After Neve finished tending to Roan in the quiet room, he collapsed back against the furs, utterly spent.
Lifting a heavy arm, his fingers lightly brushed against the glowing mark on Roan's skin. The thread connecting him to Roan was firmly established now. The lion hunter's life was no longer draining away; the fatal wound from the severed bond had finally stitched shut.
However, the connection was still only one-way. Roan hadn't marked Neve in return, leaving Neve without the lion's reciprocal mark on his own body. That would have to wait until Roan was fully conscious and clear-headed enough to make the choice for himself.
Groaning softly, Neve braced his hands against the fur mattress and pushed himself up onto trembling legs. His lower back screamed in protest, every muscle aching from the exertion, compounded by the heavy weight of his swollen belly.
