Rayna POV
The forest swallows us whole.
There’s no real path. Just Damon leading ahead, sure-footed as if the trees themselves move for him. I keep pace, even when my legs burn. I won’t ask him to slow down.
But somewhere between one ridge and the next, my focus shifts.
I catch myself watching him.
The way his shoulders move under his jacket.The line of his jaw when he glances over his shoulder to check the trail behind us.The controlled ease in every step - like there’s nothing in these woods he’s afraid of.
Moon above, Rayna, really?
I grit my teeth and look away, swallowing hard. This isn’t the time. It isn’t even smart.
He’s not your mate. Not your anything.
Before I can dig too deep into that mess, Damon’s voice cuts through the quiet: “Still breathing back there?”
I huff, f
