I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. My body still ached from the intense hypnosis session yesterday, where I'd relived the trauma of having my wolf bound as a child. The memory itself was like a fresh wound, raw and throbbing in my mind.
Worse still, I could feel Rhys's lingering fear through our bond. My son had sensed my distress, and it had affected him too. I rubbed my swollen belly, sending waves of reassurance through our connection.
*It's okay, baby. Mommy's fine now.*
I felt a flutter in response—not quite belief, but acknowledgment. My clever little boy was already so aware.
I glanced at the empty space beside me in bed. Kaelen was gone, already busy with his alliance-building meetings. He'd left before dawn, planting a gentle kiss on my forehead that I'd barely registered in my exhausted state.
