Kaiden’s Point of View
I carried Avery back to my chamber, her fragile form cradled in my arms. Her skin was pale, her wounds deep, and every labored breath she took sent a pang through my chest. I laid her gently on the bed, brushing the hair from her bloodied face.
"You're safe now," I murmured, though the words felt hollow. Safe, but broken because I had failed to protect her in time.
I fetched warm water and clothes, cleaning the blood and grime from her body. My movements were meticulous, careful not to hurt her further. She didn’t stir, her breaths shallow but steady. My gaze lingered on her face, even as the scene from the woods replayed in my mind.
Her face. Her voice.
It had been her…. only her that allowed me to fight the curse. The beast that had consumed me time and time a
