“Plan a clan gathering tomorrow,” he said, the words feeling foreign on his tongue. “Here at your estate. I’ll attend.”
Evelina’s eyebrows shot up in shock. “You want to socialize with the clan? Voluntarily?”
“I want to show Isla that I’m willing to try to change. That she matters enough to face my fears.”
A slow smile spread across his aunt’s face. “Now that’s progress.”
When Damon finally returned to his empty beach house, the romantic dinner he’d prepared so meticulously now seeming to mock his failure, one thought echoed through his mind with utter clarity.
He’d spent a century deliberately keeping everyone from getting too close to him, convinced his distance kept them safe. But all he’d really done was create more problems.
Before he knew it, dawn crept across Everflame Isle with merciless persistence, finding Damon sprawled across his bed, staring at the ceiling with bloodshot eyes. Sleep had been a cruel joke—every time his eyelids closed, Isla’s face materialized in vivid detail. The tears tracking paths down her cheeks. The devastation that had replaced the hope in her hazel eyes.
You selfish idiot.
The self-recrimination hit him like a freight train, making his chest tighten. In his two centuries of existence, through battles and betrayals and the crushing weight of leadership, only two moments had ever made him question his very core. The night his uncle’s treachery had cost him everything he’d held dear. And last night, when he’d deliberately wounded the one person the universe had chosen for him.
His dragon paced restlessly beneath his skin, agitated and demanding. The beast had been prowling all night, furious at being denied proximity to their mate, confused by Damon’s rejection of what should have been instinctual acceptance.
She’s ours. Fix this now.
“I’m trying,” he muttered to the empty room.
TWELVE
DAMON
The clan gathering at Evelina’s estate loomed ahead like an insurmountable mountain. He hadn’t attended a social function in years. The thought of facing dozens of his people, of making conversation and pretending to be the confident Alpha they needed, sent anxiety crawling up his spine.
Within minutes he was standing before his closet, finding himself paralyzed by the simple task of choosing what to wear. Dark jeans felt too much. The formal black button-down seemed like he was trying too hard. A century of isolation had apparently stripped away his ability to navigate basic social situations.
He finally settled on a simple white t-shirt and khaki shorts—approachable, he hoped. Open. The kind of outfit that suggested he wasn’t the cold, untouchable Alpha who’d been ruling from a distance for too long.
His reflection in the bathroom mirror revealed a man who looked like he’d been through a war. Dark circles shadowed his green eyes, and his usually controlled hair was a mess from running his hands through it all night. He looked exactly like what he was—a dragon shifter having a complete emotional breakdown over a woman he’d known for less than twenty-four hours.
Get it together.
The walk to Evelina’s estate felt like a march to his execution. Every step brought fresh waves of doubt. What if he couldn’t handle the crowd? What if the social interaction overwhelmed him and he had some kind of public meltdown? The last thing his clan needed was to see their Alpha crack under the pressure of a simple party.
But beneath the anxiety, a deeper truth pulsed with every heartbeat. He had to try. For his people, who deserved better than a leader who hid from them. For his aunt, who’d never stopped believing he could heal. And for Isla—beautiful, warm, devastated Isla—who needed to see that he was capable of more than the cold cruelty he’d shown her.
Evelina opened the door before he could knock, her green eyes immediately assessing his haggard appearance with maternal concern.
“You look terrible.”
“Thanks. That’s exactly the confidence boost I needed.”
She reached up to smooth his unruly hair with the same gentleness she’d wielded when he was young and broken after his parents’ deaths. “I’m proud of you for coming today. This means everything to me, and it will mean everything to your people.”
The sounds of laughter and conversation drifted from deeper in the house—warm, inviting sounds that should have made him feel welcomed instead of terrified.
“What if I can’t do this?” The admission escaped before he could stop it, making him feel like a child confessing his fears.
“Then you leave. But I know you won’t.” Her smile was fierce with certainty. “You’re stronger than you think, Damon. You always have been.”
Taking a breath that felt like swallowing glass, Damon stepped into the house.
The gathering was in full swing, at least a hundred clan members scattered throughout Evelina’s spacious main room and spilling out onto the terraces. The conversations were animated, punctuated by genuine laughter that spoke of a community that had learned to find joy despite their Alpha’s absence.
