“Why can you touch me but no one else?” Laurelynn asked JV.
“I can touch you because I’m a woman. Derek can because he’s the one you’re bonding with. Any other male touching you will lead to more burns like that.” She nodded at Laurelynn’s leg.
Laurelynn looked back to her leg with something like panic rising in her chest. “Is this going to last forever? I haven’t noticed any welts on you, but I’ve seen some of the men touch you. The same for all the mated women.”
“That’s because we’ve sealed our matings,” JV’s voice was soft, as if she didn’t want to scare Laurelynn. “Things are a little,” JV paused, seeming to search for the right word, “wild, until the mating is sealed or broken. Doing one or the other will make the symptoms fade.”
Laurelynn frowned. “So I have to decide now?”
“No,
