𝙱𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝙸𝚗 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟾: 𝙼𝚒𝚍𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜

---
The room was dark now, save for the soft glow of the

moon outside. Elara lay nestled in Darius's arms, her

head against his chest. His heartbeat was steady

beneath her ear, a comforting rhythm that lulled her

into a sense of peace.

Darius's fingers idly played with a strand of her hair, the

simple, absent-minded gesture making her feel

cherished. They hadn't spoken in a while, but the silence

was comfortable ─filling the space between them like a

blanket of warmth. "I've never felt this way before, "

Darius finally murmured, his voice barely above a

whisper. Elara lifted her head slightly, looking up at him.

"What way? " His dark eyes met hers, filled with an

intensity that made her breath catch. " Like I've found

something worth protecting. Someone I want to hold

onto. "She smiled, her heart swelling with emotions. "You

already have me, " she said softly, her hand resting

against his chest. Darius's hand covered hers, holding it

there. "And I'm never letting go." He kissed her again─

this time slower, more deliberate. There was no rush, no

urgency. Just the quiet, shared understanding that this

moment, this connection, was something neither of them

had ever experienced before.