Page 52

“I didn’t know,” I whisper, the words barely audible as my eyes fill with tears I desperately try to hold back. “I was just…trying to survive.”

Blaise’s hands clench at his sides, his entire body trembling with the force of everything he isn’t saying.

“Scaring her won’t help,” Xar says, firmer now. “And you’re not the only one feeling it. You know that.”

The air between them is thick with tension, alpha dominance and buried hurt clashing beneath the surface. There’s a silent conversation going on, a battle of wills I don't quite understand.

Blaise swears under his breath, turning on his heel. “I’m going to fix something to eat,” he mutters, but the words are stiff, forced. “She can explain later. I swear to god, if she’s known we’re matches all this time…”

And before I can say another word, he’s gone – out of the bathroom, the door slamming shut behind him like a gunshot.

I wince at the sound, every nerve in my body thrumming as I swallow down a whine of distress. My omega hates that we’ve upset him.

The silence that follows feels like an aftershock.

I stay still, letting the warmth of the water seep into my bones, trying to ignore the suffocating sense of vulnerability. I’m exposed – emotionally, physically, and now, in every sense of the word.

Maybe I should have told them. Maybe I should have trusted them. But now? Now that they know, I don’t know what to do. This is my secret. One I’ve beenorderedto keep since I was three years old. What do I do now that I’ve broken that edict?

Xar doesn’t speak immediately, and for a long moment, it’s just the sound of the water swirling around us. Finally, his voice breaks through the silence.

“Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay, Eviana,” he says softly, his hand still at the back of my head, his presence a steady anchor. “We’ll take care of you. We’re not going anywhere, little one. Not now.”

I don’t know what to say to that. But when I glance up at him, his gaze is full of something I can’t name, something warm and understanding. I want to pull away, to maintain some distance, but his presence feels…right.

Slowly, I lean back against him, my body tense but not resisting. His warmth surrounds me, and I can feel myself slowly relaxing again, despite everything.

I wish I could pull away, wish I could be the one in control. But tonight, I don’t have the strength to fight it anymore.

“I should shower. Wash my hair. Find you all some dry clothes.” I cringe, realising that they might take that as an invitation to stay, but the least I can do after they’ve saved my life, is send them home warm and dry.

“Okay. But I’ll help you, love. You’ve had a fall and I’m serious about making sure you don’t have a concussion. I’m not leaving you alone, especially in the tub where you might slip.”

I want to make a snarky comment about his lack of boundaries, but I’m the one who’s woken up naked in a tub with a stranger andsnuggled up to his chestso I guess I don’t have a leg to stand on.

Instead, I mumble, “Fine. Just…don’t make it weird.”

Xar grins, but to his credit, he keeps his tone light. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

He helps me stand, his hands firm and steady as he guides me under the shower spray. The hot water cascades over me, washing away the remnants of the rain and the ache lingering in my limbs. I tilt my head back, and without a word, Xar reaches for the shampoo bottle.

“Let me,” he says softly.

I hesitate, then nod. His touch is surprisingly gentle as he works the shampoo into my hair, his strong fingers massaging my scalp in slow, soothing circles, careful to avoid my injuries from the fall. I close my eyes, letting myself sink into the sensation, a reluctant sigh escaping my lips. It’s been so long since anyone has cared for me like this – since I’ve let anyone care for me. I’m not sure anyone has ever shown me such tenderness actually.

When he asks for my body wash, I instinctively grab the scent-neutralising one I’ve used for years, but Xar’s hand closes over mine.

“You don’t need that one,” he says, his voice quiet but firm.

My stomach twists. “I?— ”

“Eviana.” The way he says my name, low and steady, makes me stop. “You don’t need to hide who you are. Not from us. Not from me. We know, little one. No more hiding, okay?”

I don’t know how to respond to that, so I don’t. Instead, I let him take the bottle from my hand, replacing it with one that smells faintly of cherry and jasmine. Xar is careful and thorough, his hands moving with a mix of confidence and restraint as he washes me. He doesn’t rush, and though I feel vulnerable, I don’t feel unsafe.

When we’re done, Xar steps out first, wrapping a towel around his waist and shucking off his boxer briefs, making me blush. I didn’t see anything, but still…there’s a naked man in my bathroom now.

For the first time, I allow myself to look at him – really look at him. His broad shoulders glisten under the bathroom light, water trailing down his toned chest and defined, inked abs. He’s strong, handsome, and impossibly fit. The sight of him stirs something in me that I’m not ready to acknowledge.