Duncan
The world didn’t come back all at once. It filtered in slowly—sound first, then feeling—like surfacing from deep water. The steady rhythm of Seren’s breathing grounded me, her warmth still pressed to my chest, her weight familiar in a way that felt ancient and brand new all at once.
Bonded. The word echoed through me, no longer just an idea or a promise, but a living thing threaded into my bones and wrapped around my heart. I could feel her. Not just her body, but her emotions, soft and drowsy and glowing with contentment. Every instinct in me shifted, recalibrated, locking into place with a finality that stole my breath. Mine.
Not in the possessive sense the old alphas preached. This was deeper than that. Shared. Chosen. Sacred.
Seren stirred, a small sound leaving her as she s
