SIXTEEN PART 2

As the minutes ticked by, Tyler's restlessness increased, and I knew it wouldn't be long before the sedative wore off completely. The anticipation of what was to come filled me with both dread and determination. We were all in this together, and no matter the challenges that lay ahead, I was resolved to face them head-on. Tyler needed us now more than ever, and I wouldn't let him down again.

His skin had taken on a bronzed sheen, glistening with beads of sweat. Despite the slight changes in his appearance, such as the additional hair on his body and the transformation of his facial bone structure, Tyler still retained an undeniably youthful appearance. To me, he had always been one of the most striking human beings I had ever encountered, and that had not changed. My fingers yearned to feel his dark hair, and my desire to trace the curve of his neck with my nose was almost overwhelming. The urge to touch the mark I had once left on him resurfaced, though I knew it was no longer the ti