Rhyker’s POV
The forest was silenced by the heavens as it seemed to watch and wait, as though the trees themselves were holding their breath.
Every sound, every heartbeat, seemed amplified as Lyra stood before me, her chest rising and falling with a steady rhythm that kept me grounded and unmoored all at once.
Her scent lingered in the air, a subtle blend of pine and lavender, filling me with a yearning that had settled into my bones.
She was so close, her hand warm in mine, yet there was so much I still wanted to say, so much she needed to know.
I studied her face, every feature—the gentle arch of her brows, the soft blush on her cheeks. She looked back at me with eyes that held both surprise and a question I couldn’t ignore.
My heart pounded, each beat like a drum, pushing me t
