Rayna’s POV
I woke to warmth.
Not the thin, fragile kind that came from a fire, but the solid heat of Damon’s body curled around mine, his chest pressed against my back, his breath steady in my hair. The bond thrummed low, quiet, like embers glowing in the dark.
For a moment, I let myself sink into it. Into him. Into the steady drum of his heart under my cheek and the heavy weight of his arm slung across my waist. Out there, the world was waiting. Packs, Alphas, battles, blood. But here, in this small stolen piece of morning, I was just his.
“You’re awake,” he murmured, his voice gravel rough from sleep.
“Barely.” My lips curved against his skin. “You hold me like you’re afraid I’ll disappear if you let go.”
He growled low in his throat, the sound more tender than fierce. “Not afraid
