Chapter 86: Quiet Before the Storm

Ella’s

Noah lay motionless beside me, his breathing steady but noticeably tense. Even deep in sleep, his jaw remained tightly clenched, as if he were constantly fighting battles his body absolutely refused to rest from. A faint, dark bruise shadowed his cheek where Jasper had struck him during the fight. I reached out carefully and gently traced the injury with a cool fingertip.

He didn’t even flinch under my touch. He was simply too exhausted from the ...