Liam’s Pov
I turned to the blankets, sweeping them aside to reveal the floor beneath. Elijah and Henry had taught me that marking her properly, what our pack needed, required the bond seal. Our tradition said the mate marking was the deepest form of trust and unity, woven of blood and love, blade and ceremony. Our pack’s way was to mark mating partners with a ritual that sealed the bond for life. Only by marking her, through the ancient rite, could I restore her mind and memory fully. It meant making love to her for the first time. It meant more than lust: it was a sacred bond, a vow of heart, of wolf, and of blood.
I swallowed and met her gaze. “Are you ready?”
She hesitated, eyes wide, then nodded. “I trust you.”
I knelt before her, gently guiding her to sit on the blankets. Her hand
