He did not answer at once.
The silence that ensued bore no trace of hesitation—it was dense, resonant, thrumming with truths too long unspoken.
Her body lay beneath his, still quivering in the aftermath of their union, yet her mind had roused sharply from its reverie.
She sensed the shift in his breath—the way it slowed, deepened, as though he were mustering the strength to confess.
“Wait,” she murmured, rising swiftly. “Remain as you are.”
He obeyed without protest.
Her hand reached for him, fingers grazing the nape of his neck with care, searching… until they found it.
Then came a pause. A tremor of disbelief.
“No…” Her voice cracked as she recoiled, pressing her spine to the headboard. “The mark of restraint… The Alpha bears it. That cannot be.”
Before Vargr could grasp the mea
