Chase's POV:
Damon stood in the kitchen like a statue, his cocky smirk wiped clean off his face. His usually sharp eyes had gone wide, and he looked utterly stunned.
Then, as if the weight of realization hit him all at once, he turned to me.
"This…" His voice was barely a whisper at first. Then louder: "This is impossible, right?"
He wasn't asking me so much as the universe. His gaze flicked back to Ash, who was now tilting his head in curiosity, his little face full of innocence.
Damon's eyes darted to Leila. "He's a wolf, right?"
Leila didn't even dignify him with an answer. Instead, she moved swiftly, putting herself between Ash and Damon like a shield.
"It's all right, Leila," I said, trying to ease the tension. "He's just imprinted on Ash. It's not his fault."
Leila spun around to face me, her frustration clear as day. "Oh, hell no! You vampires need to keep your stupid bonds to yourselves."
