-Six Months Later-
The morning sun filtered through the curtains of our bedroom… OUR bedroom, not just Dukes, and I woke to the feeling of his arm draped across my waist, his breath warm against my neck. The mate bond hummed contentedly between us, a constant source of comfort and connection that still amazed me every single day.
No pain. No fear. Just love.
I turned in his arms, studying his face in the soft light. Even in sleep, he looked peaceful, the worry lines that had creased his forehead during the Council hearing finally smoothed away. We'd both been carrying so much weight for so long. But things were different now.
Better.
His eyes opened, and the smile that spread across his face made my heart skip. "Morning, beautiful."
"Morning yourself." I kissed him softly, savoring t
