Chapter 32

Konner dropped his bag on the floor and went into his bathroom. Turning on the shower, he started stripping his clothes off. He felt like he had been crawling through sludge and grim the past two days, metaphorically for the most part, but he needed to physically wash it off. Opening the panel beside the shower, he flipped the valve over so it would be raining freshwater down on him and not processed water from the tanks. He wanted to go for a swim, but he didn’t have time for that right now, so this would have to tide him over.

Stepping under the spray, he closed his eyes and let the water run down him. The whole time he’d been away his mind had driven him to absolute distraction thinking about Terah. Wondering if she was doing all right, picturing her in his pool singing, he could hear her song still playing on a loop inside his head. Sighing, he opened his eyes to see his skin was changing like it would if he was swimming and not showering.

Gritting his teeth, he focused to force it to go back. Complete fucking distraction. He hadn’t had that problem since he was a teen, it was ridiculous, that he couldn’t control his body. That’s just what he needed, to be standing in the rain with the team and his normal-looking epidermis changing to the thick, porous scales of his kind. He doubted any of the team would suddenly grow fur or whatever if they were distracted.

Looking down, he ran his hand over his chest to feel it was normal enough skin now. Around hour twenty-two of no sleep, he decided he was moving Terah into one of the empty houses. Three hours after that, he overrode his own decision, she was staying right here in his house. He needed sleep, that’s what he needed right now. The refreshing three-hour nap he’d struggled to force his body to have while he waited for his contact to reach him, had long ago expired.

He’d practically run from the truck to get here without seeing anyone. He didn’t know why it had been left there for him but was glad, he wasn’t ready for conversation and questions just yet. Reeves and Auburn had both assured him anytime he’d checked in that Terah was fine, Raelyn and the babies were fine, and he needn’t worry. Well, worrying was a new skill he had recently acquired, and he hoped once he saw them with his own eyes, he’d be able to think rationally once again and get things done.

He had to talk to Calum and Deacon about what he found out, and after that to Devin. By all accounts, it wasn’t good, and it was a game-changer. The problem was going to be how to explain it to the King and Alliance council when the time came. His contacts weren’t exactly legal Alliance allies, he shook the water from his face. Apparently, the legal allies weren’t all allies either. He stopped and went over his own thought. Sleep, he needed sleep.

The plan was, to pop into the office, check on business, go see Raelyn and stare at Terah for a moment and then issue a do not disturb order for a few precious hours of rest. The probability of that happening—he turned and let the water pound on his back, sixty percent, seventy if he growled while he did it.

Wrapping the towel around his waist, he stood in the middle of his room dripping water on the floor. He should talk to Calum, he was an Alliance man, but he seemed like he was willing to bend rules when needed to get things done. Konner looked at the bed, wanting nothing more than to drop down on it and close his eyes. Calum had resources and contacts everywhere, which would be helpful too.

A knock on the door had him jerk his head around and glare at it. “Come in,” he growled, hoping this wasn’t some emergency that would prevent him from sleeping. The door opened and Terah peeked around it.

“Olanna said knocking on the door before going in was the right way.” She gave him a hopeful look.

He was struck speechless seeing her again. It had only been two days, but it was like he was seeing her for the first time again.

“Is it okay I knocked on your door?” She stood there, those alluring eyes moving over him slowly, causing an adolescent reaction with his body.

“It’s fine.” He winced at the bark in his tone. Clearing his throat, he forced his mouth to smile. “What is it?”

“I missed seeing you.”

Her voice was soft, and he felt like a jerk for acting the way he did. The exhaustion was forgotten for now. A real smile moved his lips. “I’ve been thinking about you too.”

“You have?” She stepped closer, her gaze moving up his chest to his face again. “I followed all your rules.”

Konner smirked. “I’m just trying to keep you safe.”

She nodded. “I was very safe.”

She rubbed her hand over her stomach, bringing his attention to the outfit she was wearing. The pants she wore were low on her hips, hugging them emphasizing how trim and curved she was. The top she had on stopped midway down her rib cage, leaving her midriff bare and in his opinion, it was a tantalizing outfit that he wasn’t sure she should wear around the boys. “What, uh, have you been doing?”

“I went for walks.” She looked at him, an odd expression on her face. He was too tired to try to figure out what it could mean. “I found the river and went for a swim.”

He nodded, even though he wasn’t really hearing what she was saying. It just wouldn’t register in his head. He needed sleep if he was meant to control the wandering thoughts inside his head. Right now, they were wandering all over that bare skin of her waist.

“I think...” Her brows creased, and she huffed out a breath. "There’s something...” She shook her head. “I am having troubles and I don’t know if it is right, what I want to do.”

Konner’s mind prodded him to focus harder. She looked down at the floor and didn’t look back up at him. Stepping closer, he touched her chin briefly, so she’d look up at him. He’d prefer to be dressed for conversation, but if something was bothering her, he wanted to help. “What is it you want to do?” The last thing he needed was another near-disaster like in the kitchen, or worse, something worse could happen with her limited knowledge of things.

“I keep thinking about it,” she glanced at him from beneath her lashes. “It doesn’t go away when I close my eyes either,” she lifted her chin, and he was struck by the full power of those deep blue eyes of hers. He couldn’t have looked anywhere else. The look changed to confusion, and she shook her head. “I will think about it more.” She nodded and backed up a few steps.

He would never sleep knowing something was bothering her, and his chest felt tight seeing her struggle with it. Gripping the towel so it would stay put, he went over and tilted his head down to look at her. Touching his shoulder, he paused, she was quite warm. “Are you feeling all right?”

“It was very hot on my walk; my jacket works too well I think.”

