The cave was a world unto itself. Time moved differently here, measured not by bells or drills but by the slow crawl of sunlight across the stone floor. The initial shock had settled into a heavy, breathing silence. Kai’s declaration hung in the air between us, a vow that had changed the very composition of the atmosphere. I was his. The words were not a chain, but a key, unlocking a part of me I had kept locked away since I first picked up the shears.
He was still shirtless. The gash on his shoulder from the rogue wolf was a dark, angry line against his skin. Without a word, I reached for the salve jar he had set aside. My movements were hesitant, my fingers trembling. This was care, not necessity. He watched me, his eyes dark and unreadable, as I dipped my fingers into the cool ointme
