I trace the line of his jaw gently, careful not to wake him, but he stirs anyway.
His eyes open—those dark, intense eyes that see right through me.
"Morning, darlin'," he murmurs, his voice rough with sleep.
"Morning."
He pulls me closer, checking me over like he does every time he wakes up now.
"You okay?" he asks.
"Oh yes," I say, and the word feels like a revelation. "Because of you."
Something in his expression shifts and he chuckles softly. "Eh, I helped a little."
I lean in to kiss him, slow and sweet, when there's a sudden weight on the bed and a wet nose pushing between our faces.
Charlie.
She's wiggling with excitement, her tail wagging so hard her whole body shakes.
And most importantly—no cone.
I know she’s happy as all hell I took that damn thing off her.
"Good morning to you too, girl." I laugh, scratching behind her ears while she tries to lick both our faces at once.
Shadow groans but he's smiling. "She's got terrible timing."
"She's just happy we're home and safe." I sit up, and Charlie immediately sprawls across my lap. "Aren't you, baby?"
Charlie's answer is to roll onto her back, demanding belly rubs.
Shadow sits up beside me, wincing slightly.
The bruises on his torso are spectacular—purple and black and green, some from the fight, some from before.
"Let me see," I say, and he doesn't argue.
I carefully examine each bruise, each cut, each mark. Nothing needs stitches. Nothing looks infected.
He'll heal.
We both will.
My fingers find my own ribs, tracing the outline where the bandage used to be.
We removed it yesterday and the tattoo is healing nicely.
Shadow's name, permanently marked on my skin.
"It's perfect," Shadow says, his hand covering mine over his name on my ribs.
We get out of bed and head over to the clubhouse, leaving Charlie to chill out at home.
The main house smells like home—coffee, bacon, pancakes, all the comfort foods Mom makes when she's feeling emotional.
Dakota's already at the kitchen table, scrolling through her phone, and she looks up when we walk in. "There they are. The war heroes."
