Aria's POV
Lydia stirred instantly, recognition flaring through our bond. Here, she whispered. This was where everything started.
She was right. This was the place where we had first met.
Damon stepped out first before walking around to my side and offering me his hand. I took it, and he helped me out of the car. The quiet between us felt heavier than usual, charged with something deliberate that I couldn't quite put into words.
He led me to the center of the clearing before turning to face me fully. The mate bond pulsed warmly between us, steady and familiar, while Rhein's presence thrummed beneath Damon's skin like a low, protective heartbeat.
“I brought you back here,” he said, his voice rough with emotion, “because this is where I first saw you.”
He didn't rush. Instead, he laid
