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Astra

“Please.”

My heart skips. I don’t even know what he’s asking, but it tugs at me all the same.

“That isn’t how I wanted this to happen, Astra, I can promise you that.” He steps up behind me.

I meet his gaze in the window’s reflection, and I don’t flinch away from him when he reaches out. He recoils as soon as his fingers brush my biceps.

“You’re freezing.”

I nod. I don’t know what else to say to that effect—it’s not like I can deny it. He reaches for me again, and this time his movements are surer. He guides me into the huge bathroom. He leaves me standing in the center and turns on the shower. It’s a large glass one, with space for a whole lot of people in it.

Within seconds, steam billows out and clouds the glass.

He moves around me quietly, shutting the bathroom door, picking out the tiny shampoo and conditioner bottles from the counter. Then he stops in front of me and reaches for the hem of my shirt.

He hesitates.

I hesitate.

But he seems to steel himself, because he takes the bottom of the wet fabric and drags it up. I raise my arms, letting him remove it completely. The steam has reached us, fogging the mirror and wrapping around us.

He kneels, and my breath hitches when he tugs my leggings down. Then he goes fucking still, and I don’t understand it until he leans forward.

His forehead presses against my abdomen.

“Kian.” My voice is hoarse. “What are you doing?”

“This isn’t how I wanted this to go,” he says. “Fuck. I took your virginity, Astra. How can you ever forgive me for that? I—” He squeezes my thighs. “Let me make it up to you.”

I swallow. “How?”

He lifts away from my body and tips his head back, meeting my gaze. There’s no sign of the wolf. And strange enough, I miss that. Knowing the wolf is right there under his surface, watching and listening and… trying to get close to me.

I shut my eyes.

This is just Kian.

And me.

The pull toward him just under my ribcage is still there.

He helps me step out of my leggings, my shoes and socks. He runs his hands over my calves, and his healing magic seeps into me. My skin is bruised where his ice held me, but it clears as he inches higher.

“You have water magic.” I force the words past my lips.

“Yes.”

Impossible. If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t believe it. If I hadn’t felt it⁠—

“How?” A repeated question for another matter entirely.

He doesn’t pause in healing me. I lean back on the counter, letting it take some of my weight. My knees are weak, my thighs trembling. He parts my legs and stares at my center, which is…

Oh God.

My cheeks flame.