Arielle's pov
When my eyes fluttered open, the first thing I noticed was the silence.
I blinked against the pale, icy sunlight streaming through the dusty window frame, my head throbbing with a dull, persistent ache.
The bandaged wound on my shoulder made it difficult but I managed to push myself up onto my elbows, the thin blankets slipping down my chest.
The horrific memory of the attack hit me all at once, the dark forest, the flashing fangs, the terrifying weakness I felt, and then... Victor.
I looked to the space beside me on the small bed, half-expecting to see his towering frame slumped beside me or sitting in the corner watching over me.
But the sheets were empty and cold.
"Victor?" I called out, my voice raspy and thin from disuse.
No answer.
I swung my legs over the ed
