Page 116 of The Hunter

Lacey stiffened, gaping at him. “Seriously?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Do not fight me.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, nose wrinkling.

Warmth spread through his chest as he gazed down at her.

His mate was adorable when she was powtee.

Holding her close, Telok carried Lacey to their den. He didn’t miss how she seemed to curl in on herself again once they were moving, like she could somehow make herself small enough to go unseen. They thankfully encountered only a few winddancers during the brief journey, none of whom had been on the hunt. Yet each time they passed someone, Lacey turned her face more toward Telok’s chest, pink flaring on her cheeks.

When they reached the den, Telok set her down. She immediately slipped inside, leaving him to stare at the swaying curtain. His mandibles drooped. Sweeping the silk aside, he ducked and squeezed through the entryway, drawing himself to his full height on the other side.

Lacey was already sitting on the bed.

As he set down their belongings, he watched her pick up a blanket, wrap it around herself, and lie down, curling into a ball.

Mandibles ticking in uncertainty, he approached her, his steps loud in the silence of the den. “Lacey?”

“I’m fine. Just…cold.”

Telok sank down beside the bed, tilting his head as he regarded her. She lay with her back toward him, and from his angle, he could see only the tip of her nose—everything else was covered.

“Now who is lying?” he asked gently.

“I am cold.” Her obscured form swelled as she drew in a deep breath. “I’m…not in a good headspace right now, Telok.”

He braced his hands on his leg joints, if only to keep from touching her. “I do not understand.”

“It means my thoughts and emotions are tangled and heavy. They’re…a lot.”

“The winddancers will gather soon. Their music, dance, and food will lift your spirit and ease that burden. You always shine bright when you are amongst friends.”

“Ugh, no,” she groaned. “No. I… I can’t see anyone right now. Not after… God, I’m so fucking mortified.”

She pulled the blanket up over her face and burrowed deeper into the bedding.

His mandibles fell. “How can I help? How can I fix this?”

“Right now…you can’t,” she said, her muffled voice barely audible. “I’m sorry. I just need some time alone, Telok.”

Growling, he squeezed his leg joints, barely noticing the bite of his claws into his hide. “I will not leave. We will be alone together.”

“Please.”

That single word, spoken softly, brokenly, and with such thick emotion, nearly crushed him. But in doing so, it made him finally understand.

As much as her request hurt, it wasn’t about pushing him away. It wasn’t about anything he had or hadn’t done. It was about Lacey and what she needed—and what she needed now was time to detangle the emotions plaguing her so she could find herself again.

And if he remained here too…someone would come looking. Someone would come out of concern to ensure they were okay, and that intrusion would only drive Lacey deeper into her thoughts, would only make her pull back even further.

If anyone in the world could relate, was it not Telok himself? How many times had he sought solitude from those he cared about most? How often had he needed it?

“I will join the others.” He pushed himself up. “If you need anything, my nyleea, anything, call. I will come.”

The blanket shifted slightly around her head as she nodded. “I know. Thank you.”

Dark clouds had gathered around Lacey, shrouding her radiance. Had Telok possessed Rekosh’s skill with words, he might have found the right ones to sweep away those clouds on a gust of wind. Had he Urkot’s humor, he might’ve pierced that darkness with jests, allowing her light to shine through and burn away the gloom. And if he’d had Ketahn’s fearlessness, he would have claimed Lacey long ago and avoided all this.