(Dual POV)
(Kieran's POV)
I woke to sunlight streaming through windows that had never held such peaceful quiet, to the weight of Catherine's head on my chest where it belonged as naturally as breathing. Her dark hair spilled across my skin like silk given substance, and for the first time in twenty-seven years, morning brought anticipation rather than the careful assessment of threats that might require immediate attention.
The world outside our chambers was whole. No supernatural tensions pulling at pack dynamics, no territorial disputes demanding diplomatic navigation, no curse driving wedges between what I wanted and what duty required. Just... peace. The kind of stillness I'd forgotten was possible when connection became choice rather than desperate claiming.
(Catherine's POV)
The
