Chapter 109

Frustration surged through Lyra, panic mixing with desperation. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her body leaning in as if proximity could sway him. Her crying wasn’t loud, but it was relentless, insistent. And it got under his skin. Damon’s patience frayed. Every second she clung, every whispered plea, chipped at his composure. He wanted nothing more than to push her away, to break free of the clingy, manipulative theatrics she wielded so shamelessly. His wolf stirred, irritable and sharp beneath his skin, echoing the irritation curling in his chest. “Lyra,” he said finally, voice low, dangerous, tight with restraint. “Enough.” But she didn’t let go. She couldn’t. And that defiance, the calculated mix of vulnerability and manipulation, only made his irritation flare hotter. But this woman… she was impossible to read. No matter how hard he tried, Damon couldn’t pull anything out of her. Her lips were sealed, her expression unreadable. For now, he gave up. “Don’t worry,” he said fi