Romeo

Leslie POV:

I bolted upright in the middle of the clearing, the damp earth cool beneath my bare feet. Around me, shadows shifted, and the moon hung heavy in the sky, casting an eerie glow on the twisted branches overhead. I looked down, realizing I was wearing the same dress I had worn on the day everything had gone wrong. My chest tightened, fear creeping into my bones.

"Leslie!" Jaden's voice boomed from behind me. My heart lurched. I spun around, and there he was, emerging from the darkness. His once familiar features were twisted, his eyes glowing with a predatory gleam. "You can't run from me," he snarled, closing the distance between us with menacing strides. "You're mine."

Suddenly, a voice I hadn't heard in years pierced the night—my father. "Execute her!" His voice was cold, unrecognizable. I turned and saw him standing next to Luna, their eyes blazing with the same hatred. "She deserves death for her betrayal! It should've been her, not my mate!"

The ground beneath me quaked, the earth splitting as if to swallow me whole. I stumbled backward, my breath coming in short, frantic bursts. My father's face contorted with disgust. "You should be dead!" he roared, his voice echoing in my ears. "You're nothing compared to her!" My mother's lifeless eyes flashed before me, her blood staining the earth beneath her.

I screamed, but no sound came out. The sky cracked open with thunder, and the wind howled like a beast, whipping my hair around my face. My body trembled, and I tried to run, but the ground swallowed my feet, holding me in place as Jaden reached for me, his fingers cold as death closing around my throat—

Thump.

I jerked awake, my breath ragged, my heart racing in my chest. Sweat slicked my skin, my hands trembling as I clutched the sheets. But the thumping didn't stop.

Thump, thump.

Groggy and still caught in the haze of the nightmare, I stumbled out of bed and went to the window. My heart lurched again, but this time for an entirely different reason. There, standing below with a mischievous grin on his face and a pebble poised to throw, was Damien.

I threw open the window and hissed, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

His grin only widened as he casually dropped the pebble. "I've come to take you out."

"Have you lost your mind?" I snapped, glancing at the clock. Midnight. "It's the middle of the night!"

He shrugged, completely unfazed. "You promised me you wouldn't say no when I asked you out."

I glared at him, incredulous. "You could've just come in through the front door like a normal person! This is your mom's place! You have the spare key!"

Damien's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Where's the romance in that?" he said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Besides, sneaking you out through the window is way more exciting."

I crossed my arms. "Exciting? Or insane?"

He tilted his head, grinning again. "You've got nothing to lose, Leslie. And I've only got one month to woo you. Might as well make it memorable."

I shook my head, half-exasperated, half-amused despite myself. "You're insane."

"Come on, jump. I'll catch you."

Rolling my eyes but knowing I couldn't back out of this ridiculousness, I climbed through the window. For a split second, I was airborne, the cool night air rushing past me, and then I landed in Damien's arms. He caught me effortlessly, but, as promised, quickly set me down, knowing how much I hated being touched.

I felt a pang in my chest, a reminder of how much Jaden had ruined me. Could I ever be happy again?

I pushed the thought away. For now, I'd let Damien try.

He led me to where his motorbike was parked under the pale moonlight. My eyes widened as I took in the sleek, black machine gleaming dangerously in the night. "Are you crazy?" I shouted at him, the words echoing off the quiet houses around us.

Damien grinned, that familiar mischievous spark lighting up his eyes. "Only for you, sweetheart," he teased, swinging a leg over the bike with effortless ease. "Come on, I know you want to try it."

I stared at him, momentarily speechless. Try it? This man had officially lost his mind. Yet, a small part of me—perhaps the reckless part—was intrigued. Praying to the Moon Goddess to help me survive this insanity, I hesitantly climbed onto the bike, gripping the back of his jacket as if it were a lifeline.

"You know," Damien called over his shoulder, "you could hold on a little tighter than that." His voice was filled with amusement, which only made me scoff at him.

"Dream on," I muttered under my breath, but he must have heard me because he chuckled softly.

"Alright then, don't say I didn't warn you." He turned around briefly, and before I could protest, he slipped a helmet onto my head, securing it gently. His touch was surprisingly tender, and for a moment, I was caught off guard by the intimacy of the gesture.

He started the motor, and the bike roared to life beneath us. I barely had a chance to react before we shot forward, and I was yanked out of my thoughts. Instinctively, my arms flew around Damien's waist as I was jerked forward. He laughed, clearly enjoying my reaction, and I could feel the deep rumble of his amusement even through my helmet.

"See?" he shouted over the wind. "Told you you'd hold on tight!"

