Chapter 45. Seeking Solutions

The scent was the first thing I noticed before my eyes even fluttered open. That sharp sting of disinfectant—and something softer, familiar. Earthy. Warm. Aries.

I could hear soft murmurs dancing around me, voices like distant music just beyond my understanding. I shifted slightly, and a dull ache burned across my back. It still hurt—but not like before.

“Rex?”

A voice I’d recognize in any lifetime.

Aries.

I forced my eyelids open.

The lights weren’t harsh this time. They were softer, clearer. My blurry vision settled, registering what my heart already knew—we weren’t in the tent anymore.

Shapes began to form. Then faces.

And then I felt his hand wrap around mine—steady, grounding. A touch I had grown used to these past few days.

“You’re home now,” Aries whispered.

“Home?” I rasped, my voice raw.

He nodded gently, eyes locked on mine. I turned my head slowly, scanning the room—and that’s when I saw them.