CHAPTER 140: JUST STRESS???

The first breath of morning carried no relief. Emerald stretched languidly against the sheets, expecting the dull ache of the night before to have faded into something manageable.

Instead, her body felt like it was on fire, restless and craving more. The heat inside her clawed at her, like a slow, unquenchable blaze. Every inch of her skin prickled, as though even the soft fabric beneath her were too much.

She groaned and sat up, pressing a hand to her forehead. "This is ridiculous..." Her voice came out hoarse, betraying the exhaustion that had been chasing her since the night before.

"Morning, little wolf," a deep voice drawled. "Feeling better?"

Her head whipped toward the corner of the room, and her heart gave an unsteady lurch. Ares leaned casually against the wall, arms folded across his chest, looking entirely too comfortable.

His expression was infuriatingly smug, as though he had been standing there for some time, simply watching her toss and turn for his own amusement.

Emerald’s jaw tightened. "What are you doing in here?"

"Checking in." His eyes flicked over her, lingering in a way that made heat crawl up her neck. "You don’t look fine."

"I am."

"You don’t sound better either."

Her eyes narrowed at the teasing lilt in his voice. "You have got to be joking."

"Far from it." His smirk deepened, the edge of his teeth showing. "I told you; heat doesn’t vanish after one good night. If anything, it only sharpens."

Emerald grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it at him with a frustrated growl. "Get out."

He caught it effortlessly, spinning it once in his hand before letting out a low, amused rumble. "You’re feisty. I like that."

"I’m serious, Ares." She rose from the bed, dragging the sheet around her body like a robe, clutching it tightly to her chest. Her glare could have cut stone. "Get out before I make you regret standing there."

Instead of obeying, he tilted his head, studying her with the lazy patience of a predator who knew his prey would eventually break. "You’ll come crawling back, little wolf. You always do."

Her teeth clenched, her pulse hammering so loudly she swore he could hear it. "Out."

Finally, Ares pushed himself from the wall and sauntered over to the balcony with an infuriating air of confidence that was really getting on Emerald’s nerves.

Just before stepping through the doors, he cast one final glance over his shoulder, his eyes gleaming with wicked amusement. "Try not to melt without me."

And then he was gone.

Emerald sagged against the dresser, exhaling shakily. Her fingers gripped the wood for support as she tried to steady the riot inside her chest.

"How am I supposed to manage this," she muttered under her breath, "when all of them are here at once?"

—

By midmorning, she forced herself into a dress and stepped out into the hall. The estate was already alive with activity, the rhythm of the festival’s second day filling every corner.

The air was thick with the mingling scents of roasted meats and sweet pastries, with servants hurrying past carrying polished trays, and children weaving like darting shadows between the legs of adults.

The deeper hum of visiting Alphas discussing politics and alliances filled the air like a steady drumbeat.

"Emerald."

She turned to see Darius striding toward her with a grave expression.

"Morning, Uncle," she said carefully, trying to match his serious tone.

"I have news." He motioned for her to follow him into a quieter adjoining corridor, away from curious ears. His voice was low, and the weight in it was enough to make her uneasy.

"What is it?"

"We confirmed something about Pierce."

Her breath stilled in her throat. "Go on."

"One of the guards finally came forward. He swore he saw Pierce entering the secret archives two nights before he died. That means he did take the Moonstone."

Emerald’s throat tightened painfully. "So it was him."

"Yes. But we still don’t know where it ended up afterwards." Darius studied her face, his gaze narrowing. "You don’t look well. Are you alright?"

She forced a small smile, though it felt brittle on her lips. "I’m fine. Just... tired."

"You sure?"

"Positive," she lied smoothly, though her body felt anything but. "I’ll be fine. Thank you for telling me, Darius."

He hesitated, clearly unconvinced, but at last he gave a small nod and let her go.

The second she reached her room, Emerald locked the door behind her. Her body felt like fire and ice at once, her wolf clawing at her insides, her skin prickling with restless heat until she could hardly breathe.

She stripped quickly, leaving the dress in a crumpled heap on the floor, and stumbled into the bathroom. Twisting the handle, she turned the shower on full cold.

The shock of water struck her skin, making her gasp and clutch the tiled wall for balance. For a fleeting second, the sting of the icy torrent cooled her flushed body, numbing the worst of the ache.

Steam curled up anyway, filling the bathroom despite the frigid spray, clinging to her skin like taunting whispers.

For a moment, it was bliss, giving her a numbing and grounding sense of calm. But the relief didn’t last long.

The image of Ares’ length flashed through her mind, followed too quickly by Lucien’s dark gaze and Kieran’s icy eyes. Her body tensed immediately, betraying her no matter how hard she tried to fight it.

"Damn it," she hissed, pressing her forehead to the cool tiles and squeezing her eyes shut against the rising heat.

A sudden knock startled her.

"Emerald?"

Her eyes flew open. "Kieran?"

"It’s me. Everything alright?"

She froze, clutching the edge of the shower curtain as though it could shield her. "I’m fine! Just showering."

Silence. Then, before she could stop him, the door creaked open.

"Kieran!"

He stepped inside, shutting the door firmly behind him. His eyes flicked briefly to the misty glass before shifting back to her as she scrambled out of the bathroom, water trailing down her skin. She clutched a towel tightly around her chest, glaring.

"Why are you here?" she demanded.

"I saw you rush off," he replied evenly, though his gaze scanned her carefully. "You looked... off. Are you alright?"

"I’m fine," she said too quickly, clutching the towel tighter. "Do you mind?"

"Do I mind you avoiding me? Yes." His voice softened, though, concern edging into the firmness. "You don’t look fine, Emerald. You’re flushed and restless. Tell me the truth."

"I said I’m fine."

He crossed the room in two strides, his presence filling the air around her in a suffocating and intoxicating way. "Then why do I feel like you’re lying?"

Emerald avoided his gaze, her pulse racing. "It’s nothing. Just stress."

"Stress doesn’t make you run off in the middle of the day looking like you’re about to collapse."

Her lips parted, but no excuse came. His closeness, the quiet command in his voice, wasn’t helping. Her chest rose and fell rapidly.

Finally, she exhaled shakily. "Fine. I’m... not fine."

Kieran’s eyes softened, his shoulders relaxing slightly. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Then tell me what’s going on."

Her throat worked as she tried to form words. "It’s complicated."

"I’ve got time."

Emerald’s grip faltered on the towel as heat surged again, fiercer with him so near. Her breath came uneven, and when she lifted her gaze, it locked with his.

"Kieran..." she whispered.

And then, without meaning to, her towel slipped from her grasp.