Morning crept into the hotel suite like a whisper, the soft hum of ambient wind crystals casting a faint silver glow across the room. The bed, draped in silk-threaded sheets, stirred gently as Nyxara blinked awake, her feline eyes narrowing at the absence of warmth beside her.
She lifted her head, stretching her limbs with a groggy yawn. Her ears twitched.
Something was off.
The air was still—but not in the way it should be.
She sniffed once.
No scent of Alex.
No rustle of movement.
Her eyes darted to the couch. Empty.
The bathroom? Quiet.
The entire room… empty.
She leapt to her feet, her fur bristling slightly—not in fear, but in irritation. Nyxara closed her eyes and reached inward, focusing on the faint, ever-present bond that tethered her soul to his.
He wasn't far. Still in the hotel.
But not in the room.
Her tail flicked.
"Where are you?" she asked, pushing the message along their shared link, her tone sharp but laced with concern.
A beat passed.
