Avela’s POV
I woke up with a long, lazy stretch, warmth still clinging to my skin like a memory.
For a second, everything felt perfect.
The sheets were soft. My body felt deliciously sore in a way that reminded me exactly how Lucas and I had spent the night. My lips curved into a sleepy smile as I brushed my fingers over the empty side of the bed—
Empty?
My smile faltered.
Lucas wasn’t beside me.
I blinked up at the ceiling, my brain trying to shake off the fog of sleep. My eyebrows slowly pulled together as something nudged at the edge of my mind. Something he’d said last night… right before I drifted off.
‘There’s something I have to tell you.’
My heart gave a tiny jump.
He'd sounded… scared.
Scared of what?
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to dig through the haze. I remembere
