[Experimental Heart 04] • Exposed

**Emotions suck.**

Before he came along, I never knew what it meant to belong. I walked the thin line between life and death. There was no middle-ground. This dragon taught me more than I imagined was possible. With him by my side, everything was right.

And then it all fell apart.

To keep him safe, I let go of the most important thing to me. It hurt—a lot. I can't dwell on what could have been, when our freedom is on the line. Going back to my old ways proves more difficult than I imagined.

**And fate... it has a way of getting what it wants.**

I rebuild the walls inside, to keep me sane, only to have them crumble again. Each trial—each step closer to our freedom—my resolve wavers. And when I face the ultimate test, it's not just my future on the line.