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. There was pain in her look, mingled with a sense of acceptance that felt even heavier.
"Damon, please," she whispered. "Let me go."
I approached quietly, each step slow and careful, until I was just a breath away. The guards behind me looked uncomfortable but didn't dare to move. My wolf spirit stirred bene
