LAUREN'S POV
Once again, I found myself slipping back into the old days of waking up early, long before the sun had fully risen. The alarm clock wasn’t even necessary anymore my body seemed to know, dragging me out of bed before dawn. I sat at the edge of the mattress for a moment, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and letting out a tired sigh. The air in the room was still cool, carrying that faint morning stillness that always felt both calming and heavy.
Yes, today I had to report to headquarters early, and that was enough of a reason to wake up on time. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t the true reason I had stirred from bed at this hour. Something else had pushed me awake — responsibility, planning, and a touch of nervous energy.
Last night, after we’d finished arranging everything pe
