Jessica Lewis
I woke to the sound of the wind howling outside, the moonlight casting a silver glow through the curtains. Blinking against the dim light, I felt the heaviness of my emotions pressing down on me. My body ached, both from my injuries and the sheer exhaustion of the past few days.
Turning onto my side, I expected solitude, but a shadow moved in the corner of the room. My breath caught in my throat, my body tensing until my eyes adjusted and I recognized the familiar form leaning against the wall.
"Tristan?" I whispered, my voice hoarse.
He stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "I didn’t mean to wake you."
Slowly, I sat up, my fingers gripping the blanket. "Why are you still here? I thought you left."
He hesitated before answering, his jaw tight. "I couldn’t. Not co
