Sweat beaded on my forehead as warmth pulsated through me. It had been three days since the last spell or since we'd last seen Atonya, but the weight in my stomach hadn't subsided. In fact, it was growing worse and worse by the day. By the second. Rather than the warm weight I'd felt in my stomach, it had transformed into a painful heat settled between my hips and seeping throughout my body. I craved being touched in a way that mirrored the feeling I had when Atonya had performed the spell, but instead of it only lasting a few seconds, it was all I thought about. I wanted to scream and thrash and try to touch the pain away, but I couldn't. Despite my better judgment, I didn't want to worry Greyson. He'd seemed so happy and at ease since Atonya put Gavin under a temporary lock and key. He didn't hesitate to hold me or kiss me like he used to and I didn't want to ruin it by bringing up lycanthropy or remnants of spells.

I stared at the full moon outside as I sat on the window seat, a feeling of relaxation washing over me as I did so as if the Moon Goddess herself was easing my pain. I rested my forehead on the cold glass as I closed my eyes and turned my focus into my breathing rather than the immense pain growing between my legs. A sharp pain ran through my head, causing me to wince as River pushed against her boundary, wanting nothing more than to get out and have control. I hadn't been able to let her free since we'd been here, not wanting to risk messing with the magic that thrived in the woods. She was growing restless.

"Little wolf, what's wrong?" Greyson asked from behind me, causing me to jump a bit as I turned to face him. He'd just gotten out of the shower and had changed into some sweatpants though his hair was still insanely wet, the water droplets falling off of his hair and chasing each other down his insanely toned body. I wanted nothing more than to kiss every inch of his body. I swallowed and focused on his eyes, remembering Greyson talking about focus to deter from my wants.

"Nothing," I said trying to cover up my uneasiness.

"I might not have my wolf anymore, but I can still tell when there's something on your mind, Avery," he pushed as he sat opposite me on the window seat and put my feet on his lap. The usual sparks that I felt when we touched rushed through me, however instead of mundane sparks, they felt like shocks of lightning and warmth. My head was spinning with lust and desire, but I swallowed it down.

"I'm just worried about the pack," I made out, though it wasn't a complete lie. They'd been constantly running through my mind since we'd been stuck here. I was worried about them immensely. I didn't want them getting hurt because of me without me even being there to fight alongside them. "I would never forgive myself if Phoenix attacked while we were stuck here. We already know what he wants: me, and he won't stop until he finds me, even if that means killing everyone until he realizes I'm not there and then he'll just kill his way to me."

"You underestimate our pack, Avery," Greyson observed as he glanced out the window, his soft olive eyes trapping the moon's light and their irises, making them look even more beautiful. "You forget the reputation we have. We're strong and can be ruthless when we need to be. We know how to play dirty and pull out a victory. And no offense, but do you remember the damage we did to your old pack? We won't be easy to take down, with or without us there."

"And neither will Phoenix," I mumbled as I too looked out the window. I had to admit that it was calm here away from the drama and stress of the outside world, despite the pain I was enduring. It felt peaceful and still, two things I hadn't felt in a long time.

"Hey," Greyson said as he gently placed a hand on my leg, causing me to jump not only out of surprise due to him pulling me out of my thoughts, but also due to another hot bolt of energy that moved through me, "everything is going to be okay, okay? Don't worry. They're all getting trained in various fields, per your request, so everyone will be working. I already have a safe, off territory base for the pups and elders and any others who can't or won't fight that Atonya already set up a while ago. And as for you and I," he said as he took my barefoot in his hands and started massaging it, "I will be fighting alongside my beautiful strong mate who looks extremely good while she's ruthlessly fighting."

Usually his words would make me roll my eyes or playfully punch him, but it was like every syllable he spoke hit me in my burning core. Every cell of his skin that touched mine set me on fire. Every glance he gave me drew me in and when he looked away my body was thirsty for his attention once more. My hands started to shake, my palms begging to feel his face between them and my lips tingling, craving the dangerously addicting flavor that was Greyson. My core ached and my hips yearned for him. I needed to get away before I couldn't.

I quickly stood up, stumbling a bit due to my head spinning from my sudden action. "Avery? What's the-"

"I need to take a shower," I barely made out before I hurried into the bathroom, shut the door, and locked it behind me, roughly pressing my back against it as I put my head in my hands and tried to calm myself, but Greyson's scent was all over the bathroom and soaked in the walls. My heart raced. I needed to get myself under control before I wouldn't be able to.

I hurried to the shower and turned the water to cold before I messily stripped out of my clothes and hopped in, the cold water offering momentary relief, though it didn't last long.

