Chapter 29: Claire: The Descent
*CLAIRE*
I’ve heard that most Heat cycles only last about two days, and I find that the same proves true for me as well. The morning of the second day in the cabin, I pry open my eyes feeling more like myself than I have in days. My thoughts are less hazy— more lucid — and in the aftermath my mind works to sort through the last two days. I feel like I’m waking up from some sort of fever dream.
I peek around the small room, taking everything in. It’s small, but cozy. The walls are adorned with knotty pine paneling, giving the space a rustic charm. A soft, plush rug covers the wooden floorboards, providing a welcoming surface for bare feet. The queen-sized bed dominates the room, its sturdy wooden frame adorned with crisp white linens and fluffy pillows. The bed is thoroughly rumpled, the blankets in a knot and the sheet is coming up off the mattress in one of the corners. Sunshine peeks through one of the curtained windows.
A single window overlooks the dense forest outside, allowing natural light to filter into the room during the day. A pair of gauzy curtains flutter in the breeze, offering glimpses of the surrounding wilderness while still providing privacy.
The space in the bed beside me is empty. The covers are warm though, so he must not have left the bed that long ago.
He... *Nik*.
Images from our time together flash in my mind. The feel of him pressed into me. The slide of our bodies. The haze in his eyes as he came undone with me.
A flush heats my skin as those memories surface one after the other.
It doesn’t mean anything though. Not really. *Don’t get the wrong idea, Claire. He was just helping me, that’s all*. The same way he’s been helping me since I showed up on his Pack’s land. He’d volunteered to do a service for me and he’d fulfilled that service. *Fulfilled it while proving to be more skilled in bed than anyone should have a right to be, but still*.
Taking advantage of this moment of privacy, I crawl out of the bed and make a quick trip to the adjoining bathroom. I lock the door behind me, heading to the sink to splash some cool water on my face. The cool water feels good, clearing any lingering hazy thoughts from before. The feverish heat that had settled over my skin the past few days is all but gone this morning.
Catching sight of my reflection in the mirror, I barely recognize myself. My hair stands away from my head in wild crimson waves. My skin is flushed and glowing, my green eyes bright. I look relaxed…happy. My mouth twists up into an amused smirk. *I guess having a million orgasms will do that to a person.*
I find an unopened toothbrush and toothpaste on the counter. Yanking open the packaging, I get to work scrubbing out my mouth and when I’m finished, I finger comb my wild hair into something more manageable. Finally, I figure I should probably wash off the *activities* of the last few days, flipping on the shower. When it’s heated, I hop in, and make quick work of scrubbing down with the single bar of soap I find. No shampoo or conditioner so washing my hair will have to wait.
When I’m clean I turn off the water and hop out, wrapping myself in one of the fluffy white towels hanging on the nearby hook. I peek around the room, remembering I have no clothes in here. Wrapping the towel more firmly around myself, I hesitate briefly at the door at the idea of going out in just a tiny towel. Oh well…*It’s not like Nik hasn’t seen every inch of me anyway.*
I push my way through the doorway to find Nik coming into the room. He’s shirtless, only wearing a pair of black athletic pants that cling to his muscular thighs and make my mouth go dry. I’m struck momentarily speechless at the sight of him. His curling dark hair is rumpled and there’s a dark sheen of stubble along his jawline. He stands barefoot and there’s a sleepy look in his eyes but his gaze flashes when our eyes meet.
Something about seeing him like this feels almost as intimate as everything we did over the past two days. I doubt there are many people who see the Alpha of Blood Moon pack like this— sleepy and disheveled and sated.
My stomach clenches, my insides warming.
Nik pulls himself out of his distraction first, handing me a glass of water.
“Here, you need to drink,” his voice comes out a little gravelly, “You haven’t had much water over the past few days.”
I *am* pretty thirsty, so I bring the glass to my lips and drink it all down in a few gulps.
He takes the empty glass from me when I’m done, “How are you feeling?”
Another blush heats my cheeks, “Good. Really good actually,” I admit, “I’m starting to feel more like myself today.”
He nods, eyes raking over me assessingly. I don’t think I’m imagining the darkening of his pupils as his gaze slides over me, but he looks away quickly enough that I can’t be sure, “Vivian left a bag of clothes for you. I’ll go grab them.”
He turns and leaves the room for a moment, returning with a small black duffel bag clutched in his hands.
“Thank you.”
He places the bag onto the bed, “Of course.”
There’s a tension in the space between us that makes the air feel thick and charged with…*something*. Something I can’t put a name to. I swallow hard, chewing on my bottom lip as my eyes drift back to Nik. That tension only becomes more pronounced when his eyes lock with mine.
After a tension filled minute, he clears his throat, “I’ll…uh…give you some privacy to get dressed. There’s breakfast out here when you’re done.”
He leaves the room, the door clicking closed quietly behind him.