He searched her face; her complexion wasn’t paled and there were no signs of drying anywhere. If she’d just been in the river that wasn’t the problem. Wearing heavy clothes was problematic for their kind. “Maybe leave it off if you’re taking brisk walks and doing physical things?”

She nodded and looked up at him. Her gaze moved over his face and stopped on his mouth. She licked her lips.

Konner’s mind was chiming like some sort of alarm. Back away from the female. The internal war was short, and he was just about to step away from her when she grabbed the back of his head with strength that shocked him and assaulted his mouth. Was it considered assault when he was willing? He didn’t know. He didn’t care. Gripping the back of hers with his free hand, he took over the kiss and was rewarded with a fevered passion he’d never experienced before.

Her warm hand moved up his chest to wrap around behind his head, locking together with her other one. Maybe it was the cold water from his shower, but it felt like she was burning his flesh. His body responded and he was all in until some deeply recessed part of his brain intruded and reminded him who he was crushing against him and everything that she’d been through. With control he didn’t know he had in him, he slowed the kiss and tore his mouth from hers.

Her eyes flew open, and she looked up at him, as she fought to catch her breath. “That was real,” she whispered.

Any more real and he’d have flames licking over his skin, he thought. “Yeah,” he gasped and tried to find the will to step away from her. He caught up the towel that started to slip. “I need to go speak with Calum.” He frowned at his own words, not the most tactful thing to say to break this up.

“I understand." She said the words, but her hazed eyes were locked on his mouth as she spoke them.

Did she? He doubted it. He didn’t even understand what the hell he was doing right now. “Maybe we could go for a walk together later.”

Her eyes flicked to his and he saw this pleased her. “Yes.” She smiled. “I let the animals live now, so the ecosystem stays in balance.”

His eyebrows shot up; he hadn’t seen that one coming. “That’s good.” Not that he cared one damn about the ecosystem at this moment.

Moving her hand across her chest, she watched it for a moment. “I will go lay in my pool until you want to go for a walk.” She stepped back. Raising her hand to her mouth, she dragged it over her lips lightly, “I like kissing you, Konner.” she gave him a shy smile and then turned and went out the door before his brain could offer a response.

When the door shut, Konner dropped his chin almost to his chest and exhaled a long deep breath.

His body was aroused and throbbing, not caring if the female that caused it had just left. Raising his head, he looked at his bed again. Sleep was not going to happen now. If he lay on that bed, his mind was going to be overrun with erotic thoughts of the female that had just blindsided him with desires he’d clamped down on for years.

Ripping the towel off, he tossed it at a chair and stomped over to his dresser. He could turn this frustration into a few more hours of very focused work. His jerky movements ceased, at least until he was out in the bush, alone with her for the walk he’d offered. Maybe if he was lucky some emergency would pop up and distract them both from it. Stabbing his legs into his pants, he yanked them on. He should have gone to bed, ignored the knock on the door. He was already having trouble keeping her out of his thoughts and now, he licked his lips, now he could taste her.

Closing his eyes, he drew in a slow breath, her taste was tinged with passion and all the things he could ever want. Blowing it out, he opened his eyes and looked down at the front of his pants. Cursing his body, he went over to the closet and flipped the hangers along the bar trying to find a shirt that was going to hide his obvious desire from the rest of the clan.

He didn’t know if it was ego or some stupid male part of him, but the fact that she had literally attacked his face made him smile. He touched his mouth much like she had and smirked beneath his fingertips. She’d damn near branded his lips with her hot... His mouth dropped open, and his gut tightened. Shit. Damn. Growling at his own stupidity, he did up his shirt and then went over and grabbed his phone. He should have known right away but hadn’t because his brain and body were so obsessed with her, he’d ignored all the signs.

Jerking the door open, he took two steps toward her door on the other side of the hall and then stopped and stood there frozen in place. He needed one of the women. He couldn’t go in there and, he shook his head as the images of her naked in her tub filled it. Nodding, he twisted his body, hoping his feet caught up, and headed for the front door. He needed one of the women with him to explain to her what was happening. She was starting her cycle, he frowned remembering how hot she was, or was already in it. He knew this was her first or she’d know what was bothering her. If it wasn’t, not having even been around her own kind, she wouldn’t know what was going on.

He stopped outside and turned to go get Olanna, then changed his mind and went the other way toward Nolyn’s. She would help explain it and hopefully he didn’t have to try to help. Clenching his jaw, he walked faster. Getting her to understand what was happening was going to be hard, especially considering her to-do list included ten children. Until her cycle was gone, he hoped it was the normal two days, no man, woman, or child could swim with her. For everyone’s safety. When one of their females was caught in the thrall of their breeding cycle, they were aggressive, even violent toward others. Terah would never hurt one of the children, he knew this, but during this, he didn’t know if she’d be able to control her baser instincts.

Nolyn was just coming out her door when he reached it.

“Konner?”

“I need you to come to talk to Terah with me.” Inside he was panicking, and he wasn’t sure why. He was going to have to forbid the boys and Reeves from being anywhere near her during this. He frowned, not because of her hurting them, but because he would hurt anyone that went near her. He scowled at the ground. Shit was getting out of control.

Nolyn stood there looking at him, the expression on her face was the one she gave the children when she was waiting for them to answer.

“It’s her cycle and I think it’s her first.”

Nolyn’s mouth formed an o and then she nodded. “Okay, where is she?”

“Her room I believe.” He walked beside her. “I don’t think she knows what’s happening.”

Nolyn looked up at him. “Relax, we’ll help her.”

Konner nodded. “I’m worried...”

Nolyn gave him her a 'stop talking' look. “It will be fine. We just have to keep the unmated males away from her.”

He wondered if she was thinking about Reeves in particular.