Damon’s POV
The lake house was quiet, too quiet. It was the kind of silence that presses against your chest, making it hard to breathe. The kind that meant something was about to go horribly wrong. I’d made the call to Demitri, and now the waiting was eating me alive. Every second felt heavier, each one carrying the weight of a thousand doubts.
I paced by the window, glancing out at the forest, the tension gnawing at me. The thought of teaming up with Demitri was about as appealing as a stake to the chest, but Tabitha was right. Aria had been right. Juda wasn’t just a threat to us—he was a threat to everyone.
“You’re brooding,” Aria said, her voice soft but knowing.
I turned to see her standing in the doorway, arms crossed. She was trying to look calm, but I could see the worry in her
