Chapter 101

• Cesmae’s POV
• I stir awake, the warmth of the blankets cocooning me in comfort. My body aches in the best possible way, every nerve still tingling from our morning together. Raizel. My mate. My mind drifts back to the intensity of his touch, the way our bodies moved together, how right it felt, how whole I felt.
• But the bed is empty. I blink against the soft light streaming into the room and find Raizel already dressed, standing by the window, staring out as if deep in thought. His back is rigid, his posture perfectly straight, but something feels off. His usual calmness feels colder now, more distant.