~Alora~

I woke to an empty bed, the sheets beside me cool to the touch. My hand stretched across the mattress, searching for Lucian's warmth, but found his spot empty. I was disappointed as my heart ached.

He'd left. Without a word, without a goodbye, without even waking me.

For a moment, doubt crept in. Had last night meant nothing to him? Had I been just another conquest, another way to satisfy the mate bond without actually committing to anything real?

But then I remembered the way he'd ...