Chapter 152. Witching Hour

Aurora’s POV

I lay there, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. It felt like I hadn’t slept in days, but every time I tried to close my eyes, my mind refused to rest. The exhaustion was pulling at me, but it was like I couldn’t surrender to it. The small clock on the bedside table ticked away in the silence of the night, each second reminding me of how much I needed sleep. But the minutes stretched on, dragging me deeper into an anxious state, as if the night itself was refusing to let me go.

Then, right when it seemed like the world would finally give me a break, I heard a soft knock on the door. It barely made a sound, but I froze immediately, my heart racing. I sat up, trying to rub the sleep from my eyes, when the door opened just a crack. Ashton and Maggie stepped in, their faces a mix of urgency and something else—something I couldn’t quite place.

I couldn’t hide the worry in my voice when I asked, “Is it really safe for you to be here at this hour?”