(Ryan’s POV)
I didn’t sleep. Not really. I lay there with my eyes closed, but my mind wouldn’t shut the f**k up.
Of course, the bond didn’t sleep either. It throbbed in my chest like a second heartbeat, louder than my own. Even the quiet of the house—normally peaceful at this time of the morning—felt like it was pressing down on me, suffocating.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face. Not the version from last night—the one filled with horror and despair—but the one I used to know. I remembered her smile. She used to be shy about it because of her braces. I thought they were kind of cool at first—unique. But then, somehow, Caleb had convinced me that they were lame. A sign of "weak genes" or some bullshit I can barely remember now.
I dragged myself out of bed at some point—I don’t
