The Moon She Waited Under novel · Chapter 9 of 24
Chapter 9: Heat
The hay loft over the horse stable was Osric's idea.
"It's the first heat after the first shift," he said, outside the hall, while I leaned on Kari with my teeth chattering in the heat.
"It comes in waves until the next full moon. Tonight is the worst of it, and nothing in this valley stops it."
"Nothing?" Kari said.
"A she-wolf of that kind is drawn to the strongest Alpha near her. That is the old law, too."
"Then send Haskell home with a bag over his head," Kari said. "And I'll sit with her."
"It isn't Haskell her wolf wants."
None of us looked at the man standing ten feet away in the dark with his hands in fists.
"Term three," Lucan said. His voice was rough. "I don't touch her, unless she says."
"Term two," Kari said, "you sleep in the barracks."
"I'll sleep on the ladder."
So that was how I ended up lying on a quilt in a loft that smelled of hay and horses, with a bucket of cold water beside me, and Lucan Ferris sitting on the top rung of the ladder with his back to the wall.
He had not looked at me since I climbed up.
I wished he would.
My skin was too tight.
My shirt rubbed my nipples raw every time I breathed, and the waistband of my jeans was hot and wet and unbearable.
Every few minutes, the want came up under my ribs in a wave, and I pressed my face into the quilt to keep from making a sound.
"Water," Lucan said.
He held the dipper out at arm's length without turning his head.
I took it and drank half, and tipped the rest down the back of my neck.
It steamed.
"This is humiliating," I said.
"It isn't."
"You don't have to sit there."
"Yes, I do."
Keep reading free with an account. Start The Moon She Waited Under from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 8 · All chapters · Chapter 10 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend