I woke up to pain, every muscle in my body screamed. Every nerve ending was raw and oversensitive. I was a wreck of bruises and bite marks and things I'd never be able to forget no matter how hard I tried.
But I knew it wasn't over yet.
The marking still had to happen.
So I wasn't surprised when I felt the bed dip, felt large hands slide beneath me and lift me with effortless strength. Nicholas positioned me on his lap, his chest warm against my back, one hand gathering my hair and sweeping it to the side, baring the curve of my neck completely.
I stared at the wall ahead of me and tried to breathe.
"If you bear our mark, you are our mate." Sebastian's voice came from beside the bed, low and serious. "The mark will bond you to us permanently."
I let my eyes flicker to him, then to Lucian who stood on the other side, arms crossed, golden eyes watchful. Then back to Nicholas, who had me cradled in his lap like I was something precious.
He looked down at me and smiled.
