Athena
< 78%
The healer’s house was tucked away in a quiet part of the pack territory, surrounded by trees
and a garden full of herbs I didn’t recognize.
It looked peaceful and calm, which was the opposite of how I felt inside.
Tristan parked the car and turned to look at me. “Ready?” he asked.
I nodded even though I wasn’t sure I was. “Let’s just get this over with.”
We walked up to the door together and Tristan knocked. A few moments later, an elderly woman
opened it.
She had gray hair pulled back in a bun and sharp eyes that seemed to see right through me.
“Tristan,” she said, her voice warm. “It’s been a while.”
“Hello, Mara,” he said respectfully. “I’m sorry to show up without warning but we need your
help.”
Her eyes moved to me and I felt like she was reading every thought in my head. “Come in,” she
said, stepping aside.
We followed her into a small living room that smelled like dried flowers and something earthy 1
couldn’t identify.
She gestured for us to sit on a worn couch while she took a chair across from us.
“Now,” she said, folding her hands in her lap. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Tristan looked at me and I realized he was waiting for me to speak. I took a breath and tried to
find the right words.
“I went into heat,” I said. “About seven days ago
Mara’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Seven days?”
|||
<
1/3
78%
Chapter 253
“Yes,” I confirmed. “And it hasn’t stopped. It’s supposed to only last a few days, right?”
“Three to five usually,” she said. “Sometimes six in rare cases. But seven is unusual.” She leaned
forward. “Tell me what happened before the heat started. Were you stressed? Did anything
significant occur?”
I glanced at Tristan and he nodded encouragingly.
“A lot happened,” I admitted. “We had to deal with some people who betrayed us. There was a
fight. I killed two people.” My voice got quieter. “One of them was my ex mate. And then we burned
their bodies.”
Mara was silent for a moment, studying me. “And the heat started after this?”
“The day of the burning,” Tristan said. “She seemed fine during the ceremony but on the way
home, it hit her.”
“I see,” Mara said slowly. She stood up. “I need to examine you. Come with me.”
She led me to a small room at the back of the house. It was set up like a doctor’s office with an
examination table and shelves full of jars and bottles.
“Sit,” she instructed, pointing to the table.
I sat down and she came over to me, placing her hands on either side of my face. Her palms were warm and I felt a strange tingling sensation where she touched me.
She was quiet for a long moment, her eyes closed in concentration. Then she moved her hands down to my shoulders, my arms, finally resting them on my stomach.
The tingling got stronger there and I felt heat food through me. Not the desperate need I’d been feeling for days but something different, something that felt almost like recognition.
jar.
Mara’s eyes snapped open and she stepped back a look of surprise on her face.
“What?” I asked, suddenly nervous. “What is it?
She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she went to one of her shelves and pulled down a small
2/3
15:04 Fri, Jan 16
Chapter 253
78%
She opened it and took out what looked like dried leaves, crushing them between her fingers.
“Smell this,” she said, holding it under my nose.
I inhaled and immediately felt nauseous. The smell was overwhelming and awful and I had to
turn my head away.
“Interesting,” she murmured.
“What’s interesting?” I asked, my anxiety growing. “Please just tell me what’s wrong.”
Comments
5
Write Comments
SHARE
3/3
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
