The air was still heavy with the scent of their union—a thick, musky aroma of sex, love making, sweat, and the lingering traces of Morvienne's intoxicating pheromones as morning light filtered softly through the curtains. The room was a disaster; their mating ceremony clothes, their shoes, jewelry, everything was everywhere. The bedsheets were twisted and damp, evidence of the feral intensity of the night before.

They were both tangled together in the center of the bed, completely naked. Morvienne was draped over Kael, her head resting on his chest, and her leg hooked over his hip. Kael's hair was now a wild mess. The strands were splayed across the white...