Mae stirred first. Warmth surrounded her, deep, enveloping warmth that wasn't just the blankets layered over her body. It wasn't the type of heat that came from a fire or the rising sun. No, this was more intimate. Personal. Felt. The steady rhythm of breathing. The subtle brush of skin against skin. Her eyes blinked open slowly, heavy with sleep. Her lashes fluttered as her vision adjusted to the soft light filtering in through the windows of her room.
That's when she realized, she wasn't alone. A strong arm was tucked beneath her neck. Another was draped over her middle, resting protectively across her waist with a hand spread over her stomach like it had always belonged there. Her breath hitched. Her back was pressed flush to someone else's chest. Solid. Warm. Steady. A heartbeat thudded softly behind her, strong and measured. She didn't need to turn to know who it was.
Ashar.
The realization made her stomach flip. A mixture of heat and nerves rippled through her as her mind caught up with her body's awareness. She lay still for a moment longer, trying to piece together the memory of how she ended up like this. They hadn't meant to. She was certain of that. Last night had been tension, words unsaid, boundaries they'd both agreed not to cross again. And yet, her body was molded into his like it had sought him out in her sleep. Like something deep inside her craved his presence, even without conscious thought.
Then, "well, well, well... would you look at the lovebirds." The voice shattered the quiet. Mae jolted upright, gasping, the blanket tangling around her legs as she scrambled. Her heart thundered in her chest. Ashar's arm slid away the moment she moved, and though he didn't startle, he sat up slowly, unfazed, almost, annoyingly composed. His long hair fell in waves over his bare shoulders, his chest rising and falling with slow, controlled breaths as if waking up wrapped around her was as normal as breathing.
He blinked once, calm and silent. Riven stood in the doorway, a steaming mug in one hand, his other hand casually shoved in his pocket. He leaned against the frame with his usual smirk, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Didn't know we were coupling up already," he teased. "Should I alert the council?" His grin widened. "Oh wait, you blew them up."
Mae's face turned so red she thought her skin might peel from heat alone. She shot to her feet, backing away from the bed like it might burn her. Her hands tugged the hem of her shirt down, panic rising in her throat. "Nothing happened," Ashar said flatly, his voice low and even. Riven lifted his mug in mock salute. "Didn't say it did. Just pointing out the whole 'cuddled like bonded mates' thing."
Mae crossed her arms tightly over her chest, willing her heart to slow down. She could barely look at either of them. Her voice was stuck somewhere between embarrassment and frustration. Too close. Way too close. Last night, Ashar had stopped her, stopped them. They'd talked. Shared. Reached a fragile understanding. No risks. No deepening of bonds until they understood what they were facing.
And yet, here they were. Waking up tangled together like a couple who had already chosen each other fully. Ashar stood then, slow and deliberate, his posture rigid. She could see it now, the flicker of tension in his shoulders, the flicker of something else in his eyes. Regret? Guilt? Longing? "Did we," she whispered, hesitant. "Did we just risk it?"
He didn't answer at first. That silence hit harder than words. "Touching you," he finally said, "after what we know, wasn't wise."
"You think?" Riven drawled with a raised brow. Ashar's head snapped toward him, eyes sharp. "Out." Riven chuckled but obeyed, backing out the door with his mug held high like a peace flag. "I'll just go tell the others that the prophecy's ahead of schedule." The door clicked shut behind him. Silence fell again. Dense. Loaded.
Mae's arms dropped to her sides, her expression softening as she looked at Ashar. "We didn't mean to."
"I know." His tone was quieter now, more vulnerable. "But the bond doesn't care what we meant." She bit her lip. Her gaze shifted briefly to her abdomen, then back to him. "Did we make it worse?" He followed her gaze, but only briefly before looking away. A storm brewed in his eyes, something restrained. Protective. Afraid.
"We won't know. Not yet." Mae swallowed. She could feel the fear crawling up her throat again, but this time it wasn't fear of him. It was fear of herself, of her lack of control. Of what being too close might do to them all. Still, part of her didn't regret it. Part of her had felt whole. Warm. Safe. She looked at him again and whispered, "Next time, maybe not the same bed?"
Ashar's mouth twitched. A rare ghost of a smirk flickered across his lips. "Agreed."
But the energy between them didn't loosen. If anything, it deepened. They both knew it wouldn't be that easy. Not with what had already happened. Not with what they'd already become. Mae moved to the window, staring out at the landscape of Ashar's rebuilt world, brushing her fingertips along the stone. Her thoughts spun. What if it happened? What if we just changed everything again without knowing it?
"Don't worry unless we find a reason to, Mae," Ashar said behind her. His voice was steady, a promise wrapped in restraint. "We'll figure it out. Together." Mae nodded, barely. The weight of uncertainty settled heavy in her chest, but Ashar's words gave her just enough to hold onto, for now. But as she turned back toward him, her fingers brushed her stomach without thinking. And something, shifted.
Just a flicker. A flicker of warmth that didn't belong to her alone. In the silence that followed, Ashar's eyes snapped to her hand, then to her face. "What did you just feel?" he asked, voice low. Mae's lips parted. She wasn't sure how to answer. Because for the briefest moment. She had felt something move. And it hadn't been her own heartbeat.