4.Heat-1
1141 Words
|| Selene's POV ||
I took another sip of wine as I wandered aimlessly through the woods.
The Castle of Arkandale stood somewhere to the east, surrounded by dense forests that stretched endlessly across the western hills. Beyond the southern gates lay the city, but none of that mattered right now.
I had left the castle shortly before sundown, carrying the bottle Elysia had left behind in Rowan's chamber as a wedding gift.
I needed air.
I needed space.
Most of all, I needed a few hours away from the suffocating memories of last night.
So I had taken the bottle and disappeared into the woods.
And walked.
And walked.
How long had I been walking?
I wasn't sure.
Not until I glanced down and realized the bottle was empty.
A knot formed in my stomach.
Slowly, I lifted my head and looked around.
Towering trees surrounded me on every side.
No castle.
No roads.
No lights.
Nothing.
"Wonderful," I muttered.
Had I seriously managed to get lost? Damn it!
I spun around hoping to find something… anything. But there was no trace of any civilization… let alone the castle. f***k it!
With Snow gone, I was literally blind and useless in the woods. I didn’t even know which way I came from.
My cheeks felt unusually warm.
So did my ears.
I pressed a hand against my face.
Was I really that drunk?
The wine shouldn't have affected me this much.
Yet a strange heat continued to spread through my body.
Unease settled in my chest.
Something wasn't right.
A heat coiled inside my tummy as I pushed forward, hoping to find a familiar landmark. And finally I heard a soothing sound of the stream.
I followed my instincts and I was right. There was a river. The river equals civilization.
Maybe… just maybe if I follow the flow, I could find a village or something.
I walked closer and touched the water. The ice cold water felt divine against my burning skin. I splashed some onto my face.
For a brief moment, the coolness soothed my burning skin.
But the relief didn't last.
The heat returned almost immediately.
Stronger this time.
What was happening to me? Why was I feeling this weird? I drank wine all the time, but the sensation it was making me feel was new.
A sharp twist of discomfort curled low in my abdomen, making me self-aware.
My breath caught.
Suddenly, understanding crashed into me.
No!
I was in heat!
Goddess above! Of all the times this could have happened… Why now?
I looked around. I was all alone in the woods. That too in a foreign land!
Back in the castle, I did have a husband who would love to kill me over soothe me. So I did what any wolf in heat would do.
After a moment's hesitation, I slipped out of my outer gown and stepped into the water.
The icy current wrapped around me instantly.
I lowered myself deeper, hoping the cold would chase away the unbearable warmth spreading through my body.
For a few seconds, it worked.
Then another wave rolled through me.
Heat was more prominent for a lycan. We felt things deeply. And the only way to soothe was either taking an ice bath for two days straight or being knocked down.
Nobles like me always carried medicine which only reduced the effect temporarily.
Or at least, we were supposed to.
Mine was sitting safely in the North because I had foolishly convinced myself I would never need it again.
Why was I so unlucky so far?
I sat on the river, trying to relax my muscles when my ears picked up a noise.
My head snapped as I heard a filthy voice, “well well, look what we have here!”
A shiver ran down my spine as I turned to find three werewolves.
“Such a beautiful thing in the heat. I could smell you from a mile away. Do you need our help, little lamb?” another one said, his gaze was clearly on me.
“Stay away!” I said promptly.
“Look at all these ravishing curves… how could we stay away, love?” The third one remarked, licking his lips.
Goddess, I was half naked. Suddenly soaking into the water here on inners didn’t make much sense.
I tried to hide myself with the water as I stepped back, but his predatory gaze never left me. I counted my chances quickly. If I went down hand in hand, I might not be able to take down all three. Specially at my heat. How about taking down one by surprise and then running?
I shook my head. That wouldn't work either. I needed my lycan.
Snow… I need you. Please, Snow… I cried for my lycan but all I got was nothingness.
One of the wolves stepped into the river, his boot splashing through the shallow water.
“Come here, sweetheart,” he called with a grin. “We'll take very good care of you.”
My stomach dropped.
His hand shot toward me.
Instinctively, I stumbled backward.
Only for my foot to catch on a submerged rock.
Of course.
Apparently, fate wasn't finished tormenting me yet. And bad luck had become my middle name.
I was about to fall. My eyes were wide, anticipating the cold splash of water and slippery stones when I found myself leaning on a hard muscular chest.
An arm curled on my waist, making me steady and the familiar scent of fresh mint flooded my senses.
My heart raced. Was it…
I looked up to find Rowan standing there.
He stood behind me like a wall of muscle and fury.
Moonlight spilled across his face, highlighting the hard line of his jaw and the storm brewing in his eyes.
His brows were drawn together in a dangerous scowl.
Dark fur spread across his forearms and chest, disappearing beneath the open collar of his shirt.
His beast was close.
Too close.
The sight alone was enough to send a shiver down my spine.
“Rowan,” I breathed.
Relief crashed into me so suddenly that my knees nearly gave out.
For the first time that night, I felt safe.
Unfortunately, my heat chose that exact moment to remind me of its existence.
The warmth of his body.
The scent surrounding me.
The arm was still resting firmly around my waist.
Everything became impossible to ignore.
My pulse quickened.
I hated it.
And yet I couldn't stop myself from leaning slightly closer. Just enough to breathe him in again. Would it be absolutely absurd if I kiss him?
Rowan glanced down at me as if he could read my thoughts.
His expression didn't soften.
If anything, it grew colder.
“I'll deal with you later,” he said flatly.
- Writer
