Lucian's POV
Dawn broke, a forest path stretched before us, dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves overhead. I kept my horse at a steady pace, conscious of Diana riding behind me, her face contemplative and distant. Damian had fallen asleep against my chest, his small body warm and trusting. I adjusted my arm around him, ensuring he wouldn't slip even in slumber.
Five years. Five years since I'd found her in the forest, broken and bleeding, abandoned by the man who should have protected her above all others. Five years of watching her rebuild herself, piece by shattered piece, into someone stronger than before. Five years of falling deeper into an emotion I dared not name, even to myself.
I still remembered that night with perfect clarity. The storm had driven me to take shelter
