Sunlight woke me before any sound in the villa did. It flowed through the white curtains like warm silk, brushing across my face and the blanket I had wrapped myself in on the sofa. For a moment, I did not know where I was. My mind drifted to the dance, the music, the way Chase had held me beneath the lights. I reached for that feeling in my sleep, like a memory too soft to stay.
Then the ocean spoke.
Waves crashed somewhere below the cliff, steady and rhythmic, reminding me of where I truly was. The unfamiliar smell of tropical flowers replaced the mountain forest scent of pack territory. The salt in the air sharpened my senses. I blinked slowly, letting morning settle around me like a comforting fabric.
When I sat up, the blanket slipped from my shoulders. My neck felt stiff from slee
