Katrina ~
The mist clung to my skin like a lover's desperate whisper, cool and insistent, weaving through the ancient oaks that towered around us in this forgotten corner of the forest. The air smelled of damp earth and wild jasmine, heavy with the promise of rain, and every rustle in the underbrush felt like the forest itself was eavesdropping on our chaos.
My hand was still locked in Vincent's, our fingers intertwined so tightly that I could feel the pulse of his shadows syncing with my heartbeat. His touch grounded me, a dark anchor in the storm of emotions swirling through my chest—fury at my parents, terror at the thought of losing him, and that stubborn spark of defiance that had always defined me. Nicholas stood a few paces away, his black hair tousled by the wind, dark eyes glinting with that cocky amusement he used like armor. Winter hovered beside him, her pale skin almost luminous in the dim light.
