We headed inside, and Mia led me to the guest room where I could drop my things. I barely paid attention to my surroundings, exhaustion starting to creep in, but Mia’s place was a far cry from the empty, cold house I had just left.
“Get some rest,” Mia said, giving me a hug before heading to her own room. “We’ll talk in the morning.”
I nodded, grateful but still numb. I collapsed onto the bed and fell into a restless sleep.
***
The next morning, I woke to the smell of something delicious wafting through the house. For a moment, I had forgotten everything that had happened, the scent luring me out of bed and toward the kitchen. As I rounded the corner, I saw a tall, muscular guy standing at the stove, casually flipping pancakes.
“Oh, hey,” he said, turning to look at me with a warm smile. His dark hair was messy in that effortless way, and his eyes sparkled with mischief. “You must be Lila. I’m Ethan, Mia’s cousin.”
He was... well, undeniably handsome. Like, *alpha wolf* level handsome. My mind was still half-asleep, and I couldn’t help but stare for a second before I snapped myself back to reality.
“Uh, yeah,” I mumbled, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “Lila.”