Chapter 22

Kieran’s POV

The sun was already creeping through the curtains, and Elara was curled beside me, still asleep. She looked soft. Peaceful, even. I stayed still, not wanting to ruin the moment. Everything was quiet, just the sound of her breathing and the occasional sound of birds chirping outside. It was the kind of quiet that felt rare, like the kind that only showed up when the world finally decided to slow down.

My arm had gone numb under her weight, but I didn’t mind. There was something grounding about having her here. After everything, the chaos, the fights, the moments I wasn’t sure I’d earned her trust, this felt... good.

Better than good. It felt like something was finally settling.

I stared at her lips for too long, then leaned in and kissed her, gently and slowly.

She stirred eventually, eyebrows scrunching a little before she blinked up at me. There was a second where she just stared like she was making sure I was real. And then her eye