Nina

I step out of the car and take a deep breath, the familiar scent of the Valens territory filling my lungs. It’s a mix of pine, earth, and something uniquely ours—home. The trees stretch high overhead, casting long shadows over the gravel road leading up to the main house. Everything looks the same, but it doesn’t feel the same. Not to me.

The moment I left Jaxon and came back here, I thought it’d be easy. That I’d walk in and everything would fall into place. But now that I’m ...