_Alina's POV_
The next morning, I woke up to the soft light filtering through the velvety curtains. My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I saw was Alaric sitting by my side. He had a worried expression on his face. He was holding my hand gently, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my skin.
"Alina," he said softly. "How are you feeling?"
I blinked, trying to gather my thoughts. My head felt heavy. "I... I think I'm okay," I replied, my voice hoarse. "What happened?"
Alaric's eyes softened, and he squeezed my hand gently. "You fainted on the stairs," he explained. "You’ve been through so much, your body just couldn't take it anymore."
Memories of last night came rushing back—how I had pushed him away, my fear and doubt consuming me. I looked down, feeling a wave of