I cursed under my breath but couldn't help the thrill that coursed through me as we sped down the empty road. The wind whipped past us, cool and freeing, and despite myself, I started to enjoy it. The night was alive around us, the moon casting a soft glow on the deserted streets. My fear slowly melted away, replaced by exhilaration.

As we swerved through the curves, Damien's laughter mixed with the roar of the bike. The ride was exhilarating, each twist and turn making my heart race—not from fear but from the pure adrenaline of it. I tightened my grip around his waist, feeling oddly safe, even in this reckless adventure.

And I loved every moment of it.

As the bike slowed to a stop at the edge of a quiet overlook, I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. Damien cut the engine, and silence blanketed the night once again. He hopped off first, offering me a hand as I clumsily dismounted, my legs still wobbly from the ride.

I pulled off the helmet, shaking out my hair, and shot him a glare. "That was insane."

He just grinned, leaning casually against the bike. "And fun."

I opened my mouth to argue, but then I caught sight of the view behind him and forgot what I was going to say. The overlook stretched out beneath us, a sprawling landscape bathed in soft moonlight. The city lights twinkled in the distance like scattered stars, and the vast sky above seemed endless, a deep blue canvas dotted with sparkling constellations. It was breathtaking.

"Wow…" I breathed, momentarily forgetting everything else.

Damien watched me with a satisfied smirk, as if he knew exactly what he was doing. "I thought you might like it."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Okay, you win. It's beautiful."

He pushed off the bike and gestured toward a nearby picnic table nestled under a tree, illuminated by a string of fairy lights he must have set up beforehand. "But wait, there's more," he said in a mock-dramatic tone, making me laugh.

"You really went all out, didn't you?" I asked, following him toward the table.

"I told you, I've only got one month to win you over," he replied with a wink. "I'm not wasting any time."

On the table, there was a simple spread—some snacks, drinks, and a thermos. He poured us each a cup of hot chocolate, the rich scent filling the air as we sat down. For a moment, we just sat in comfortable silence, sipping the warm drinks and staring out at the view.

"So," he said after a while, "what did you think of the ride?"

I tried to keep my expression neutral, but a smile tugged at my lips. "It wasn't terrible," I admitted grudgingly.

"High praise coming from you," he teased, nudging me playfully with his elbow.

I chuckled, feeling more at ease than I had in a long time. The night was cool but not cold, and the atmosphere Damien had created—though unconventional—was oddly romantic. I found myself relaxing, the stress of the day and the nightmare fading into the background.

"Why are you doing all this?" I asked suddenly, the question slipping out before I could stop it. "Why go through all this trouble for me?"

Damien turned to face me, his expression softening. For a moment, the playfulness faded, replaced by something deeper. "Because you're worth it," he said simply. "And I want to see you smile more."

His words caught me off guard. I felt my heart skip a beat, and I quickly looked away, unsure of how to respond. Damien wasn't like Jaden—he wasn't trying to control me or force me into something I didn't want. He was just… there. Patient, kind, and willing to let me take things at my own pace.

I cleared my throat, trying to shake off the sudden wave of emotion. "Well," I said, trying to lighten the mood, "you're going to have to do better than a motorbike ride and hot chocolate."

He grinned, leaning back against the table. "Challenge accepted."

I couldn't help but laugh, feeling a warmth inside me that had nothing to do with the hot chocolate. Maybe, just maybe, this night wasn't such a bad idea after all.

After a few more minutes of playful banter, Damien stood up and offered me his hand. "Come on, I've got one more surprise for you."

I eyed him suspiciously. "Another surprise? Should I be worried?"

He chuckled. "Only if you're afraid of the stars."

I took his hand, letting him lead me away from the table. He guided me a short distance down a narrow path that led to a secluded patch of grass, where he had set up a small telescope.

"A telescope?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I figured we could do some stargazing," he said with a grin. "You know, since we're already out here."

I was genuinely impressed by the thought he'd put into the night. We spent the next hour lying on the grass, taking turns peering through the telescope and pointing out constellations. Damien had a way of making even the simplest things feel magical, and as the night went on, I found myself relaxing more and more.

At some point, I turned my head to look at him, and he caught me staring. For a moment, neither of us said anything, the air between us charged with something unspoken.

"Leslie," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know I've only got a month, but I'm not rushing this. I just want you to know… I'm here, whenever you're ready."

I swallowed hard, his words tugging at something deep inside me. Maybe Damien really could make me happy again. Maybe I deserved to be happy.

For now, I decided to let myself enjoy the moment. "Thank you," I whispered back, and for the first time in a long time, I felt a glimmer of hope.

We stayed there under the stars, talking about everything and nothing, until the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon.