Under the Sky

Desire

Zeff

I noticed her trembling, her body shaking with cold and adrenaline. She was soaked to the skin, her clothes clinging to her like a second layer, and her lips had started to turn a faint shade of blue. I shook my wet hair, the droplets spraying around us, and gestured for her to follow me.

"Come on," I said, my voice firm but gentle. "You're shaking like a leaf. Let's get you somewhere warm."

As we moved along the riverbank, I glanced over at her. Her eyes were wide with a mix of shock and amazement, and she kept stealing glances at me. I realized then how drenched I was, my clothes sticking to my skin, outlining every muscle of my well-defined physique.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Zeff," she stammered, her teeth chattering slightly.

I turned to her, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Don't be. You're the one who's shaking, Liliam. Let's get you warmed up."

She nodded, still a bit dazed, and I led the way. We followed a narrow, overgrown path that wound through the trees, the foliage thickening around us. The sounds of the forest enveloped us again, but this time, it felt more comforting than daunting. I knew exactly where we were going, and I could sense Liliam's curiosity growing with each step.

After a few minutes of walking, we arrived at a small, hidden cottage nestled against the side of a hill, almost blending into the surrounding rock. It looked as if it had been carved directly into the hill itself, with a small wooden door and a few windows, the glass fogged over with age.

"This is a quick hideout I made years back when I spent days out here in the forest," I explained, pushing the door open.

Liliam looked at me in surprise. "You've spent days in here?"

I laughed softly, shaking my head. "I'm a nature guy, Liz. Sometimes you need a place to get away from everything, you know?"

She nodded, stepping inside. The interior was small but cozy. There was a fireplace in the corner, a simple wooden table with two chairs, and a small bed tucked against one wall. The walls were lined with shelves holding a collection of old books, tools, and supplies. It was my hideout over the years.

"I'll get a fire going," I said, moving toward the fireplace. "You should get out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold."

She hesitated, glancing around the room. I could see the uncertainty in her eyes, the way she bit her lower lip. "I... I don't have anything to change into."

I nodded, rummaging through a small chest in the corner. "Here," I said, pulling out a large, soft blanket. "Wrap yourself in this. It's not much, but it'll help you warm up until your clothes dry."

She took the blanket with a grateful smile, her fingers brushing against mine. "Thank you, Zeff."

I turned away, focusing on the task of building the fire. Within minutes, the flames were crackling, casting a warm, flickering light throughout the small cottage. The heat began to fill the room, pushing back the chill of the river water.

As I knelt by the fire, feeding the flames with another log, my enhanced senses picked up the faint, but unmistakable sound of her drenched clothes slipping to the floor. The soft thud reverberated through me, sending a jolt of awareness straight to my core. My nostrils flared as I caught a whiff of her scent—clean, earthy, with a hint of something sweet and intoxicating that was uniquely hers. The memory of her touch, her warmth pressed against me just moments ago, flashed through my mind, and I felt my muscles tense involuntarily.

The thought of her, standing there, vulnerable and naked behind me, was almost too much to bear. My heart rate quickened, the primal part of me responding to the very idea of her in such a state. I forced myself to focus on the task at hand, but it was impossible to ignore the effect she was having on me. My wolf, Gaius, growled low within me, urging me to turn around, to claim what was ours.