Xavier opened his eyes slowly, the chill of the night biting at his skin as he shifted back to his human form. The air outside was still, the moonlight glinting faintly against the frost-tipped trees, and the first hints of dawn in the east suggested a sun ready to crown the horizon. He tilted his head upward, letting out a long, almost sorrowful sigh.
The sun will soon set again…
A shiver ran down his spine—not from the cold, but from the lingering echo of last night, the poison that had clawed at his very essence. Each memory of the green venom brought a tightness to his chest that no Lycan strength could soothe.
He walked first to Ariel's room, pausing at the doorway to observe her. She was curled beneath the blankets, the rise and fall of her chest a peaceful rhythm in stark contrast to the chaos that had threatened them all. Relief softened his rigid shoulders. She was safe.
