Chapter 463: Peace And Quiet
When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was that the house was quiet.
Not dead, not cold—just... quiet.
Like it was holding its breath, too afraid to disturb what lay at the heart of it.
I blinked slowly, not quite ready to move, the scent of firewood and skin clinging to the sheets like perfume. My body ached in the best possible way—sore in places I didn’t know could feel good. But more than that, I felt safe... clean... not dirty.
Which was weird.
Safety was never something I chased. It was something I resented. Everyone else seemed to take safety for granted, but I had never experienced it. I hated those people who had what I never could.
But here—here with them—I finally felt cared for.
I felt held.
The more I shook off the aftermath of sleep, the more I realized a few things.
Someone’s fingers were laced with mine. Another arm was flung over my waist. My leg was tangled with a much larger one. A head rested against my ribs. One of them was breathing against the back of my neck.
I didn’t even have to look to know who was where, I already knew where each individual was sleeping.