He led her to his bedroom, each step echoing like anticipation, a silent promise of what was to come. Emily could feel her heart pounding wildly, every breath heavy in the night-charged air.
Since being under his protection, so many nights had been spent in the cold of the kennel—an exile that now seemed to take on a different meaning. But tonight, something had changed.
She felt herself crossing a new threshold, heading toward a truth she hadn't yet dared to face.

They entered the room—a vast space lit by the soft glow of lamps, dominated by a massive bed covered in silk sheets.
Emily stopped, her eyes drifting over the familiar details of the room.
But this time, she knew she couldn't let herself be guided by habit.
A doubt, a burning question, was rising within her, demanding an answer.