Elias’s POV

I woke to silence. Not the usual calm morning kind. This was heavy silence; dense, charged like the air had decided to hold its breath and wait.

My eyes opened slowly. Ronan was still in the chair beside the bed. Still awake. Still watching the door like he expected it to open at any moment, carrying every ounce of responsibility like it was natural for him to bear it alone.

His coat was draped over his shoulders, hair messy from running his hands through it too much, eyes dark ...