(Winter’s POV)
When Winter woke again, it felt different.
Not heavy. Not dragged through layers of resistance like before. This time it was simpler—cleaner—as her eyes opened and she blinked a few times to adjust to the light. The lingering ache was still there, dull and manageable, but it didn’t weigh her down the same way it had before.
She stretched instinctively, her arms lifting above her head as her back arched slightly, the motion pulling at muscles that had been still for too long. A yawn followed, unrestrained and loud, the kind that came from genuine exhaustion finally loosening its grip.
The movement drew attention almost immediately.
The door opened and a nurse stepped inside, her expression softening into a small smile as she approached. “You’re awake again,” she said, al
