He lifted a finger. “That was rhetorical.”
Griff snorted.
“I feel fine,” I said instead, softer now. “Better than fine.”
Eamon moved closer, stopping at the foot of the cot. “Any dizziness? Residual heat? Pressure behind the eyes?”
I shook my head. “Nothing like before.”
He nodded, satisfied but not relaxed. “Good. That means the lycan venom has fully burned out.” His gaze flicked briefly to the scar at my side. “Your healing response is… impressive.”
“Try not to sound so excited,” I teased.
He gave me a look that made me squirm just the slightest bit.
Footsteps sounded behind him.
Bishop appeared next, posture straight, movements careful like he didn’t want to startle me. His gaze met mine and softened immediately, the tension in his shoulders easing.
“You look stronger,” he observed simply.
“I feel stronger,” I replied.
A faint smile touched his mouth. “That’s good to hear.”
Elias stepped into the room after that. His gaze locked onto me immediately.
“You’re awake,” he said.
“Seems to be the theme today,” I replied.
The corner of his mouth curved faintly, but his eyes stayed serious. He crossed the room and stopped beside Eamon, his presence solid and unyielding.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
I considered it for a moment. “Like myself,” I answered finally.
I shifted slightly, tugging the sheet up out of habit. Griff immediately noticed and adjusted it for me without thinking, his hand lingering for a second too long before he pulled back.
Eamon noticed too.
So did Bishop.
So did Elias.
The room went quiet in that peculiar way it did when everyone was suddenly aware of the same thing and didn’t quite know how to acknowledge it.
This—whateverthiswas—was new.
Not just for me.
“So,” I said, breaking the silence, “where’s Nox?”
Griff’s expression tightened. “Out.”
Elias supplied more information. “He went after Commander Dane.”
I exhaled slowly, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before looking back at them. All of them. The way they’d arranged themselves around the cot without meaning to, the four of them surrounding me.
