Aria’s POV
The first thing I felt was pain.
Not mine…his.
It struck me like lightning, intense and blinding, piercing every nerve. I gasped, clutching my chest as my breath was ripped away. Damon’s pain felt raw, brutal, and genuine. My wolf inside howled painfully, its cry resounding through my mind until I could hardly focus.
“Mate.” The word trembled from my lips.
Something had occurred. I didn’t need anyone to tell me. I sensed it. The connection between us throbbed, weak and broken, like a heartbeat trying to persist.
“Aria!” Beta Rowan’s voice snapped through the fog. “You can’t go out there. The borders are swarming with rogues. Damon gave orders”
“I don’t care!” I shouted, the words breaking out of me like a snarl. “He’s hurt. I can feel it.”
Rowan stepped closer, his hands
