Chapter 82. A Tangled Awakening

Avery’s POV

The world swam back into focus like a blurry watercolor painting slowly resolving itself into sharper lines and distinct colors.

My eyelids felt heavy, as if weighted down by unseen forces. I tried to lift them, but they resisted, clinging to the darkness. A low groan escaped my lips.

Then, a flicker of light pierced through the darkness, and my eyes finally fluttered open. The first thing I saw was a face. A familiar face. Dylan.

He was sitting beside me, his head resting on the edge of the bed, his dark hair falling across his forehead. His usually sharp, commanding features were softened with exhaustion, dark circles under his eyes hinting at a sleepless night.

He looked… vulnerable. A word I never thought I’d associate with him ever again, especially not as a wolf. I stared at him while trying to gather my bearings and collect my thoughts. Something about his exhausted but good looking features grounded me.

My mind struggled