Chapter 173

Celine

The forest slowly returned to itself around us. Birds stirred, frost melted into thin rivulets along the bark, and the hush that had held us seemed to loosen its grip. Yet I remained still in his arms, unwilling to be the first to step away—as if movement might shatter the fragile peace we’d rebuilt.

It was him who finally shifted, not pulling away, just enough to look at me properly. His