Evaline:
Surprisingly, returning to the Thorne mansion almost felt like… returning home.
I hadn't expected it, hadn't thought I would feel anything but nervousness the moment the car rolled past the grand gates and stopped before the wide stone steps.
But as I stepped out, the crisp winter air brushing against my skin, what I felt wasn't intimidation. It wasn't dread. It was something warmer, softer.
Familiarity.
Memories.
Belonging.
The towering structure that once looked so cold and unwelcoming during Christmas now carried a different air. It didn't feel like a cage anymore. Instead, it was… safe. A place I could return to. A place that held my mates.
For the first time, the mansion didn't seem like a fortress built to keep me imprisoned, but like a home waiting for me to walk in.
Draven walked ahead of me, carrying my bag over his shoulder as though it weighed nothing. His other hand was curled around my suitcase handle, dragging it behind him.
