Fractured Threads

The moonlight spilled through the blinds, casting pale stripes across the silk sheets. Charles lay on the king-sized bed, shirtless, muscles relaxed but mind sharp. Alina's scent still lingered in the air—something between wild jasmine and sin. She'd fallen asleep beside him, her hair draped over his chest like black satin threads. Her lips, slightly parted, still wore the ghost of a smirk from earlier.

But Charles couldn't sleep.

Not with what he'd just learned.

A new notification pulsed in his mind, quiet and cold.

> Lust Sync Alert: Karma Level Reached. Hidden Pathway Unlocked. New User Detected.

He sat up slowly, careful not to wake Alina. Her body shifted slightly, one leg stretching over his thigh. She moaned softly in her sleep, murmuring his name. It made his blood stir again, but he shook it off. He needed clarity.