Serena POV

I woke to the soft press of warmth at my side.

Lucien’s hand rested over my stomach. Slow, steady pressure, like he was trying to anchor me. My wolf hummed in my chest, low and uneasy, sensing his presence even before my mind fully registered it.

The moonlight filtered through the window, painting silver streaks across the floor. Lucien’s breathing was heavy, uneven, each exhale pulling at something deep in me. My own heartbeat matched it, tethered, tight.

The room smelled of ...