I could feel every mile we traveled through the night in my bones, the ache of fatigue matched only by the tension in my chest. The first light of morning brushed the horizon as we stopped at the boundary of my land and his. My stomach growled in protest, reminding me that the night had been long and fraught with fear. He didn’t complain when I suggested we stop at a small diner tucked by the roadside.
The scent of coffee and syrup greeted me as we entered. My third pancake had barely settled when he finally spoke, his voice gentle, pulling me from the fog of my thoughts. "I’m sorry you’re going through this, little dove. It’s only a few miles from my park, and I’ll keep you safe there."
He reached across the table, resting his warm hands over mine. I hesitated, letting a faint shiver ro
