Author's Note: This is Chapter 33, which was published after Chapter 35 by mistake. Please make sure to read this chapter first, then go back to read Chapters 34 and 35. Sorry for any confusion caused by the mix-up!
The first light of dawn hadn’t yet pierced the horizon, but I was already wide awake. Lying beside Carter, his warmth still wrapped around me, I stared at the ceiling, my thoughts racing. The night before had been everything I had wanted—pure connection, trust, love. But the peace that came with it was fleeting, and already the weight of leadership had settled back on my shoulders, heavier than before.
I slipped out of bed carefully, not wanting to disturb Carter. The soft rustle of the sheets and the faint creak of the wooden floor seemed to echo louder than usual in the qui
