Abandoned

The first rays of dawn kissed Naiari's skin and stirred her awake. A sense of tranquility washed over her, a peaceful feeling she had not experienced in the days going up to the mating ceremony.

She stretched lazily like a cat warming itself in the sun, her eyes fluttering open to the sight of an empty bed then realization struck her. She had spent her wedding night alone.

At first she was relieved, she had been spared the pain that she had feared but her relief was short lived as she realized that she would have to face being marked sooner or later. It was the concluding part of the mating ceremony.

The wave of relief followed the disappointment. She had dreaded the Lycan mating ritual, a painful process that could potentially be fatal for a human. She had hoped that Kael would spare her, but she had not dared to believe it. It was custom and it was expected.