Sandy's POV
I lay there waiting for what felt like hours, though I refused to acknowledge the real reason behind my restlessness. Deep down, I was terrified he would actually come through that door.
The fear twisted in my stomach, making it impossible to find peace. Every sound in the hallway made my heart race, every creak of the building had me holding my breath.
So I did what I always did when emotions became too overwhelming. I shut down completely and let sleep take over.
My final conscious thought centered on him. Charles Ezekiel remained an enigma I couldn't solve.
What drove him to care whether I suffered through nightmares?
Sure, we were mates. The bond existed between us, creating that magnetic pull that neither of us could ignore.
But that was biology talking. Raw instinct.
The deeper stuff, the emotions and genuine connections, those were always a conscious decision. Even with the mate bond humming between us, feelings had to be chosen.
