The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioner and the soft rhythm of Hugo's breathing beside her. Lea had been lying on the couch for nearly half an hour, her eyes half-open, staring blankly at the ceiling. Every bone in her body begged for rest, yet her mind wouldn't settle.
She had fought, protected, and endured more than anyone could imagine in a single day. Her pheromone reserves were drained, her body felt light—almost too light—and her thoughts drifted somewhere between exhaustion and the lingering ache of seeing Kael again.
But suddenly—
Grrrkk.
The unmistakable sound of her stomach growling broke the silence.
Hugo, who had been scrolling through his tablet on the other couch, turned his head immediately, the corners of his lips twitching in amusement. "Was that… thunder?" he asked innocently.
Lea groaned and covered her face with a pillow. "Don't you dare, Hugo."
