Ethan stretched under the covers, blinking against the soft light that filtered through his bedroom window.
For a moment, he lay still, his mind caught in that groggy space between sleep and wakefulness. The events of last night slowly came rushing back—the conversation with Rayna, her wearing Ruby's gown, and the way Stefan's face had gone still when he heard everything.
Ethan rubbed his eyes, pushed the blanket off, and sat up with a sigh.
He padded barefoot across the room, ran a hand through his hair, and opened the door.
But the sight that greeted him in the living room made him pause in surprise.
Stefan was already awake. Not just awake, but fully dressed. He stood near the large window, the morning light casting soft shadows across his face. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his slacks, and there was a tension in the air around him—thick and charged, like a storm waiting to break.
Ethan frowned. "You're up early... and dressed even."
