POV: Draco
The bond surge hits me like a physical blow.
I'm standing at the edge of camp when it happens, watching the forest for threats that never materialize, and suddenly I feel lips that aren't touching mine. Feel the soft pressure of a kiss I'm not part of. Feel Aphrodite's shock and Lucen's desperate hope all tangled together through the connection we share.
Pain explodes in my chest. Not the emotional hurt of jealousy or betrayal. Physical agony as the bond tears open wider than it's ever been before, forcing me to experience what's happening between Lucen and Aphrodite with an intensity that steals my breath.
I drop to one knee, gripping my chest as the sensation overwhelms me. Too much. Too fast. Every nerve ending on fire with awareness I didn't ask for and can't control.
Through the bond, I feel everything. The hesitation before the kiss. The moment their lips meet. The pull back almost immediately after. The shock flooding through both of them at what just happened.
