Briar
I woke to the soft morning light filtering through the hotel room curtains. For a moment, I simply lay there, savoring the warmth of Damian's body pressed against mine. His arm was draped over my waist, his breath tickling the back of my neck. I wanted to freeze this moment, to live in it forever.
But reality has a way of creeping in, even in the most perfect moments. As I lay there, listening to Damian's soft breathing, the weight of what I had to do settled over me like a heavy blanket.
"We don't have to do this," Ivy whined in my mind. "Look at him. How can we leave?"
I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting back tears. "We have to," I thought back. "It's the only way to save him."
Carefully, so as not to wake Damian, I extricated myself from his arms. He stirred slightly, mumbling
