Lyra woke to the sound of breathing that was not her own.It surrounded her…slow, steady, controlled…yet beneath it pulsed something feral, restrained by will alone.She did not open her eyes immediately.Her body already knew who it was.Warmth pressed behind her, broad and solid, an arm curved around her waist like a barrier against the world. Ares’ presence wrapped around her senses, not overwhelming this time, but deliberate…anchored.Awake, the bond murmured.Not whispered…not demanded…simply stated.Lyra inhaled slowly, letting the truth of that settle inside her chest. The ache was still there, but it was different now. No longer sharp. No longer panicked. It felt…claimed.When she finally opened her eyes, stone walls greeted her. Morning light filtered through tall windows, pale gold spilling across the floor. The chamber was quiet, but not empty. It felt lived in…marked.Just like her.Ares shifted behind her as if he sensed the moment she crossed fully into wakefulness. His
Last Updated : 2026-01-26 Read more