But an hour later, even after pouring an entire basin of cold water over himself, he was still repeating it. Ignoring his painfully hard erection, he scrubbed his skin raw for the third time, desperately trying to dig out the knowledge that his mate was naked and wet just across the hall.

“Gods dammit,” he groaned, scrubbing harder.

He wasn’t a fucking animal.

Chapter 11

VERA

Skin pink and hair dripping down her back from her last-minute decision to dunk her frizzed curls into the basin, she finally felt clean enough for bed.

She would much rather have been able to soak in a scalding tub for an hour, but she’d accepted that wandering the halls to find a servant wasn’t exactly the best idea. Especially given the way Jaren would respond if he found out.

She worried her lip at the thought. He’d always been an overbearing asshole, even before he knew who she was, but the last few days had been so much worse. It was easy to understand why, but she had no idea how to help him.

She pulled her hair over her shoulder, wringing the excess water out as she contemplated what to do, if anything. Jaren would rather fall on a sword than willingly talk about his feelings, but maybe they could spend the morning beating the shit out of each other instead?

Or…maybe do something else entirely.

She glanced at the door for the fiftieth time, her face flushing at what she could still feel pulsing from him down the hall. She’d been worried she’d truly pissed him off when he’d thrown himself from her and stormed out, but her worry hadn’t lasted long.

He’d been gone less than five minutes before his pulse raced like he was fighting for his life, and then her chest exploded with a thick, heady feeling that made it quite clear washing was not what he was doing.

Jealousy and a tinge of hurt flickered through her, but she stomped them down, burying them as far as they’d go. She had no right to feel either when she’d been the one to send him off and tell him to enjoy some peace and quiet. Who was she to judge how he used his alone time?

It wasn’t like she’d offered anything anyway, even though he’d clearly been thinking about it. Between the rhythm of his pulse and the way his scent had swirled around her, she’d fully expected him to snatch her up and throw her on the bed. But just as his tunic had brushed against her, he’d whipped around and rushed out like she’d set the room on fire.

His mood changes were going to give her whiplash one of these days.

She grabbed the last clean rag folded next to the basin and began squeezing her hair, determined not to let his ever-changing moods bother her. There were more important things to stress about than what Jaren did alone.

She’d just yanked up her annoyingly snug leggings and was glaring down at them, missing her loose trousers, when she heard the bathing room door slam open behind her.