Kasia's eyelids fluttered open, the dim light of the room slowly coming into focus. The scent of Ethan lingered in the air, a cocktail of cedar and musk that sent shivers down her spine. She was clearly wearing one of his oversized t-shirts as it was a long as a night gown on her.
As she moved to get up, a dull ache spread throughout her body, reminding her that the wet dream that she had about Ethan wasn't actually a dream. 'Did we really have sex like wild animals in the woods?' she thought.
"Girl, we rode him like a rodeo last night," the voice in her head chuckled, clearly amused by the situation.
"You don't have to remind me," Kasia groaned, her irritation momentarily overriding any lingering embarrassment. "So, you're my wolf. That is still odd to say. Who are you? What is your name?"
The voice paused for a moment before answering, a hint of sadness creeping into her tone. "I don't remember my name or anything about my previous life. All I know is that I was angry, in pain, and filled with hatred for humans."
"Great," Kasia muttered under her breath, running her hands over her face. "That's not ominous at all. So, I am stuck with a human-hating wolf."
"It shouldn't be an issue anymore. You're no longer human," the voice reminded her much of Kasia's irritation. She didn't want to think about how this change was permanent. There had to be a way to reverse it.
Kasia shifted in the bed, wincing as sore muscles protested, but curiosity gnawed at her. Was this voice going to be a permanent fixture in her life? Originally, she thought she was just dealing with a breakdown. It seemed like the least of her concerns, given the complicated situation with Ethan.
"Hey, I need a name for you," she told the voice. "I can't keep calling you 'voice.'"
"Fine," the voice replied after a brief pause. "You can call me Deva."
"Is this how it's always going to be, Deva?" Kasia asked, cringing at the idea of having a constant companion in her head to witness the chaos of her life.
"Tell me how you really feel. It's not a cake walk for me either," Deva responded, offended.
"This is new to me. I..." Kasia began defensively.
"I am just joking. You don't need to explain yourself," Deva said, interrupting Kasia's explanation. "But, yes, this is how it will be. Don't worry, I'll mostly stay quiet if that's what you want."
Kasia hesitated, weighing the pros and cons. "No, not at all," she decided, surprising even herself. "I think we'll need each other."
The sound of the door creaking open interrupted their conversation, and Ethan stepped into the room. The rich scent of him-earthy, masculine, and utterly intoxicating-filled Kasia's senses, riling her up once more. She resisted the urge to get out of bed to go to him.
"Hey," Kasia greeted him with a smile, trying her best to sound casual despite the heat coursing through her veins.
"Hey," Ethan responded, smiling back. It was odd seeing her in his bed, but it felt right, as if this was where she always belonged.
There was an awkward pause, as both didn't know what to say. Kasia finally asked, "How did I end up in your room?"
"After last night, I thought it best to bring you here instead," Ethan explained, lingering by the doorway as if unsure whether to enter or not.
"That means the whole house saw us," Kasia said.
"Yes," Ethan responded, causing Kasia to blush. That meant everyone knew what happened between them in the woods.
"Well, that's embarrassing," Kasia muttered.
"Shouldn't be. We're both adults," Ethan said, earning a surprised look from Kasia.
"I feel like we have a lot to discuss, don't we? Everything has changed," Kasia added.
Ethan nodded, leaning against the doorframe. "Yes, we do."
"Then why are you still standing by the door?" Kasia challenged. "You don't have to be polite now that we've... you know."
"Kasia," Ethan began, his voice gentle yet firm, "there's a reason I'm keeping my distance. We need to talk about what happened to you, what we did, and what that means for both of us."
"Fine," Kasia conceded, folding her arms. "I'm listening."
Ethan sighed, clearly struggling with how to explain the situation. "Your new change triggered your body. You're in heat, Kasia. That means your body is craving intimacy, and my scent overwhelms you. If I come too close, you might not be able to control yourself."
"Heat? Like how a dog goes into heat?" Kasia exclaimed.
"Yes, but it's different than that. It can be triggered by," Ethan tried to explain, but Kasia interrupted him.
"I don't care what causes it. Make it stop right now," Kasia snapped.
"Kasia, I really wish I could. You don't know how much I would like to do that right now, but it's not that simple," Ethan said, his voice filled with both concern and regret. "The only way to alleviate the heat is... more sex."
"More sex?" Kasia repeated, her cheeks flushing. She shook her head, trying to brush off the embarrassment. "For how long?"
"Days, weeks, it really depends on the woman," Ethan explained.
"Let's get to it then," Kasia said casually.
"What?" Ethan asked in surprise. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. It's just sex, right? That should be no big deal for you," Kasia said as she got out of bed and began walking over to Ethan.
Ethan stared at her, his eyes wide with shock. He seemed to search for words, but finding none, he simply turned and left the room without another word.
"Way to go, Kasia," Deva scolded, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "That was real smooth."
"What was wrong with what I said?" Kasia asked. "He probably has been sleeping with any single female, right? Why would he care if he added me to his roster?"
"To him, it's not 'just sex' and it shouldn't be to you either," Deva replied.
"Why?" Kasia asked. "What am I missing here?"
"How have you not realized it yet? He's our mate, you idiot!" Deva exclaimed, exasperated.