Nova stirred to the soft brush of fingers down her back. The warmth of Max wrapped around her like a shield, the sound of his steady heartbeat a grounding rhythm. Light poured into the royal suite, illuminating the intricate patterns of their mating marks—hers glowing faintly silver, his edged with deep golden ridges. They were stunning, unique… sacred. Just like their bond.
She shifted slightly, and Max’s hand moved instinctively to cradle her hip, where his mark had sealed the night before. “Still with me?” he murmured, voice rough from sleep.
“I think so,” she whispered. “Unless this is still the dream.”
He leaned in, kissing the corner of her mouth with a soft chuckle. “If it is, I never want to wake up.”
But reality wasn’t far behind.
Their quiet morning was a dream of its own. S
