Chapter Sixty-Three

Soren’s POV

The morning came with a chill that crept under the doors and through the windows. I woke before the sun, as I often did, and immediately felt the quiet weight of the house pressing down on me. Adrian had slept a little longer, though I knew he wasn’t resting as deeply as he looked. His breathing was steady, but even that betrayed him if you listened close enough. I did. I always did.

I moved silently through the hallways, feeling the cold marble under my feet. The monitors in the living room flickered softly, each screen showing an empty driveway, a still street, nothing unusual. That should have calmed me, but it didn’t. Nothing had calmed me in days. Not since the black car, not since the threats, not since everything had spun out of control. I poured a cup of coffee and let the steam rise to my face, letting the bitter warmth anchor me.

She finally came down, her hair messy from sleep, eyes still half-closed. She yawned softly and rubbed at her neck. My chest tightene