𝐀𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐫 || 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐖𝐨𝐧

Chapter 26

Wonwoo’s hopes of waking up back at the orchard were dashed when he opened his eyes to find flickering firelight painting the walls around him. He tried to burrow deeper into the nest of blankets he was wrapped in, his body still clinging to the cold of the snowstorm that raged outside.

“Mingyu?”

Where had the alpha gone to?

“Here, Wonwoo.”

He rolled over, peering into the gloom of the cabin until his eyes adjusted and he could make out the shape of Mingyu sitting in a corner with his back against the wall.

“What are you doing all the way over there? You must be cold. Hell, I’m cold. An alpha hot water bottle would be a nice thing right about now.”

Mingyu didn’t budge.

“What?” Wonwoo asked him. “Is it me? Do I smell?” He sniffed at himself, making a face. “I’m probably pretty ripe. In my defense, I was abducted and freezing my ass off in a blizzard.”

“You don’t smell bad,” Mingyu said roughly. “The opposite, actually.”

Wonwoo squinted at him blearily. “Okay. Then why are you there and not here?”

“You smell really, really good, Wonwoo.”

“Um… thanks?”

Mingyu leaned forward, the firelight just catching his eyes. “I think you might be in heat.”

Wonwoo burst into laughter, falling back into his bundle of blankets. When Mingyu didn’t join in, his mirth slowly petered away. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am completely serious.”

“There’s no way I’m in heat. Here? Now? Come on, that would be ridiculous.”

He sat up, wrapping a blanket around his shoulders before he pushed to his feet and crossed the room to where Mingyu was crouched.

Mingyu held up a hand in warning. “Wonwoo—it would be better if you kept your distance.”

“I can’t be in heat. I’ve never had one before. And now would be the absolute worst time in all history for my biology to suddenly decide to have its heyday.”

Wonwoo was starting to get a little frustrated. It was maddening having Mingyu so close, but so far away at the same time. “Besides, I’m freezing. If I was in heat, at least I’d be warm.”

“Your body is still trying to recover from the hypothermia.”

“See, there’s another reason why I can’t be in heat. It would make no sense whatsoever for it to happen now.”

“Except…”

“Except what?”

“Something Cole, one of the alphas in Soonyoung’s pack, said.”

“What did he say?”

“There are things that can trigger heat. Life-and-death sort of situations. Not the situation itself, but the aftermath. I guess when your body goes from being in mortal danger to knowing it’s safe and in close proximity to an alpha… it might sit up and take notice.”

“That… that’s crazy,” Wonwoo tried to argue as a surge of something rocked his body, a warm tingling starting up low in his belly and the nape of his neck.

“Oh.”

The world spun, and he sank to his knees on the floor.

Mingyu was at his side in an instant, throwing a supportive arm around him. “You need to lie back down.”