Chapter 70

The full moon had indeed passed three days ago, and Xavier had once again taken to keeping me, at a cautious distance. After the passionate night we had experienced together, all I desired was an opportunity to discuss it, to unravel the emotions that surged within me. I longed to explain everything to him, to convey the thoughts swirling in my mind. But what, exactly, did I want to articulate? This question loomed large and unsettled in my mind.

Although I had initially thought that my feelings for Xavier were merely a fleeting infatuation, I had come to recognize that on the night we connected so profoundly, my emotions were far more intense than I had ever dared to acknowledge. Surely, I mused, confessing this to him would be a conversation devoid of any awkwardness. Right? Not quite.

The morning after our night spent camping and running through the woods, I was far too exhausted to initiate a discussion about our experience. My mind was still a jumble of confusion an