Clarrisa's POV

“How did this even happen?” Atticus asks me. “Why did you go out into the woods alone?”

It was the next day after getting attacked by vampires. The doctor had already seen me yesterday and confirmed that the poison was out of my body. I was already back to normal, which meant everyone around me was ready to ask some questions.

I’d already gotten plenty of questions for the morning, I guess it was now Atticus’s turn to ask. He didn’t look happy with me at all. In fact, he looked extremely disappointed that I would put my life in danger like that.

In my defense, I didn’t think I would bounce up three vampires in the middle of the woods. I was hoping to meet up with Damon, but no one else.

“I wanted to join Damon on his run,” I answer him. “The guard informed me that he went for a run. I wanted to catch up with him, but the vampires saw me before I could make it any further. I didn’t think I would be in danger when Damon was also there. Besides, it wasn’t that far from our home either.”

He takes a deep breath, and I try to prepare myself for his words.

“Do you know how dangerous your actions were, Clarissa?” Atticus demands from me. “You could have waited for Damon to return. You didn’t have to go after him. I know you two are having a fight, but it can’t be so important that you would risk getting hurt.”

He was wrong.

It was important.

I felt like I was running out of time, and I had to fix things with Damon before I lost him. Atticus wouldn’t understand this even if I tried to explain it; that’s why I refused to say anything in return. It would be better if he thought I agreed with him.

Yesterday, things took a turn for the worst. If I thought things were bad between Damon and me before, I was clearly in for a surprise.

Every day we have been pushed further apart from each other. I wasn’t sure what the proper steps to take anymore. If I sat back and did nothing, Damon would never make the first move.

I knew him; he was not like that. And when I attempted to get closer to him, he pushed me further apart. Nothing was going how I wanted it to go.

Damon walks into the living room then and looks at Atticus and me; he quirks a brow, probably wondering about the conversation we were having.

“Did you know she was following you into those woods?” Atticus asks him.

Damon narrows his eyes, “do you think I would ever allow that if I knew she would do something like that?”

Atticus sighs, “I want you both to talk about whatever it is bothering you. It’s causing too much trouble already. We’re not used to the two of you fighting. You’re old enough to fix this before it gets worse.”

It wasn’t something that could be easily fixed. Atticus wouldn’t know that because he didn’t know what we’d been up to recently.

“I can’t have that discussion with Clarissa today,” Damon answers him. “I have to meet Anya today. There’s something important that she wants to discuss with me.”

Something important? My body immediately stiffens at his words. His eyes fall on my fingers, gripping my dress tightly. He swallows, and before Atticus can respond, he’s already out of the room.

I couldn’t believe this. What could they possibly have to talk about that was so important? Was she going to bring up the kiss from the game to him again? Would she demand something from him in return for her forgiveness? I knew how sneaky Anya was; I should have known she would be up to something.

“Why do you look so worried?” Atticus asks me. “I’ve been noticing a change in you recently, Clarissa. I’ve also noticed the tension between you and Damon. I want you to know that you can always talk to me if you need someone to talk to.”

I look to Autumn for help. She’d just walked into the room. She cleared her throat and asked Atticus to help her with something. I thanked her with my eyes, and she smiled.

I wanted to speak with Damon before he left, but we weren’t on speaking terms after last night. I didn’t want to be the one to start a conversation between us.

I just had to hope that Anya didn’t have anything planned that could ruin my life.

---

Damon's POV

I met Anya for lunch at her favorite restaurant. Whatever she wanted to discuss with me had to be very important. She made me promise that I wouldn’t end our date early this time like I’d done last time because of Clarissa.

“Is there a special occasion?” I asked her as I saw the beautiful white dress that she had on.

She smiles, “there is something special about to happen.”

I quirk a brow and take a seat opposite her. “Do you mind telling me what all of this is about?”

“Before I tell you why we are here, there’s something that I wanted to discuss with you first,” she explains.

I nod, “I’m listening.”

I was worried that she would bring up what had happened yesterday. I wasn’t sure how I would be able to make it up to her. But according to Autumn, she was just as guilty for kissing someone other than me in the game.

I would have felt less guilty if I didn’t have inappropriate thoughts about Clarissa the entire time.

“I’ve decided that I can’t go on having a relationship with both you and Dante,” she blurts out.

I stop moving, shocked to my core. What did she mean by this? Was she saying what I thought she was?

“I don’t understand,” I finally say. “What do you mean by this? Are you breaking up with both of us?”

She laughs, “why would you think that?”

What was she so happy about? For years she couldn’t choose between us. When Atticus got married, she went almost crazy from the pain of seeing him with someone else. How could she be this calm after announcing something this important?

“I’m just repeating what you’re saying to me,” I tell her.

“I’ve decided that I want to be with you,” she finally confesses. “Only you. I don’t want anyone else but you, Damon.”

My lips parted at her words. Ever since I fell in love with Anya, that’s all I’ve ever hoped to hear from her mouth. I thought that my life would be complete once she said those words to me, but all I felt right now was gut-wrenching panic.

“You don’t want Dante?” I asked; I needed to confirm it with her first.

She nods with a bright smile, “I don’t want your brother. I want you. And to show you how serious I am, I want us to get married by the end of this month. I want to have your last name. I want to be completely yours.”