As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, I woke up, my body automatically shifting to check for Elena beside me. She was still there, sleeping peacefully, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.
For a brief moment, everything felt perfect her warmth against me, the quiet hum of the world outside, and the fleeting peace that came with it. But I knew better. The moment wouldn't last.
I gently slipped out of bed, careful not to wake her. The world was far from safe, and we were in the center of a storm I could no longer ignore. Sydney's parents, the war between vampire families, Elena's involvement it all weighed on me like a heavy stone.
I'd brought her into this life, and now, I was the only one who could keep her safe.
Moving quietly through the safe house, I began formulating my next steps. Sydney's parents were more dangerous than I had anticipated.
