---- The exhaustion hit me like a physical weight. I was so tired of fighting, so tired of trying to make him see the truth. "Damon," I said quietly, "can't we just let each other go? Can't we just... end this?" His entire body went rigid. "End this? END THIS?" His lips pressed into a thin, vicious line. ''You are MY mate, Aria! We made sacred vows before the Moon Goddess herself! Those bonds aren't broken just because you're having a temper tantrum!" "Without the Moon Goddess's permission, you're not allowed to leave my side! You belong to me!" Something inside me snapped. ''The Moon Goddess doesn't protect betrayers, Damon! She doesn't bless murderers!" "We're finished! Do you hear me? FINISHED!" The change in Damon was instant and terrifying. His eyes turned blood red, the veins in his neck ---- bulging as his wolf fought to surface. His hair literally stood on end as his Alpha power flooded the room. "You... don't... get... to... decide... that." Each word was punctuated by a step toward me. His hands had partially shifted into claws. "T decide when we're finished. I decide what happens to you. I decide everything!" He lunged at me with inhuman speed. I barely had time to throw up my arms before his fist connected with my temple. Stars exploded across my vision. The world tilted sideways and went black. When consciousness returned, I immediately wished it hadn't. The stench hit me first-a nauseating mixture of human waste, mold, and decay. My werewolf senses, normally a blessing, became a curse as ---- every disgusting odor assaulted my nostrils. I was chained to the wall of what looked like a servants' toilet, probably unused for years. Silver chains bound my wrists and ankles, burning my skin with every movement. "Finally awake, are we?" Serena stood in the doorway, immaculate as always, looking down at me like I was something she'd scraped off her shoe. "How does it feel, Aria? How does it feel to be exactly where you belong?" She stepped into the filthy room, careful not to let her expensive dress touch anything. "Do you still think you're some noble Luna? Some high-ranking mate?" She laughed, the sound sharp and cruel. "Look at yourself. You're nothing but a filthy slave chained in a toilet where you belong."