Liam eats breakfast, showers, and then shaves. He can’t help but look at himself critically in the mirror, assessing how he looks now compared to three years ago when he first met Daniel.

When they’d met, he’d been a man entering his prime. Muscular, fit, confident, and handsome. He’d been a good-looking Dominant who had the respect of his peers and a job he loved.

He’d helped a lot of submissives, partnered with them, encouraged them, but he’d never wanted any of them to be his own. He’d always known he was a temporary partner and that had been fine.

And then there’d been Daniel. They wound up having five days together in total. Just five. And Liam has never been the same since. Daniel was it for him. And Daniel wanted to be with Liam, though he’s aware that Daniel was susceptible to bonding with any Dominant he was put with due to his designation.

Three years ago he’d argue he was a suitable match for the deprived young man. He was confident and cocky enough to believe it.

But their bond is gone now. And the last few years have been hard for Liam. So hard that he wonders if Daniel deserves better than him. What if the kindest thing he can do is give Daniel a chance at finding happiness with another Dominant? One who wouldn’t let him go?

The man looking back at him in the mirror isn’t someone he recognizes. What will Daniel think when he sees Liam again, sees how hard the last few years have been for him?

His illustrious military career went up in smoke when he was informed that Daniel had died. He’d gotten a phone call from Daniel’s father himself, been told the news and… well, he doesn’t remember much of that time.

Liam had been hospitalized with grief. He’d been given a general military discharge and then he’d floundered for a while. Drank too much, got into fights when he shouldn’t. He’d even wound up in jail after a particularly nasty brawl.

His own brother had come to bail him out, had gotten him straightened out, and Liam has spent the last year or so speaking to anyone who will listen about prey submissive needs, because he thinks Daniel would have wanted that. Because someone needs to speak up for them. He hopes that would have made Daniel happy.

Though he doesn’t really know. He’d known Daniel for a matter of days and their relationship had been intensely sexual. They’d known each other, but it was their designations that had really bound them to each other.