CHAPTER 106: BURNING POINT

Varen

The moment Josie said that, it felt like my whole body had been set on fire. Not the kind of heat you shrug off—this was the kind that made your blood boil in your veins, that stole the air from your lungs and left you desperate for more of it. I wasn’t sure I could breathe properly anymore, and I didn’t know if I even wanted to.

There was something I loved—no, something I craved—about a woman who took what she wanted without apologies. And Josie was exactly that in this moment. No hesitation. No softness to mask her intent. Just a bold, direct challenge that hit me straight in the chest and left me wanting to drown in the sound of her voice.

But the way my brother was looking at me? That made me pull it back. I forced my face into something neutral, hiding the raw edge of what I was feeling. Because Kiel... Kiel never missed a chance to twist the knife.

"I’d swear she just talked about riding you," Kiel drawled, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smirk that was way too self-satisfied. His eyes flicked between Josie and me like he was watching some private comedy show. "With the way you’re slobbering? Yeah... definitely."

My jaw clenched so tight I could hear the faint pop in my ears. I opened my mouth, ready to tell him to shut the hell up, but instead—damn it—I felt my hand move on its own, brushing the corner of my mouth.

Mistake.

Kiel grinned wider, leaning back in his chair like he’d just caught me with my pants down. "Oh no, you shouldn’t have cleaned it, brother. You should’ve left it. Would’ve completed the clown look."

My wolf stirred in my chest, a low, irritated growl rumbling through my bones. I didn’t lose my cool easily—most days, I could take Kiel’s constant prodding. But right now, with Josie’s words still burning in my mind, every nerve was on edge.

"Enough," Josie’s voice cut through, sharp enough to silence him for a moment. She turned her gaze on Kiel with that no-nonsense look she had perfected, the kind that made even my brother shift in his seat. "You really don’t know when to quit, do you?"

Kiel just smirked, but the way he looked away told me she’d landed her mark.

I was... embarrassingly grateful she stepped in.

And damn, a small part of me wished she’d turned that attention on me instead, even if it was to scold. Some kind of touch, some contact—anything to bridge the space between us. My wolf agreed, pushing forward in my chest, restless and eager.

Josie shifted her attention back to me. "Well?" she asked, her voice softer this time, though her eyes didn’t quite meet mine. "What do you say to my suggestion?"

She wasn’t looking at me fully, and I couldn’t tell if it was shyness or something else. But I wasn’t about to make her wait.

"Yes," I said without hesitation.

The word slipped out like it had been sitting on my tongue for hours, maybe days.

Kiel let out a bark of laughter. "Wait—hold on. Did you just say yes because you think she’s asking for sex? Because that’s the fastest agreement I’ve ever seen from you."

That did it.

I turned my glare on him, my patience snapping like brittle wood. "Mind your own damn business, Kiel. You’re skating on thin ice, and I swear you’re about two words away from me putting you through a wall."

He lifted his hands in mock surrender, clearly enjoying himself far too much. "Hey, I’m just looking out for you. Don’t want you agreeing to something you can’t... perform on."

"Try me," I muttered, my wolf’s growl bleeding into my voice.

Kiel’s grin widened, but before he could get another word out, Josie’s hand darted out and pinched his arm.

Kiel jerked back, eyes narrowing at her. "Ow. What the hell was that for?"

"For being annoying," she said plainly, her tone so casual it almost made me laugh.

Almost.

Instead, I focused on the way her hand had moved. Sharp, quick. For one stupid second, I imagined what it would feel like if she reached for me like that—not to pinch, but to pull me closer. My wolf pushed harder against the barrier I kept between us, wanting her touch like it was air.

"I’m glad you offered to help," Josie said finally, her voice drawing me back to reality.

I nodded once, words failing me. Just like that, the moment shifted—less charged, more grounded. She’d accepted my agreement, and I wasn’t going to ruin it by overplaying my hand.

I moved toward the door, ready to start on whatever help she needed, when movement caught my eye.

Thorne.

He was leaning against the hallway wall just outside, arms folded, eyes locked on me in a way that made my wolf bristle.

I ignored him. Not in the mood. Not even close. I stepped past, but before I made it two full steps, his hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of my shirt.

The fabric tightened against my chest as he yanked me sideways, dragging me into an empty room.

"What the hell, Thorne?" I snapped, shoving his hand off me.

"Why did you let Michelle stay back?" he demanded, his tone sharp and accusing.

I stared at him for a second, then rolled my eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn’t get stuck. "You’re asking the wrong person. And after you walked out on us back there? You really think you’ve got the right to interrogate me? News flash—you don’t."

His jaw tightened, his gaze cold enough to freeze the air between us. "Watch yourself, Varen. You have no right to—"

"No right?" I cut him off, stepping forward, letting my wolf’s presence bleed into the space between us. "With the way you abandoned Kiel back there, you’re lucky I’m just talking to you. Don’t test me."

Thorne’s eyes narrowed. "You think you can shove—"

"Actually," I said, putting both hands on his chest and giving him a solid shove, "I can."

He stumbled back a step, catching himself on the doorframe, his expression twisting with restrained anger.

I didn’t give him the satisfaction of another word. I turned and walked out, my pulse still running hot, my wolf still pacing beneath my skin.