Lyra POV
The morning sun was high by the time Jaxon and I left the Whispering Spring, its golden light filtering through the forest canopy, warming the path back to the village. My hand was clasped in his, our fingers intertwined, his calloused palm a steady anchor against the whirlwind of emotions swirling in my chest.
The mark on my shoulder throbbed faintly, a sweet reminder of his claim, a vow etched into my skin that I was his, chosen above fate, above Darius’s bond. Every step we took together felt like a declaration, a defiance of the doubts that had once haunted me—Fiona’s venom, my stolen essence, the looming shadow of my destined mate. With Jaxon’s warmth beside me, I felt invincible, my heart soaring with a love that was ours alone.
We’d lingered in the cave longer than we m
