The air between them crackled with tension, each breath they took a delicate dance of wanting and hesitating. Damon’s hand lingered at her cheek, as if he were afraid to let her go but also aware that he couldn’t hold her forever—not without giving her the space she needed to process everything. He was a wolf, a predator, and yet in that moment, he seemed to be waiting for her to come to him willingly, not out of force or compulsion, but out of her own choice.
Caroline’s mind raced. She had always considered herself strong—someone who didn’t rely on others, someone who didn’t need anyone to survive. But Damon had changed that. He had slipped under her skin in a way she couldn’t explain, a way that made her feel both exposed and seen at the same time.
She opened her mouth to speak, but th
