"It's called fucking, Annecy," Aimes said, casually rolling off of me. "I just properly fucked my fated mate for the first time, and it was amazing. You should try it sometime."

His blatant honesty, paired with the obvious note of pride in his voice, dissolved any shame I might've felt at being caught. I was his, and he gave zero fucks who knew it.

A grin blossomed over my face. "It's true."

I felt just how true it was in my liquid bones and my twirling heart. ...