Damon’s POV

The night air was crisp as I picked up her scent near the gates. The moonlight gently washed over the training field, casting a soft glow that revealed the trembling figure I had been looking for all day ... Aria. Clutching a small satchel, her eyes were fixed on the dark woods ahead, as if she was about to disappear into them.

“Don’t,” I said, my voice low but commanding.

She froze, then slowly turned around. When her eyes met mine, I could feel the tension in the air. ...