The scream that tore from Zara's throat when the Matebond sealed was so shrill that the guards instinctively clamped their hands over their ears.
"No, no, no…" Zara stumbled back, tears streaming down her face. This can't be. This can't be happening!
But her cries were drowned out by the sounds of the newly bonded couple, lost in the throes of primal pleasure.
Alaric groaned, a guttural sound of bliss, as he released inside her, his body trembling from the overwhelming rush. Violet gasped, her nails digging into his skin as her own climax shattered through her, sealing them together completely.
When it was over, Violet and Alaric stayed joined, breathing raggedly, their bodies shaking from the raw force of what had just occurred. Then, slowly, Violet moved,
climbing down from Alaric's body and he let her go.
The Violet of the past—the fragile, naive human girl—would have been drowning in shame at being caught in such a compromising situation. She would have
