(Aria’s POV)The first thing I noticed when my eyes blinked open was warmth. My head rested against something firm, rising and falling in a slow rhythm. A chest. I froze as realization dawned—an arm was draped around me, holding me tightly, possessively. His scent, faint and artificial like damp forest, wrapped around me like a blanket.I shifted slightly, careful not to wake him, fear and frustration battling inside me. How had I ended up here, still in his embrace? The events of last night stormed back into my thoughts, heavy and deafening. I clenched my fists on the soft sheet beneath me, willing away the sting of humiliation that came rushing back.I tilted my face upward, peering at him through the faint morning light streaming into the room. The bronze mask still covered his face, its sharp edges reflecting the light just enough to make my breath catch. Even in sleep, he looked intimidating, his presence unwavering.Could it really be him?“Derek,” I whispered. My voice was
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