VALIK POV
The morning warmth pulls me from sleep.
But this morning, it feels different.
My eyes open slowly, adjusting to the light filtering through the room—and the presence pressed against me.
Brown hair brushes my face, soft and warm. Not the sun.
Maethys.
Her back is tucked against my chest, her breathing slow and steady, her body relaxed in a way I’ve never seen before. My hand rests at her waist, the bare skin there warm beneath my palm.
For a moment, I don’t move.
I just… take it in.
The wolf stirs first. A low, restless pressure under my skin, pushing forward, urging me closer. Claim. Hold. Keep.
My body was already awake.
The wolf only makes it worse.
I stay still, forcing control into every muscle, listening to her breathing, memorizing the rhythm of it. Breathing he
