23. Restless Heart

|| Lilac's POV || The day had been long, too long. My body felt heavy, my mind a tangled mess of emotions I couldn’t quite unravel. I skipped dinner, unable to stomach the thought of food, and retreated to my room, collapsing onto the bed with a sigh. The cool sheets were a welcome relief against my skin, but they did little to ease the storm raging inside me. Mom had knocked on my door multiple times, her voice soft and concerned. “Sweetpea, are you okay? Do you need anything?” she’d asked, her worry evident in every word. I’d assured her I was fine, but the truth was, I wasn’t. I wasn’t okay at all. How could I be? Last night with Alaric had been… beyond anything I’d ever experienced. The way he’d looked at me, the way he’d touched me, the way he’d made me feel, it was overwhelming. My cheeks burned at the memory, my heart racing as I replayed every moment in my mind. His hands on my skin, rough yet tender, sending shivers of electricity through me. His lips on mine, fierce and deman