Not finishing that thought. Absolutely not.
“Fuck, you smell good this morning, Blueberry,” Elias continues, leaning closer. “Did you dream about me?”
I flip him off behind my mug.
I can’t seem to shake the image of Darius standing in the doorway, bare and golden, or the feeling of being held in Silas’s arms all night. My body is reacting in ways my brain hasn’t signed off on, and I know it’s only going to get worse.
“I’d like to visit Cassia today,” I say, changing the subject.
Elias steps closer, his voice dropping. “The healer? Why? Are you alright?”
I fight the urge to bare my neck. “I’m fine. Just need to ask her some questions.”
Archer looks up from his coffee. “You sure?”
“I said I’m fine,” I snap, pushing away from the counter. “Don’t you alphas have something better to do than hover?”
Archer studies me for a moment, then nods. “I’ll walk you over.”
I nod and bolt from the kitchen, desperate to get away from their scents. It’s stronger now than they’ve ever been.
All four of them are under my skin now, and I don’t know how to get them out.
24
Mo
The healer’s cottage is on the far side of the compound, tucked between tall pines. I’m glad for the walk. I need space to think that isn’t soaked in four different alpha scents.
Archer keeps pace beside me.
“So,” he says after a while. “You and Silas seem to be getting close.”
I tense, here it comes.
But Archer just gives me a small smile. “It’s good. He’s been through a lot. It’s nice to see him opening up to someone.”
“Yeah, well. He’s not so bad… For an alpha.”
Archer laughs. “High praise, coming from you.”
We reach Cassia’s cottage, and Archer stops at the door. “You want me to wait out here?”
I nod. “Yeah. This is kind of personal.”
“Take your time. I’ll be right here.”
Cassia opens the door before I can knock. “Blue! Come in. Good to see you.”
The scent of dried herbs and flowers greets me as I step inside. So different from the cabin, where everything smells too good and too much like testosterone. In here, the scents are soft, feminine. I sit in one of her cushioned chairs and exhale, feeling more myself.
Cassia sits across from me and puts a cool hand on my forehead, studying me with a gentle curiosity. “How are you feeling?”
“Weird,” I say. “I think my heat’s coming.”
Cassia raises an eyebrow. “Is that so?”
“Yeah. I’m all hot and flustered, and my scent is changing. I can feel it.”