Raine's POV.

The words hung in the air like a dark cloud, suffocating me. "I love you, Elena." It sounded like a spell, wrapping around them in a cocoon of warmth while I stood frozen in the shadows, a mere spectator in a theater of heartbreak.

Each syllable pierced me deeper than the last. I felt the familiar sting of tears threatening to spill over, but I blinked them away. I couldn't let them see my weakness. Not now, not ever.

As I watched them, the world around me faded into a blur. The vibrant colors of the forest dulled, overshadowed by the vivid image of Lucius holding Elena. His...