Page 29 of X'nath

With a sigh, I turned away from the others and walked toward the edge of the camp, hoping the cold breeze would settle my thoughts. But as I stared out at the wilderness stretching out before us, that nagging feeling returned—the doubt that had been building for days.

"Gracie."

I froze.

His voice was low, smooth, and as familiar as the pull of gravity. X’nath. Of course, he was always nearby. His presence seemed to find me no matter where I went. It had been a month since we’d arrived, but it felt like the tension between us had only grown. He wasn’t subtle in his interest, and I wasn’t shy about rejecting him. He radiated youth and vitality, the kind of energy that spoke of a desire for children—many of them. I kept telling myself that I was the last woman he would want, but the more I tried to keep my distance, the harder it became.

I turned slowly to face him, doing my best to mask the unease I felt as I met his gaze. His eyes held that familiar teasing glint, the one that always made me second-guess myself. He knew how to push all the wrong buttons, and yet, I also couldn’t deny the way his presence affected me.

“Are you running away from me now?” X’nath asked, his grin wide, though there was a softness in his voice that made my heart stumble. “Not sure I’ve seen you this far from the others.”

“I’m just… getting some air,” I said, attempting to keep my tone casual, but it came out sharper than I intended.

“You’ve been avoiding me lately,” he said, taking a step closer. The space between us felt smaller with each movement, his words smooth like a caress. “What happened to the Gracie who fought valiantly in the face of a swamp crone? She didn’t shy away from me then in the heat of battle.”

My stomach churned, and I instinctively took a step back. I hated how he made me feel—like he was pulling me into a conversation I didn’t want to have. But I was still here, still listening. And that, in itself, was a problem.

You’re being selfish by even entertaining thoughts of a male this young. Let someone else have him.

“I’m not interested, X’nath,” I said, my voice a little less steady than I would’ve liked.

He paused, his gaze flickering with amusement. “Is that what you tell yourself to get through the day? Because I see the way you look at me, Gracie.”

I bristled. “I don’t look at you in any way,” I snapped. “You’re just... persistent.”

A knowing smile spread across his face. “Is that all? Or do you like the way I make you feel, but you’re too proud to admit it?”

His audacity and cockiness was offensive. The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. I knew better than to react, knew better than to give him the satisfaction of seeing me flustered. But there was a small voice in my head, one that whispered that maybe, just maybe, he was right. That maybe there was more to this pull between us than I was willing to admit.

“Go away, X’nath,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper, but it felt like I was speaking to myself more than to him.

I turned away, taking a few steps forward, hoping he would leave me in peace. But I could feel his presence behind me, his gaze following my every movement. I didn’t look back; I couldn’t. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing my weakness.

Without warning, he was there, his tall frame blocking the path, forcing me to stop. My breath hitched as he stepped closer,his massive form towering over me. The trees behind me felt like they were closing in, trapping me, though there was still enough room to move around him if I tried.

If I wanted to.

"I’d rather go with you," His voice was a low murmur, but it vibrated through my chest, thick with something I couldn’t define. “You enamor me. Your every move, the way you think, the way you fight. It does nothing but pull me under your spell.”

I couldn’t grasp some of the words he used in orcish but the meaning was clear enough, and it made me flush with an unfamiliar heat.

I took a breath to steady myself, refusing to let my pulse betray me. "You’re wasting your time." The words were more of a plea than a command, but I knew it wouldn’t change anything.

He didn’t speak immediately. Instead, he took a step closer, close enough that I could feel the heat of him, his breath like a steady current of warmth against the cool evening air. His scent was overpowering, a mix of earth, leather, and something wild. He slowly leaned in and inhaled deeply, his chest expanding with a controlled breath, and his eyes never left mine.

What was he doing to me?

"You’re afraid," he said softly, almost with a hint of amusement. "Afraid that if you let me in, I’ll ruin everything you’ve built here. But you’ve already let me in, Gracie. You just haven’t realized it yet."

The space between us was shrinking with every breath I took, and my mind screamed at me to move, to get away. I had to get away. But something in the way he was watching me made my feet feel rooted to the ground.

I stepped to the side, just enough to give myself a bit of space, but he mirrored me, his body blocking me again. “You’re persistent,” I said, trying to sound unaffected, but my voice betrayed me, wavering ever so slightly.

He smirked, the expression both predatory and playful. “I’m not going to let you hide from me forever, Gracie. Not when I know you feel it too."

I wanted to tell him to leave me alone. I wanted to push him away, to escape the storm he was stirring inside me. But instead, I swallowed hard and looked at him, locking my gaze with his. "I’m not the kind of woman who needs someone like you, X’nath."

He leaned in slightly, his face inches from mine, his voice a soft, almost dangerous whisper. “I don’t want you to need me,lak’osh. I want you to want me the way I want you.”

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