Bella’s POV
The morning after the rite, I woke before the sun rose. Everything felt wrong.
The wind outside wasn’t louder—but I could hear it now, like a low whisper curled through the house. My heart thudded faster than usual. Every sound—June’s sleepy breathing upstairs, Harper’s footsteps in the kitchen, Liam locking the front door—hit me like thunder.
I pressed a hand to my chest, breathing deep. Harper handed me a cup of coffee as I entered the kitchen, her eyes were already on me. “You’re hearing more now, aren’t you?”
I nodded slowly. “Footsteps, breathing. Even the streetlamp outside—I can hear it buzz.”
“Your instincts are awakening.” She stirred her tea, eyes dark. “They’ll either sharpen or overwhelm you.”
I didn’t want to be overwhelmed. Especially not at work. At the hospital, I kept my head down. I tried to focus on charts, patients, and ward rounds. But it was hard. I could hear heartbeats behind closed doors. I knew when someone was lying—even when they didn’t know it
