The Secrets Between Us | ✓

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"Heat?" she questioned, interrupting the thick silence that had collapsed over them. Everyone stared in her direction and their baffled expression was starting to make her feel extremely uncomfortable. "Do you mean to say fever?"

"Are you sure, Mr. Hans?" Icarus asked instead, completely ignoring her. She huffed in annoyance when he lowered his voice, only for the doctor to hear him. "She is a human."

Her eyes widened, having heard him clearly.

"I know, Alpha." He discreetly looked at her over Icarus' shoulder before dropping his gaze. "I ran the test too, no trace of supernatural blood but the symptoms she showed earlier was that of heat, and it's full moon tomorrow."

"I don't understand." Icarus ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He looked worried, and she wondered why. "Has this happened before?"

The healer looked deep in thought, slowly shaking his head. "Not that I'm aware of, but I'll let you know if I find anything."

"Can it be prevented?"

"I can give her painkillers and cooling lotion but those won't help for long."

"Guys, what's going on?" She frowned when nobody opened their mouth. "You all are scaring me."

His lips pressed together to form a tight line. He didn't want his mate to ever fear anything, or anyone. "Out everyone."

They all scurried off, slamming the door shut behind them. She grew nervous as she watched him pace around the room. With a long and tired sigh, he finally settled beside her on the bed, tugging the blanket over him as well.

"We are friends," she repeated when he began to pull her above him. He chuckled lightly and paused his movement, simply wrapping his arm around her waist and resting his forehead against hers.

It felt so routine, like they'd done it every day. She couldn't help but smile a little.

"Well then," he drawled out, his chocolatey eyes twinkling with sheer amusement. She felt his hand glide beneath her shirt and caress her flesh, warm and soothing. "Friends it is."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, he should quit trying to distract her. "Now tell me, what is heat?"

He stiffened, his gaze faltering for a fleeting moment. "When a male werewolf meets his female counterpart, they mate instantly and if they don't, the coming full moon she goes into heat, where her body forces her to complete the mating process."

"Huh?" Her eyebrows knitted in puzzlement as she leaned further towards him, her mind attentive to comprehend the meaning behind his words.

"Sex and bite in simple words," he clarified and she choked on her saliva, her face heating up in response. He couldn't be serious.

"What, no!" She pushed his hand off her and rolled out of the bed, opting to sit on the couch. "You can't bite me, I don't want to turn into a wolf."

He gave her a blank look. "You won't, it's only to mark you as mine. It will ward off approaches from other males."

She frowned, not liking the concept at all. She wasn't his territory to piss. "But this is not fair. I'm not ready for any of it."

"I know." He sat up and angled his body to face her, keeping the much needed distance between them. "It wasn't supposed to happen. It doesn't pertain to your kind."

"Then why?"

"I don't know yet." He let out a groan and rubbed his face.

"So what happens if we uh don't mate?"

"Your heat will become unbearable. You will be in pain and sexually aroused all the time till it subsides. The cycle will repeat again when the next full moon arrives if mating process is left undone."

"And how long is that?"

"I'm not quite sure."

She bit her lip, her stomach stirring with uneasiness as she took in the information. "I-I'll manage. Just give me the meds and lotion."

His eyebrow quirked up in surprise. "You heard him?"

She wasn't deaf and he wasn't exactly quiet. She nodded. "All of it."

"It's not easy, Anaya." He made his way towards her and flopped down on the couch, tucking an unruly hair behind her ear. "Heat is the worst of all torture. It'll make you hypersensitive and vulnerable. Your smell will attract every unmated werewolf. You'll be out of control."

If he was trying to scare her with his words, he was succeeding. Her head whirled, black dots shrouding her senses. She had to get out of here.

"I-" She rushed to her room and locked the door, grateful that he didn't follow her.

Tears blinded her vision as fear gripped her chest, clawing her insides. The thought of heat taking over her body, making her lose control of herself, sounded frightening. She could barely breathe as she slid on the floor and leaned back against the door. Soon darkness swallowed her wholly.

She didn't know for how long she was out cold, but she woke up to loud banging on the door. She grudgingly dragged herself up and pulled the door open, feeling stiffness in her neck and shoulder as exhaustion slowly swept her in its arms.

"Luna, are you okay?" She stilled, the new title slapping her awake from her sleep deprivation haze. She gazed up to find Lisa, concern etched on her aged features.

She nodded, steadying herself from falling apart. "Yes. Call me Anaya, please."

Lisa gave a small smile. "Alpha and Beta are awaiting your presence in the dining hall."

Her stomach lurched up into her throat. She didn't want to face either of them. "I don't feel like eating tonight."

"But you need to, a little please?"

She sighed and walked down the stairs while combing a hand through her hair. She probably looked like a sick mess but she didn't really care. She just wanted to be alone.

Upon reaching the dining hall, she forced a smile onto her face and sat down on the wooden chair, unable to hold their stare any longer. Lisa served the dinner which smelled as delicious as any other day but she could hardly get anything into her system before she excused herself to go to her room.

She headed straight to the closet and stripped off the day's clothes, choosing her comfortable shorts and t-shirt over it.

Her steps halted when she saw Icarus sitting on her bed. She hesitantly walked towards him, her legs wobbling slightly as his eyes traveled up her body, settling on her face. He wordlessly handed her the medicine and lotion she needed to survive heat.

"Thank you."

He nodded. "If you need anything else, call Lisa. She will be with you tomorrow."

She frowned. "What about you?"

"I'll stay at my parents' house for a few days."

Her lips parted in shock and she blinked up at him as hurt sliced through her. She couldn't even begin to describe how she felt at the moment. "Okay." Her voice quivered partly and she couldn't look at him.

She felt his presence linger behind her for a minute or two before he touched her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "Good night, Anaya."

She climbed on the bed, her heart plummeting with sadness and a new set of fear. She was going to suffer from heat alone, consequences unknown to her. Icarus wanted to complete the mating process but since she didn't go with it, he chose the easy way out. He decided to escape, leave her to face the problem.

She couldn't believe it. He was supposed to understand her, help her go through it.

Guess she was wrong.

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