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It was 10 PM. Ariel slept peacefully in her bedroom, nestled in Tiasses's gentle arms, the soft glow of the moon spilling through the curtains.
The door creaked open. Horace stepped inside, his presence commanding yet restrained. His eyes immediately fell on his mate, serene and vulnerable in sleep. A sigh of relief escaped him, though the tension in his shoulders remained.
Tiasses looked up, her face lighting up with a warm smile.
"You've returned, welcome!" she said cheerfully, but Horace only nodded, his mind elsewhere.
"You don't seem fine, Horace. Are you okay?" Tiasses asked cautiously, sensing the storm beneath his calm exterior.
"I'm okay," he replied curtly, a short, clipped answer that betrayed none of his inner turmoil.
Tiasses didn't press further. She knew better than to disturb him when his aura radiated such quiet intensity.