I found myself sitting on the cold floor of the shower, trying to touch the pain away but failing once again as a scream was pulled from my lips due to a pain coursing through me so severe that I ended up face down on the shower floor. "Avery?" Greyson quickly yelled as he tried to open the door, but being unable to do so due to it being locked. "Avery, what's wrong? Why's the door locked?" Instead of answering, I found myself crying, shame and pain moving through me due to how badly I wanted him and how little control I had left in me. Greyson cursed as he began banging on the door. "Avery, let me in. Please, I want to help you. Tell me what's wrong, please," he begged.

"No, Greyson. Stay out there! I-I can't be around you right now," I begged as my body began shaking and River started pushing again with far more vigor than she previously had. I screamed again and my hands flew to my head.

"Avery, please! What's wrong? Do I need to call Atonya or-?"

"Greyson, don't," I begged.

"Avery, baby, please...I hate hearing you in pain. What's wrong?"

Silence was my only answer as I held myself, shame moving through me as my words traveled up my throat. "I want you, Grey. Like, really badly," I said, barely above a whisper. "I thought it would go away but then I started craving you more and more and now I hurt so bad and I want you more than anything and if you come in here, I don't think I'll be able to stop myself. I tried focusing on something else like you said but I can't."

I heard Greyson lowly curse as he tried to open the door again. "Avery, let me in. I need to get to you. You're going into Heat."

"What?" I asked, the word foreign to me.

"Heat. It happens on full moons if two mates haven't mated within a year. It happens every month until we mate and it's very painful. I guess I couldn't sense it because I don't have him..." he trailed before he sighed. "Avery, please let me help you."

I shook my head. "Greyson, I can't. I-I'll lose control and like Atonya said, my body can't handle you and-"

"Your body can't handle him," he corrected, "but that's not the point. Avery, trust me, I've got you. Please just let me help this cycle pass, okay? I promise to keep you in check, but please...I can help you."

I flipped the idea over in my mind just as River began to push again. She was close, and I knew that if I didn't make the choice, she would make it for me. I truly had no choice.

I slowly peeled myself off the cold, wet shower floor and made my way to the door. As soon as I unlocked it, Greyson was in front of me. My heart was hammering in my ears and my core was on fire. He looked me up and down before his eyes met mine again and he lowly said, "I'm yours."

Without wasting another second, I was on him. His body was pinned between mine and the wall, our lips pressed together and my hands pinning his to the wall. I felt the heat shift within me as he groaned against my lips and the water from my body transferred to his. His body felt amazing against mine like it was made just for this moment. "Shower," he muttered against my lips and within an instant, he picked me up and carried me back into the shower, the cold water raining on both of us, further comforting me.

I found myself kissing along his jawline and down his neck, causing him to groan as he held me tighter, the sound causing my core to tingle and the hair on the back of my neck to stand up. I kissed down his chest and stomach before I got to the brim on his sweatpants. "Avery, be careful," he warned, his voice deep and dark, causing River to go wild within me. I straightened back up, my index finger hooked on the waistband of his pants and his briefs.

"I know what I want, Greyson," I said, equally as deep and dark. There was nothing more that I wanted but to fully give myself to him.

He grinned as he tangled his fingers in my hair and leaned closer until his lips were just a hair's width away. "But you're not ready for it yet, little wolf." His tone sent a shiver through me as his lips brushed against mine. "Not yet."

"Greyson," I pushed, his name coming out as a beg. "I need this."

"You're strong, little wolf. Strong enough to beat this. I don't want to risk hurting you, especially not right now." I leaned in and kissed him, causing him to suck in a sharp breath as he cupped my cheek.

"I want this," I whispered into his lips. "Help me, Grey."

"I will," he softly said before he once again picked me up, this time taking me back into the bedroom before he placed me on the bed, not at all caring that the bed was getting soaked. He had me pinned between his body and the soft sheets. His hand gently skimmed the inside of my thigh, causing my breath to hitch and my eyes to roll back as pure ecstasy moved through me. I was so close I could feel it. However, I suddenly felt a shift in the room and by the time I opened my eyes, Greyson was no longer on top of me, but instead, he was standing in front of me in a protective stance looking at something I couldn't see. The heat was quickly coming back due to all bodily contact being lost between us and I wanted nothing more than to pull him back down again. But I was stopped by one name slipping passed his lips: "Atonya?"

Embarrassment quickly moved through me as I quickly hurried beneath the covers. She was breathless and looked between the two of us. "I found it," she said. "I found a way to make Avery a lycan."