I lasted four hours. Four hours of lying on my bed trying to convince myself I could ride this out alone. Four hours of my temperature climbing until the sheets felt like they were on fire. Four hours of my body screaming at me that I'd had the solution standing right in front of me and I'd walked away from it.
Stupid. That had been stupid.
But bonding all four of them? That wasn't a solution. That was a different kind of trap.
The heat rolled through me again. Worse this time. I curled on my side and bit down on my fist to keep from making noise.
It didn't work.
The sound that came out of me was raw and desperate and I hated it.
Selene.
Riven's voice. Not out loud. In my head.
I'd walled the link. How was he—
You dropped the wall when the pain spiked. His presence pushed through gently. Carefully. I'm outside your door. Let me in.
"No." My voice shook even saying it to the empty room.
You're burning. I can feel it from here.
"I'm fine."
You're lying.
