*Chapter 16: Old Allies*
Dawn came fast and quiet.
Too quiet.
I stood in the clinic’s back room, tying my hair back and checking the edges of my blade one last time. It wasn’t for show. If Damon walked through that door today, I wasn’t going down without a fight.
Marta worked beside me, setting out bandages and vials with steady hands. She hadn’t slept either. Neither of us had.
“You sure about this?” she asked, not looking up.
“No,” I said honestly. “But it’s the only way to end it.”
She nodded. That was enough.
Outside, the clinic’s waiting room was empty. We’d told the pack it was open hours, but only for emergencies. No crowds. No witnesses Damon could use against us. Kade hated it. He was outside, posted with Jace and Mira, pretending not to be within earshot of every so
