Chapter 95

I step out of the truck, the warm afternoon sun casting its golden light across the familiar streets of the town. The air smells different here—crisper, somehow more peaceful than I remember. But maybe that's just me, noticing the quiet in a way I haven’t before. My mind feels quieter too, less consumed with the constant threat of danger, with the relentless fear of what might be lurking around the next corner. That’s behind us now. Or at least, that’s what we tell ourselves.

Luke stands beside me, his hand lingering at the small of my back, a steady, grounding presence. His touch is comforting, reassuring in a way that no words could ever be. We’re not in battle mode anymore. We’re not on edge, waiting for the next attack. And yet, there’s a new kind of tension between us—a quiet, unspoken one. It’s the kind that comes with change, with healing, and maybe with the possibility of something more.

“Feels strange, doesn’t it?” Luke’s voice is soft, laced with a cautious optimism. He’s sc