A Dragon Tattoo

Just then, his mate stirred in her sleep. Alerted, Arlan gazed at her, wondering how she would react upon seeing him—her mate—after completing the bond. He was curious to see her reaction to the mark, but more importantly, to discover who she would wake up as—Oriana or Esmeray.

It didn't matter to him, as he had accepted them both. However, if she was Esmeray, he was unsure how she would react, as they had never directly communicated. Her hair was still the shade of black, suggesting Esmeray.

She finally opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling, her irises red, confirming to Arlan that it was Esmeray.

"Good morning," he said softly, wanting to catch her attention and make her aware of his presence.

She turned to look at him, her red eyes staring at him silently.