The scent of lavender fabric softener hung heavy in the air as I meticulously pinned Damon's shirts to the clothesline. The rhythmic snap of the clothespins was almost hypnotic, a small act of defiance against the turmoil that perpetually churned inside me. The twins were getting bigger, heavier, a constant reminder of the gilded cage I inhabited. A cage Damon had built, brick by brick, with his coldness and contempt.
My peace shattered with the distinct thud of heavy footsteps. Damon. He was heading my way, his aura radiating a familiar darkness. My stomach clenched. He'd been preoccupied with pack business and the royal project lately, mercifully absent. But now, the storm was brewing, and I was the target.
He stopped in front of me, his shadow engulfing me. "What in the hell is this I
