LUCEN'S POVSix months have passed, Between the silences and the small moments, something shifted. Not in a grand sweeping gesture, but in the way that there's progress in small steps, in the way the wind no longer seemed to carry Vulk’s low growls at every turn. Vulk’s voice still haunted the edges of my mind, but it faded, ceased when I chose to listen to my own heart instead.One evening, Eli stood by the doorway, his back to me, his shoulders slumped in a way that said he’d been carrying something heavy all day.“…what? Is there anything you want to say?” I asked, the authority in my voice a little too sharp.“I’ll be out for a bit,” he said shyly.“With who?” I asked, trying to keep my tone soft, but the edge of protectiveness slipped through.He raised an eyebrow. “…why do you sound like that?”“I don’t.” I snapped.“You do,” he corrected, a faint smile playing on his lips.Silence stretched between us, thick enough to feel like a rope.“…just tell me,” I pressed, a flicker of c
Last Updated : 2026-04-01 Read more