Evaline:


    Darkness.


    That was the first thing I woke up to. Not warmth, not safety, not relief, just... darkness.


    My breath hitched before I was even fully conscious. My body tensed instantly, my muscles locked, and my heart mmed hard against my ribs like it was trying to break free.


    No.


    No no no-


    The air felt wrong, too cold, too still... too familiar.


    My chest tightened as the memories came rushing back all at once - silver chains biting into my skin, the suffocating weight of the cave, the way the darkness had swallowed everything until I couldn''t tell if my eyes were open or closed...


    And his voice - soft, mocking, too close.


    My breath came out in a broken gasp.


    "I-"


    My throat burned and I realized I couldn''t breathe. I couldn''t-


    My eyes flew open, and yet, darkness still greeted me. Though it wasn''tpletely dark as there a dim light somewhere, faint enough that shadows stretched across everything, but my mind didn''t care.


    It was enough to send me spiraling.


    My chest heaved violently as panic wed its way up my throat, choking me, suffocating me from the inside out.


    I couldn''t move, couldn''t think. I was back there, back in that cave, back in his hands.


    "No-" my voice came out as a broken whisper.


    My fingers twitched, instinctively trying to pull away from something that wasn''t even there anymore. But I could feel the chains, the silver burning into my skin again-


    "Eva!"


    A deep and urgent voice cut through the panic. Familiar hands were on me the next second - warm, strong, and real.


    I flinched violently and a sob tore out of my chest as I tried to push away, my body reacting before my mind could catch up.


    "Hey-hey, it''s okay-it''s okay-"


    Another voice spoke. This one closer, and softer. I felt myself being pulled up, and then I was surrounded by strong arms.


    I struggled at first, my hands weakly pushing against whoever was holding me, my breathsing in sharp, broken gasps.


    "Little mate, look at me," Kieran''s voice entered my ear, but I just couldn''t focus. Everything blurred together - the past, the present, the pain, the fear.


    "Breathe, sweetheart," River murmured near my ear, his voice low, steady. "You are safe. You are with us. Just breathe."


    Safe.


    The word echoed... but it didn''t reach me. Not yet. My body shook uncontrobly, my fingers clutching at whatever I could reach - fabric, skin, anything solid enough to anchor me.


    "Eva," Oscar''s voice broke through next, closer than the others. Closer than anyone had ever been during my worst nights.


    "I''m here," he said, his voice trembling despite his effort to steady it. "We are all here. No one''s touching you. No one''s hurting you."


    My chest hitched again. I squeezed my eyes shut as tears spilled freely down my temples.


    "No… no…" I choked out, my voice shaking violently. "He-he''s here-he''s-"


    "He''s not," Kieran said immediately. His voice was firm, certain. "He''s not here, love."


    My head shook weakly against his shoulder. "He-he was-"


    "I know," River whispered, his hand cupping the back of my head gently, pressing me closer. "I know, baby. But he''s not here now."


    My breathing stuttered. Still uneven. Still broken. But, something started shifting as their voices, warmth, and scents finally started settling in.


    The mate bonds slowly surged with their love and care, cutting through the fog clowding my brain.


    My fingers tightened against them as I forced myself to focus, to listen, to feel - Kieran''s steady hold, River''s calming presence, and Oscar''s trembling hands gripping mine like he was afraid I would disappear if he let go.


    They were real and they were here.


    I wasn''t alone.


    A sob broke free from my chest as my body finally gave in, copsing fully into their hold.


    "I-" my voice cracked. "I thought-"


    "I know," Oscar whispered, his forehead pressing against mine. "I know…" His voice broke on thest word.


    And that did it.


    That broke through thest of the panic.


    My breathing slowed, still uneven but no longer frantic, as I clung to them like they were the only thing keeping me grounded... because they were. They always had been.


    It took time, too much time. But eventually, the panic eased into trembling breaths and quiet tears.


    And for the first time since I woke up, I could see the real world around me. And I immediately recognized River''s familiar bedroom in the mansion.


    It was a soft mattress beneath me, not cold ground. Soft brightness was filling the room from a tablemp, not the cave''s darkness.


    My chest rose and fell slowly as I blinked, trying to steady myself. "I''m… home…" I whispered, more to myself than to them.


    "You are," Kieran murmured gently.


    My gaze shifted to them. All three of them were so close, so tense, so present. And that''s when I noticed that behind their worry and relief was hiding days of exhaustion, pain, and fear.


    They had tried to hide it. I could tell they had made efforts to clean themselves up, to look put together. But I knew them.


    I knew every line on their faces, every flicker in their eyes. I knew they hadn''t slept, hadn''t rested, hadn''t been okay.


    Because of me.


    Guilt twisted sharply in my chest.


    I lifted my hand and immediately noticed how weak I was. My hand trembled but I pushed past it and slowly cupped Oscar''s cheek.


    He froze... like he wasn''t expecting it.


    "I''m okay," I whispered, even though it wasn''t entirely true. But I needed them to hear it. Needed them to feel it.


    His eyes softened instantly, but the pain didn''t leave. "You weren''t," he said hoarsely.


    My chest tightened, but I turned slightly and reached for River next, my fingers brushing against his hand.


    "I am now," I said softly.


    His grip tightened around mine, like he didn''t quite believe me... but wanted to.


    Kieran''s arms were still around me, holding me carefully, like I might break.


    I shifted slightly, leaning into him. "You found me," I whispered.


    "Always," he replied without hesitation.


    Tears burned my eyes again, but softer this time. Different.


    Silence settled around us for a moment. It wasn''t heavy or suffocating, just quiet. And then, I asked, "Why did you stop me from ending him?"


    My question seemed to have taken them aback as they exchanged a quick nce before River let out a soft sigh and said carefully, "If I didn''t stop you, Charles would have died that night... but that would have been mercy. He doesn''t deserve that. He needs to suffer for what he did to you."


    His tone was cold, controlled, and dangerous. I could tell he had his ns for that man.


    I shook my head slightly. When I spoke, my voice came out quiet... but certain. "You are wrong. It''s not Charles."


    All three of them stilled, confusion taking over their faces as they tried to understand what I meant.


    My fingers tightened weakly around River''s hand as my gaze met his.


    "It''s Damian."