DUAL POV (DAMIEN → ADRIAN)
When consciousness returned, it came like a slow tide, dragging heat, exhaustion, and something that wasn't entirely mine. I felt… soft. Warm. As if something gentle had brushed against my face only moments ago.
But when I opened my eyes, all I saw was the ceiling of the guest room Adrian had forced me to stay in. It was dark except for the faint glow of the moon slicing through the curtains. My body felt heavy, exhausted from travel, from the bond pulling at me like a tide I could barely fight.
But the worst part wasn't fatigue.
It was the imprint.
A warmth on my cheek.
Like a thumb had just traced it.
His thumb.
