Ashina woke to pale morning light filtering through her childhood curtains and forgot, for one blissful moment, that her entire life had ended. Then she moved, and the mark on her neck pulled with a sensation that wasn't quite pain but wasn't comfort either. The bond hummed to life, immediately orienting her toward Kendrick's location which was northeast, awake, and radiating anticipation mixed with anxiety.
He was waiting for her.
Today was the day.
The memory of last night crashed back. Darren showing up two hours too late with excuses and empty words." I couldn't respond earlier, I was in a meeting. This is all happening so fast. Maybe we can still figure something out". But his eyes had kept sliding away from hers, from the mark, from the reality of what had happened. And through the bond, she'd felt Kendrick's jealous rage at another male being near his marked mate, felt him fighting the urge to come and claim what was his.
