Elias’s POV

I woke up to the sound of slow breathing. Not mine. Ronan’s.

For a moment, I forgot where I was. The room was dim, the curtains still drawn, and the memories of last night rushed back like cold water. The knocking. The footsteps. The scratching on the wall.

My chest tightened. Ronan was sitting right where he had been hours ago. In the chair near the door. His head rested against the wall, arms crossed, eyes closed. He looked like he had not slept at all.

I sat up quietly. ...