Chapter 17: The Empty Box
The morning sun hit the balcony doors with a harsh and unforgiving light.
I woke up slowly. My body felt heavy and warm.
I was tangled in the sheets of the massive Alpha bed. Kael’s arm was draped over my waist. His face was buried in the curve of my neck right over the fresh bite mark.
I reached up and touched the mark. It was tender. It throbbed with a low rhythmic pulse that matched Kael’s heartbeat.
I was mated.
For five years I had told myself I did not need him. I had told myself I was better off alone.
But as I lay there listening to his steady breathing I realized how cold I had been. The bond filled the empty spaces in my soul like molten gold. It made me feel whole.
"You are thinking too loud," Kael mumbled against my skin.
He tightened his arm
