92. (Luke POV)

I was jolted awake, my pulse racing as an unmistakable sensation surged through me. The primal currents of intimacy—desire, pleasure, connection—ricocheted inside me, intensifying as they looped through the invisible mate bond that tethered me to Clay and Lexi.

For a moment, I basked in it, letting the warmth of their love wash over me. It felt like I was touching the very essence of their connection, a secondary participant in a private act.

Excitement swelled within me. Eager to join them, I sprang from the couch, my bare feet barely touching the ground as I darted through the house. My heart pounded in my ears like a rhythmic drumline, each beat echoing my escalating anticipation.

I scanned every room, my eyes darting from corner to corner, but found no trace of them. Living room, empty. Kitchen, vacant. Our bedroom, untouched. Bathroom, quiet and dark.

They weren't here.

A knot tightened in my stomach, my earlier enthusiasm ebbing away, replaced by a cold tide of disappointment