56. Alastair

Alastair

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I summoned every bit of willpower I had left to speak up. "This is the first time in over a century that I've been hugged like this... let's say, I don't like to be hugged at all," I admitted, my tone betraying a hint of dryness. The words felt foreign on my tongue, as if my body was struggling to form them.

My gaze shifted to the spot where the lemur had been, my lips moving almost incoherently as I muttered, "And the lemur has left already." It was as if my own body was refusing to cooperate, the strange mix of emotions still lingering within me.

As Chelsea drew back, I couldn't help but notice her nervousness, the way she bit her lip, a telltale sign of her unease. I took a deep breath to steady myself, trying to regain my composure.

"Thank you, baby," I managed to say, my voice carrying a note of sincerity. Her grip on my shirt had left it slightly damp with sweat, a tangible reminder of her anxiety.

However, her reaction to the same word