Chapter seventy

Chapter seventy
I jolted, shaking back to reality as if yanked by invisible claws.
My body shifted into its human form without meaning to, chest heaving, skin slick with sweat.
Damn it.
I was letting this dream dig too deep into me.
“I think it’s time to let the cat out of the bag,” Darius said, his voice low as he shifted, then moved closer. His brows pulled together, worry carving deep lines across his face. “What’s the problem?”
I inhaled slowly, tilting my chin upward as I closed my eyes for a moment, buying myself a few seconds. His warmth brushed against my arm, and my pulse jumped.
“Ehm… just a random dream. My thoughts are taking a weird turn on me,” I replied, forcing a chuckle. It sounded thin, fake even to my own ears. And from the way his jaw tightened, I knew he wasn’t buying it.
“I’ll see you later,” I added quickly. “I should go hang with Suzy; she should be back from the run, and it’s been a while since I saw her.”
“I don’t think that would be possible. She’s on heat,” he said, his voice tight with contained worry.
“Oh, really… I might go be with her.”
What
The
Hell
Did I just say?
Be with her?
Yeah, sure. Let me just stroll in there like, “Hey girlie, heard you’re on heat, want a hug?”
Did my brain even check in with me before spitting that out?
 No. Absolutely not.
Out of every possible response on earth, my mouth chose that?
Great.
Right, because visiting someone on heat is exactly the kind of bonding activity normal people do. Maybe we can bake cookies about it. Maybe a little “Happy Heat Season!” card while I’m at it.
If embarrassment could kill, I’d already be a dramatic little ghost hovering over the training grounds, rattling chains at myself.
I chuckled, because honestly? If I didn’t laugh, I’d throw myself into the nearest bush and start a new life as foliage.
I stepped away before he could stop me, but I felt his gaze following every move I made. His shoulders tensed; his lips parted like he wanted to say something, call me back, maybe, but he didn’t.
I left the training ground, his eyes lingering on my back all the way out. As I rounded a tree along the path, I reached for the small stash of clothes tucked into the branches and changed into a snug romper that highlighted all my curves, the kind of outfit Aunt Lisa always encouraged me to wear. I turned slightly and noticed that his eyes were still on me, and it ignited a small, reckless spark in me.
My eyes drifted to the spot where my heat had started, along with all the drama that followed. It’s been a whole lot of chaos in this pack, I thought.
I headed toward the market. Suzy always said shopping could make everything better, and right now I desperately hoped she was right. I missed her. She always knew how to pull me out of my own head. I needed anything that could drown out the way my Daruis’s worry was digging into me almost as deeply as the dream had.
As I passed the pack house, I caught Lucian’s scent. My steps slowed almost without thinking. I spotted him leaving the building, moving toward his garage, shoulders relaxed in that effortlessly confident way only he could carry.
And then the memories of our ride hit me. The rush of adrenaline, the wild sense of freedom… the way my heart had pounded for reasons that had nothing to do with speed, nothing at all.
I had never felt anything like that before and part of me ached to feel it again.
Right now, it felt like the perfect escape, the one thing that could pull me out of the swirl of emotions twisting inside my chest, even if only for a little while.
He looked back, catching my scent, and then fully turned toward me on the trail. My earlier slowed steps faltered now, catching in my chest as a wave of heat rolled through me. He had a towel slung over his shoulder, the light catching him just right, outlining the sharp lines of his arms and the effortless strength in the way he moved. Every step he took seemed to draw the air and me closer to him.
“Hey, firecracker,” he murmured, moving closer. His eyes lingered on my face, a small smile tugging at his lips. I felt the urge to lean in, to brush my lips against his, his scent flooding me, drowning every trace of fear.
Okay… breathe, Iris. My brain seems to be going overboard today.
“You’ve been avoiding me.” His minty breath brushed my cheek, and a shiver ran down my spine.
Darius must have fed him a story while I was unconscious to keep him from finding out. I straightened, trying to look unbothered even though my pulse was doing the opposite, thudding a little too fast for my liking. His presence always did that to me, no matter how hard I tried to hide it. I straightened again, forcing my voice steady.
“I… just needed some alone time.”
My hands twitched at my sides, restless, unsure what to do with themselves, and I resisted the urge to step closer to him. “Where are you going?”
His brows knit, just slightly, as if he almost asked why you needed space but swallowed the question instead.
“I was going to…” He exhaled, letting the rest fade. “Never mind. Are you busy? Want to spend some time together?”
“Yes,” I blurted, not waiting for him to finish. My stomach dropped instantly, heat rushing up my neck in a wave of embarrassment. I immediately hated how needy I sounded. I don’t want him to think I need to be around him… even though I do. I swallowed hard, forcing my voice steady.
“I mean, yeah. Not busy.”