Dylan’s POV
Mandy looks confused, her eyes searching mine for answers. I can see the turmoil within her, the conflict between her loyalty to me and her yearning for the life she left behind. And as much as it pains me to admit it, I know what she needs - she needs to be free.
I never wanted to keep her captive, to confine her to a life that wasn't truly hers. When I first took her away from her friends and family, it was out of necessity. But now, seeing the longing in her eyes, I know that I cannot hold her back any longer.
“Yes, my strength will weaken without you,” I confess, “but I cannot bear to keep you away from the world that you belong to.”
Tears well up in her eyes as she speaks, her voice wavering with emotion. “I don't want to be without you,” she admits, “but I miss being
