Wyll’s heart tightens as he hears your soft breathing from the other side of the door. He knows he shouldn’t linger. He knows he shouldn’t let his thoughts drift to you like this. But how can he not, when every glance, every smile you’ve shared haunts him?

“I’m nothing more than your protector,” he whispers to himself, though the words feel hollow. His fingers brush the cool stone wall, wishing it were your skin. He can still see the way you looked at him today. Your eyes filled with trust, and something else he dares not name.

Wyll’s duty binds him, but the love he feels for you is a burden that weighs heavily. He presses a hand to the door, knowing he can never step inside. He can never cross that line.

“I am your knight,” he murmurs, the words choking in his throat. “And nothing more.”