Winter POV
I'm not going to lie, I'm in complete shock over what's happened and being able to finally talk is a miracle in itself. According to Dr. James, I would have healed eventually but Kai choosing to mark me sped up the process. I got angry, I'll admit, but it all worked out in the end. Besides, now I can tell Kai how I really feel and I claimed him, the same way he claimed me. No more trying to protect me out of jealousy, no more just taking things lying down. Now I can really begin to stand up for myself. There's going to be a new Winter, I decided. No more trying to please everyone else, or keeping quiet about what I want. That old Winter is gone. I'm going to be changing things for the better.
Kai leads me out of the hospital room, still feeling guilty, and I tug on his hand a
