Rowan didn't speak. He didn't even seem to breathe.
He slowly pushed himself up on one elbow, the heavy quilts falling away from his broad, bare chest. His golden eyes were fixed entirely on the spot just below Aria’s collarbone.
Aria’s heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. She reached up, her trembling fingers brushing over the mark again. It was warm to the touch, humming with a faint, ancient energy that felt like sunlight and pine needles.
"Rowan?" she whispered, panic starting to edge into her voice. "Rejected mates... we don't heal like this. The Council taught us that a broken bond leaves the soul permanently scarred. It’s physically impossible to form a true mark again."
Rowan finally moved. He reached out, his massive, calloused hand hovering over her skin. He l
