Sally's POV
The day had stretched into something almost magical, filled with Warren's delighted giggles as Karl chased him across the meadow while Philip watched with that warm smile I'd grown to love. The four of us together felt right in a way that both thrilled and terrified me. It was like glimpsing what a real family could look like, except for the hollow ache where two others should be.
That emptiness grew stronger with each passing hour. The longing for them felt like a physical wound, especially when it came to Ajax. We'd never even touched, yet his absence carved through me like a blade.
When evening shadows began creeping across the grass, exhaustion hit me like a wall. Sean's return from patrol brought temporary relief, but watching Karl leave for his own patrol duty sent that familiar ache spiraling through my chest again.
Would this constant pull always define my life now? This feeling like pieces of my soul were scattered across different places?
