VELARA'S POV
Damon guided us toward the exit, his stride steady, his hand brushing lightly against mine as if to reassure me. A soft breath escaped my lips—quiet but full of relief—as I clutched our son closer to my chest. Kael, drowsy and limp from exhaustion, rested his cheek against my shoulder, his tiny breaths warming my skin. Each rise and fall of his chest told me he was slipping deeper into sleep, unaware of the world unraveling around him.But the moment Damon reached for the door and swung it open, my body locked into place. My feet refused to take another step. The air shifted.Just beyond the doorway, standing beneath the arching shadows of the building’s entrance, was Damon’s father. Alpha Alaric stood tall, his presence commanding even in something as mundane as conversation. He was speaking to one of the guards, and from the slight toss of his head and the gruff chuckle that followed, he was clearly amused by something. That ease vanished thVELARA'S POVDamon’s voice was a hushed murmur, its quiet sincerity brushing the space between us like the whisper of a breeze before a storm. He didn’t offer empty absolutes, only a fragile truth. He wouldn’t promise it would never happen again—but today, he swore, it wouldn’t. His gaze met mine, unwavering, searching the depths of my eyes as though looking for a crack where forgiveness might slip through. I let out a long breath, heavy with uncertainty, my chest tight beneath the weight of his words.Then, with a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips, he lifted his pinky. It wiggled between us in that ridiculous, boyish gesture that used to belong to someone else—someone I lost. My eyes rolled despite myself, the edge of amusement softening the ache beneath my ribs.“I’ll make it right,” he said gently, the words hanging between us like a plea. “No more Alpha commands. I won’t use that tone on you again. Just… mark me. Before we walk out of here.
VELARA'S POVI hadn’t been prepared for the words that left the doctor’s mouth — a quiet, steady voice belonging to a woman who had just shattered the fragile understanding I had of what tethered Damon and me together. I didn’t know such a thing was even possible, that the bond we shared could be wounded so deeply. Pain, after all, was a familiar companion. I had become accustomed to its silent presence, had grown used to carrying it like a second skin. But this — this wasn’t just pain. It was devastation in disguise. The knowledge that Damon had harmed the very essence of what tied us together settled like ice in the pit of my stomach.Yet somehow, the connection still thrummed inside me. It hadn’t faded. It hadn’t dulled. Even with all the anger simmering in me, I could still feel that invisible thread pulling me toward him. I still wanted him, despite hating everything he had done, despite the resentment that coiled in my chest like smoke. And in that moment, al
DAMON'S POVThe doctor’s voice was devoid of emotion, yet there was weight behind every word he spoke. His explanation came slowly, as though each syllable was a burden he hesitated to deliver. “They’re called taints,” he said, his gaze fixed but weary. “Marks of betrayal. Every time you share yourself with someone else, it stains the bond. And Velara—she’s your bond. That means every one of your encounters doesn’t just hurt her; it brands her. Deeply. Irreparably.”His words settled like lead in the air, and the room suddenly felt smaller, suffocating. I could feel a cold, heavy dread curling in my chest, winding tightly like a serpent. He continued, voice steady, “It’s agonizing, or at least it is in the beginning. But it’s been four years. By now, I suspect she’s developed a tolerance—learned to live with the pain. It’s probably dulled into something like a bruise. But unlike bruises, this doesn’t fade. It scars her. Not just her body, but the bond between you.”
DAMON'S POVDr. Ada’s voice was gentle, careful, as though he feared startling her into silence. “And how long have you been experiencing the nosebleeds?”Velara’s eyes flicked to the floor, her voice barely a whisper. “A few years.”The tension in the room thickened like fog. Earlier, she'd fought tooth and nail to keep me out, practically shouting at the doctor and shoving me away in desperation. That alone had piqued my suspicion. So I stayed. And now, watching her shrink from every question, twisting vague answers into veils of misdirection, was grating on every nerve I had. She was dodging the truth, and I was done letting her.“Answer him properly,” I snapped, voice sharp as a blade. I didn’t just speak—I let my aura slide out like a storm cloud rolling low across the ground. The force of it swept over her, curling around her limbs and into her spine. She flinched, a tremor wracking her small frame before she gasped out the truth.“
DAMON'S POVThe tires rolled to a halt in front of the hotel, gravel crunching faintly beneath the weight of the car. The sun dipped low behind the building’s edge, casting a golden hue over the entrance where Elysia stood waiting, her arms crossed gently, the breeze catching the ends of her dark hair. My eyes scanned for Velara out of habit, the familiar flicker of annoyance tightening in my chest when I didn’t see her. I had messaged her right after leaving the cinema, telling her I was on my way. With her appointment only fifteen minutes away, she should have been out front, ready. Instead, it was Elysia who met me.I stepped out of the vehicle, only to see her already moving toward the back seat. Her fingers moved with practiced ease as she leaned in, unfastening Kael’s seatbelt before I could even get a word out. The child blinked up at her, still half-lost in whatever story he’d been dreaming up in his head.“Where’s Velara?” I asked, my voice low, s
DAMON'S POVWell, that was absolutely not what I anticipated. What on earth did I just endure? I sat through a children’s musical filled with rainbow-colored trolls prancing around, farting glitter, and breaking into obnoxiously cheerful songs about sunshine and rainbows. It was an assault on my sanity. Dante, however, seemed far too amused for my liking. I, on the other hand, wanted to claw my own ears out. Kael sat there the entire time glaring at the screen, clearly not impressed in the slightest. But the girls? They were enchanted. I was surrounded by glitter, giggles, and squeals. This outing wasn’t meant for me—it was for my kid, and I was enduring it like a champ.Dante cradled Selene with a tenderness that didn’t quite match his usual energy, carefully easing her into the back seat of the car. Her head lolled softly against his shoulder, the remnants of sleep clinging to her features. She had dozed off during the final scenes of the movie, lulled by the sug