s gaze fixed. "Why did

ded heavier than

but deeper, like something drop

ul. Too careful. One wrong thought and he would hear it. Th

't think, s

lied coolly. "You people o

stepped forward but Elara moved just as qu

said, voice low. "Silas does

ll barely holding himself upright, his breathing uneven,

nes?" Calvin continued. "That doesn't make

Elara felt it tighten something in her chest. Fo

scent had slipped out. The way he had colla

s too

o say?" she asked, her tone sh

longer this time a

d slowly, "why you s

for twelve years. Today is the first day you're back..

narrowed

not li

He's my bodyguard. His condition reflects

Responsibility?" he echoed. "For someone who su

I thought I heard you telling

s misconduct today." She repl

hand through his hair, clear

"Since the day our secondary sexes manifested

ckered again

I caught something strang

with a quiet assertion; "And you st

jaw ti

d firmly. "I don't a

, but he didn't. He held it in and watched instead. That somehow was wors

t was worse

off him even without touching him. His breathing was

pulled his arm over her shoulder,

rength and the subtle control of her pherom

," Calvin offered, st

stantly, a very sharp warn

rom her m

stayed back and actually watched a

nd the crowd, swallowed by

his expression unreadable. Then

ir

Calvin said quietly. His anger sudde

ward politics, toward everything that suddenly felt... secondary. Maybe to discuss his betrothal with Elar

corridors, her grip steady on Si

reigning between them didn't help. It made everything wors

n smell this good without cologne? But dangerously, it clung t

he had forgotten how omegas smelled, forgotten how their pheromones reacted with hers. How t

er grip tightened unconsciously...no

t of a door. "This is it," s

l locked no matter how hard she tried. Of course, she doesn't know the p

her patience when suddenly...Sila

sharp, unfamiliar tension

voice slurred and strained. "M

he was eighteen again standing in the dark. Hearing that same voice, smel

ly, grounding herself.

n this state but she wanted to break away f

luttering open, and when he looked

murmured, his voice s