Eleena Moore stood by the window, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of her coffee mug as the early morning light spilled into the room. The city was just waking up, but in this quiet moment, everything felt still—like the world was holding its breath. And she was holding hers.
Across the room, Jace Carter stirred awake, his dark hair tousled and his strong jaw softened in sleep. For a brief second, Eleena's heart swelled with a fierce tenderness. This man, flawed and complicated, was the center of her universe. The one she would follow through fire and storm, no matter how much it burned.
She remembered the night they first met — the way his smile had reached his eyes, the warmth that had wrapped around her like a promise. She had given him her loyalty then, a silent vow never to waver, never to leave. And every day since, she had kept that promise with every fiber of her being.
"Morning," Jace's voice was rough but soft, breaking the silence as he walked toward her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close.
"Morning," she whispered back, leaning into him as if she could melt into his skin and never be found again.
Eleena knew loyalty was a double-edged sword. It was love's purest form, but it could also be its sharpest pain. She had learned this in quiet moments when Jace's eyes drifted away from hers or when the silence between them grew too loud to ignore. But still, she stayed. Because loving him wasn't just about happiness — it was about devotion, sacrifice, and sometimes, enduring the hurt.
"Are you okay?" Jace asked, his fingers tracing patterns on her back.
She hesitated, then nodded. "I'm always okay with you."
His lips brushed her temple, a silent thank you. But Eleena's heart whispered a secret she hadn't yet dared to voice — sometimes, loyalty hurt more than love itself.
And yet, she would be loyal until it hurt. Because love, real love, was worth every scar.