Julian's POV
The first thing I felt was the throbbing in my temples. It was a punishing ache that made even the act of opening my eyes feel like a task. My clothes felt damp and heavy against my skin, and the floor beneath me was hard.
I blinked, squinting against the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. This wasn't my room. The scent was different—cleaner, lighter. I sat up abruptly, my head spinning as the memory of the previous night came rushing back in disjointed fragments. The toast with Lucy. The sudden, overwhelming heat. The desperate run to this room.
I looked up and saw Catherine. She was sitting in the armchair a few feet away, her legs pulled up to her chest. She was already dressed, her eyes fixed on me with an expression that was impossible to read. She looked like she hadn't slept at all.
"You're awake," she said. Her voice was flat, devoid of the warmth.
