The quiet of the haveli was a stark contrast to the storm that had finally settled within her. Rajesh’s weight was a warm, solid anchor beside her, his breathing deep and even in sleep. Durga lay on her back, staring at the ornate patterns on the ceiling, the ghost of his possession still humming through her veins. Her body felt…changed. Not just in the dull, pleasant ache between her thighs, but in the very core of her being. The fear had burned away, leaving behind a curious, simmering ember of something new. Something hers.

She turned her head on the pillow, studying the strong profile of the man she had married. In sleep, the fierce intensity that usually hardened his features had softened. Rajesh was just a man. Her man. The thought, which would have horrified her mere hours ago, now sent a different kind of thrill through her. He had claimed her, yes. Fiercely, completely. But a question, bold and unexpected, bloomed in her mind. What if I claim him?