Chapter 137. Consumed by the Heat

“I’m fine,” I snapped. “I’m going to sleep alone tonight.”

He didn’t argue. He watched me until I reached my door, then slipped back downstairs.

I closed my bedroom door behind me and stood in the dim glow of the moonlight streaming through my window. For a long minute, I simply stared at the ceiling. Sleep would not come easily—already it had abandoned me once. This time, it wasn’t just the pain or the memories. Tonight, the heat had decided to call. My body, my very blood, pulsed with the ancient, powerful rhythm of a female wolf in season. I expected the heat eventually, but never at such an inopportune moment.

At first, I lay beneath the covers, hoping the ache between my thighs would soften on its own. But as the minutes passed, the pressure built, relentless and demanding. I could no longer ignore how wet my panties felt, how each movement sent a wave of discomfort up my spine. Restlessness took over. I tossed the quilt aside and lay naked, the cool air on my