"Ah…" Marilyn groaned softly as her consciousness returned and her eyes slowly opened.
The room was dimly lit, sparing her eyes from the strain of sudden brightness. Every part of her body ached, as if she had just finished the most grueling training of her life.
"Don't move," came a familiar voice from her left.
It was her elder sister.
Marilyn wanted to sit up immediately—seeing Avalin standing there while she lay in bed made her restless—but her body refused to move. She was far too sore.
Avalin sighed quietly before asking, "How do you feel now?"
"Just… heavy," Marilyn admitted. "It feels like several invisible people are lying on top of me."
Avalin nodded. "That's to be expected. Your body has gone through a lot of changes. You'll feel that way for a few days."
Frustration flickered in Marilyn's chest at her own weakness. But the moment she remembered why she felt this way, her heart began to flutter.
She was now her master's mate.
