Wren falls in love before she understands what love can cost. Knox stays close enough to hurt her, never close enough to choose her, teaching her that longing can be cruel when it has no name. Years pass in avoidance and restraint, in almosts and maybes that rot into silence. By the time fate finally claims them, Wren has already learned how to live without him, and Knox has learned too late what it means to lose her without ever truly having her. The bond snaps into place like a sentence, not a gift. Love is no longer innocent. Forgiveness is not promised. But somewhere beneath the damage, something still aches to survive. This story is set in a universe where bonding and mating is commonplace. There is always a HEA ***this story explores mating bonds in humans as a cultural norm. There are no werewolves or supernatural beings in this world***

After an unexpected ceiling collapse sends her apartment into chaos, Madelaine Grayson ends up living with her brother - and dangerously close to his tattooed, way-too-charming roommate. He's off-limits... but resisting him might be impossible. *** When Madelaine Grayson's bathroom ceiling caves in, it's not just drywall that crumbles. It's her entire world. Forced to move in with her brother, she finds herself swept up in the chaos of his new protective attitude - especially when it comes to his tattooed roommate, Noah Laurier. Noah is the epitome of perfection: sweet, hot, and embedded into every thought Madelaine has. But he's forbidden, and the closer she gets, the harder he is to resist. Well... what her brother doesn't know can't hurt him, right? *** "Matt's sister, I presume?" He walks towards the couch and my eyes widen. He's tall. I thought I was tall but this man could tower me, and when he reaches a hand towards me, there's an intricate clock tattooed on the back of his hand and his fingers have bones tattooed over them. This man is not human. He's tall and angular and dripping with sex appeal. This man is hot. Capital H, capital O, capital T. I don't think I've ever seen a human being so attractive. All I can think about as I force myself to keep my eyes on the screen is the feel of his jaw beneath my hand, and it takes everything in me not to look