|| Lilac's POV ||

The tension between us had softened, replaced by a quiet, almost fragile calm. Alaric's voice broke the silence, his tone light but carrying an undercurrent of something deeper. "Hungry? Let's go back to my house. I'll cook."

I smiled, a small, genuine one that felt foreign on my lips.

"I don't think you're in any shape to cook," I teased, my eyes scanning his disheveled appearance. His hair was a mess, his clothes wrinkled, and there were dark circles ...