Blake's POV

The cabin smelled like pine and old wood and something warm that reminded me of safety. Maybe it was the fireplace. Maybe it was the quiet. Or maybe it was the fact that for the first time in days, no one was watching us.

I woke up early. Not because I wanted to, but because Elena’s body seemed to carry lighter sleep. Every sound felt closer. The wind brushing against the window. A bird landing on the railing outside. The faint creak of the house settling.

I lay there for a ...