BLAZE
I was the first to wake up. My body groaned it protest as I got out of the couch with a grunt. This was tortorous, but I would rather sleep in this uncomfortable couch than be anywhere else.
The room was filled with the slow, steady rhythm of breathing—my brothers still snoring like two oversized bears. Shade had a hand slung around Avery’s waist, his face buried in her hair. And she…
She looked content.
There was a tiny smile playing on her lips. Like whatever dream she was having had bloomed into something soft and beautiful. For a second, I just stood there, watching them. Not in a weird way, but in a way that made my chest feel tight.
She deserved this peace. This rest.
And if I had anything to do with it, she'd never go back to the nightmare she crawled out of.
I slipped
