Six Months Later
January 2026
Elaris's POV
I wasn't entirely sure how six months had managed to disappear so quickly.
One moment I had been standing in a hospital room, terrified of becoming someone's mother.
The next, winter had arrived, Christmas had come and gone, and my daughter was somehow six months old.
Sometimes I caught myself staring at her simply because I couldn't believe she was real.
The tiny newborn who had once fit perfectly against my chest had grown into a curious little person with opinions, preferences, and a remarkable talent for making everyone around her fall hopelessly in love with her.
Especially me.
Noelle sat on a blanket spread across the living room floor, completely focused on a brightly colored stuffed rabbit.
Her concentration was so intense that i
