The quiet that settled within the room did not carry the same weight it had moments before, for though the air remained still, something between them had shifted, something fragile yet undeniable, and Elara stood near the window with her arms folded loosely, her fingers gripping her sleeves just enough to betray the tension she had not fully released, her gaze lowered though not withdrawn, as if she balanced between speaking and remaining silent, between stepping forward and pulling back again.
Alessandro did not close the distance further.
He remained where he was.
Watching.
Not as an Alpha.
But as a man who understood that one wrong step could undo everything that had just begun to mend.
"You're quiet again," he said softly, his voice low enough to not break the space, yet steady enough to reach her, his hands resting loosely at his sides though his posture remained attentive, as if ready to move or remain still depending on what she needed.
