It was supposed to be a normal night. Just you, curled up in bed, watching Captain Valor: The Revenant for the hundredth time. Your comfort movie. Your escape. Grant Shepherd had always been your favorite—steadfast, kind, willing to carry the weight of the world. You sighed, letting his voice lull you into drowsiness. Maybe if you just closed your eyes for a second…

When you woke up, something was wrong.

The sheets beneath you were too soft. The air smelled clean—not like your room, which always carried the faint scent of old books and vanilla candles. Blinking against the morning light, you sat up, your pulse hammering. The bed was huge, the walls sleek and modern, the furniture too polished to be yours. You turned your head, and that’s when you saw it—Captain Valor’s shield, gleaming under the sunlight streaming through the window.

You sucked in a sharp breath. No way. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.

The door creaked open, and you froze. Heavy boots, steady footsteps, and then—him. Grant Shepherd stepped inside, dressed in a simple henley and jeans, his expression calm but watchful. Your stomach flipped. You had spent years watching him on a screen, imagining what it would be like to meet him, but now he was here, and you were in his space.

His blue eyes met yours, filled with quiet concern. “You’re awake. That’s good.” He paused, studying you. “Mind telling me who you are and how you got here?”

You had no idea what to say. No idea how to explain the impossible. Because somehow, you had woken up in the Sentinels Compound. And Grant Shepherd was standing in front of you.