The morning light crept softly through the room, brushing over the remnants of chaos from the night before. McKenna stirred, blinking slowly against the brightness, her body still humming from the energy surge that had accompanied the bond’s awakening. Pain and pleasure lingered together in her limbs, leaving her exhausted yet acutely aware of the raw power coursing through her veins.
She tried to sit up, but the effort left her head spinning. Her red eyes, now fully awake to her strength, scanned the room. Everything seemed sharper, more alive. The energy that had erupted during the marking had left its mark—not just on her, but on her very perception of the world.
Mira appeared, her presence both gentle and commanding, her eyes soft with relief but shadowed with concern. She knelt besi
