Ellie's fingers trembled as she stuffed clothes into her duffel bag, the rustle of fabric loud in the hushed darkness of her castle quarters. Her gaze darted to Nick, who moved with vampiric grace, his packing eerily silent.
"We need to hurry," she whispered, her werewolf hearing attuned to any sound of stirring staff.
Nick nodded, his dark eyes intense. "Almost done."
Ellie paused, her hand closing around a small wooden reindeer figurine. Its delicate antlers pressed into her palm as memories flooded her mind—laughter in the village square, the scent of gingerbread, children's eyes wide with wonder as Nick told his Santa stories. Her chest tightened.
I can't leave this behind, she thought, gently placing the figurine in her bag. It's a piece of the peace I found here.
"Ellie." Nick's
