Winter’s POV
I felt trapped in a storm of my own making.
The messages had continued, escalating to a point where I couldn’t deny it any longer. Whoever was behind this wasn’t just watching—they were playing a game, and I was the pawn. The fear that had been building in me now weighed heavily on my shoulders.
I tried to keep my focus on Damon during our sessions, but the creeping dread never left. His recovery was going well, but the progress felt tainted by the anxiety gnawing at me.
And then there was the matter of Kai.
I hadn’t told Damon about him yet, despite the growing urgency to come clean. Every moment I spent with him, the guilt tightened its grip on me.
“I’m sorry, Kai,” I whispered to myself as I tucked him into bed that night. “I’ll make it right. I promise.”
But the pro
