Scarlet was taken aback to find herself in bed instead of the recliner where she had fallen asleep. The previous night had been filled with tension and hurt, and after their argument, she had waited in vain for Alaric to return.
By midnight, with no sign of him, she had eventually drifted off, unaware of when he had come to find her and moved her to the bed.
As she lay there, she studied his serene, sleeping face, her thoughts swirling with uncertainty.
Had he forgiven her? She tried to slip quietly out from under the blanket, her movements deliberate as she turned her back to him. However, just as she was about to sit up, Alaric's arm encircled her waist, drawing her back into his embrace.
"Don't leave," he murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper.
Scarlet looked back at him with a startled expression. "You're awake?" she asked.
