30 | Guilt Free

*** Liliana's POV

I awake with a start, sitting up so fast that the room spins slightly, a woozy reminder of last night’s intensity. My head feels light, my throat dry. I make a mental note to start keeping a water bottle next to my bed—I’m clearly dehydrated from the night’s activities. But the dizziness is the least of my concerns as I quickly become aware of the emptiness beside me.

Eamon’s scent lingers, but it’s faded, enough to tell me he’s been gone for a while. The light filtering through the blinds is still soft, early morning, but the cold space beside me confirms it’s been at least an hour since he left. A dull ache settles in my chest at his absence, an emptiness that feels oddly profound.

At some point last night, Eamon explained how mates can ‘scent’ each other, a concept that seemed abstract at the time but now feels so visceral. His scent reminded me of petrichor, that distinct, earthy smell that comes after a heavy rain, particularly on a cold fall day. I’ve always lov