The scent of rain-soaked earth filled the air, a familiar comfort as the car hummed beneath Zachary Adams’s hands. Beside him, Amber Rose’s laughter, light and free, was the sweetest melody. Their future stretched before them, a tapestry woven with shared dreams and whispered promises of a life together, officially sealed by their listing for the Claiming. Zach glanced at the amber ring on her finger, a symbol of their unbreakable bond, and his heart swelled. "I love you, Amber Rose," he murmured, his gaze locking with hers.

Her smile, radiant even in the dimming light, was his world. "I love you, too, Zach. Will you promise that whatever happens on our first night, you will not throw me away?" Her voice, soft and teasing, carried a vulnerability that stirred him. He swallowed, a playful retort on his lips, when a sudden, earth-shattering explosion ripped through the quiet night. Blinding lights erupted, followed by the deafening shriek of tires on asphalt. Everything happened in a terrifying blur—the looming silhouette of a trailer, the jarring impact, and his own body instinctively lunging to shield her. The last thing he heard was Amber's piercing cry before darkness claimed him.