Seraphina's POV
A persistent knocking jarred me from sleep. I blinked groggily, my body still heavy with exhaustion. Memories of last night flooded back—Orion's drugged state, his desperate touches, the way he'd marked my neck in his passion. My hand instinctively flew to cover the evidence.
"Seraphina!" Kaelen's voice boomed from the other side of the door. "Open up!"
I scrambled out of bed, adjusting my nightgown and quickly glancing in the mirror. The hickeys on my neck were impossible to hide without a scarf or high-necked clothing. My mind raced. This was either terrible timing or perfect timing—depending on how I played it.
The door swung open before I could decide, revealing Kaelen's imposing figure. His expression shifted from concern to shock, then settled into cold fury as his gaze fixed on my neck.
"What the hell is that?" he demanded, stepping inside and slamming the door behind him.
