I woke up the next morning with Elaris still curled peacefully in my arms.
Sunlight filtered gently through the curtains, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow.
From the soft sounds drifting in, it was clear the other girls had been awake for a while—probably already gathered in the living room.
I brushed a few strands of hair from Elaris's face and gave her shoulders a gentle shake. "Hey, beautiful… time to wake up," I murmured.
She stirred slowly, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "Mmm… already morning?" Her voice was still thick and husky, adorable in its drowsiness.
The way she yawned and stretched—back arching, arms reaching overhead—made her look so small and vulnerable that my chest tightened.
I smiled and stood.
Elaris tried to follow me off the bed, but the instant she put weight on her legs, her knees buckled. She dropped to the floor with a tiny yelp, one hand immediately flying back to rub her sore ass.
