’s fist connected with his face. The sound alone made my stomach twist, sharp and violent, echoing in the small space of my room.“Damon—!”He caught himself just before he could fall, one hand bracing against the edge of the table. Blood trickled instantly from his nose, dark and stark against his already bruised skin.Shock froze me in place, then anger followed.“What the fuck are you doing!?” I snapped, my voice rising as
Aria’s POVFor a moment, I couldn’t breathe.Damon stood there like a storm that had taken human form, silent and unmoving, his broad frame filling the space in a way that made everything else feel small.I noticed the dried blood smeared along his jaw and the dark bruises already forming across his cheekbone.My heart lurched violently in my chest.“What—” My voice came out thinner than I intended, my eyes scanning his face again, then lower, taking in the torn sleeve of his shirt and the faint red seeping through the fabric near his ribs. “What happened to you?”
Aria’s POVI stared at the note until the words blurred.Rain and vanilla. My own scent on the paper.
Aria’s POVI laid on the bed, my eyes fixed on the ceiling tiles, counting the small holes in the plaster.Every breath felt like a betraya
Aria’s POVThe storage room was small and smelled like dust and old floor wax.Lyra stood between me and the only door, the silver blade in
Aria’s POVThe sound echoed off the stone walls of the strategy room. I flinched, my shoulders hunching toward my ears.







