Caroline’s pulse thrummed in her ears as Damon carried her through the woods. The forest, once a place of refuge, now seemed like a prison with its towering trees and tangled roots. The night felt oppressive, as though the very air was thick with the weight of Damon’s presence. Her chest tightened, her every breath a struggle against the dark inevitability of what was happening.
She had wanted freedom, she had wanted to escape, but now she was being carried back into the very thing she had been trying to outrun. She tried to pull away from him, her body rigid in his arms, but Damon’s hold on her was unshakable. He was too strong, too relentless, and there was no fighting him.
She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to keep her emotions in check. She wouldn’
