Recovering from his injuries, Zayan realized one thing—love wasn't a distraction. It was strength.
"I spent my whole life believing that soldiers can't afford love," he told Ayla one evening. "But I was wrong. You are the one thing that keeps me human."
She cupped his face, her eyes filled with nothing but love. "And you are the one thing that makes my life complete."
This time, when he held her close, there were no doubts, no fears. Just love.
War would always be a part of Zayan's life, but now, so was Ayla.
And in a world where soldiers fought battles that never truly ended, he had finally found something worth coming home to.
Because love, like a soldier's courage, was never meant to be feared. It was meant to be fought for.