Alison's POV
The room was unusually quiet, except for the faint ticking of the ornate grandfather clock tucked into the corner. Its rhythmic beat was almost hypnotic, pulling me deeper into my thoughts as Darius performed his routine checks. I studied his meticulous movements, his gloved hands cool and precise against my wrist. Xander sat at the edge of the bed, his elbows on his knees, his sharp eyes never leaving me. His presence, so commanding yet gentle, always made my heart race. But tonight, there was an air of tension between us, subtle yet impossible to ignore.
“All done,” Darius said with a reassuring smile, snapping his gloves off. “You’re healing remarkably well, Alison. And the DNA results should be ready by tomorrow.” He looked between Xander and me. “With that done, I’ll se
