Chapter 48

I woke up in pain.

The kind of pain that throbbed deep in my bones, like I’d been trampled by a herd of buffalo—or worse, Beta Alessio. Every inch of me was sore, tight, aching. My limbs were sluggish, heavy like stone. Even turning my head on the pillow made me wince.

But still… I smiled.

Because the pain wasn’t empty. It wasn’t from fear or grief or heartbreak. It was earned.

I had trained.

I ha