Page 10 of Craved By the Werewolf
It wasn't loud, but the microphone caught it perfectly rumbling in his chest like restrained thunder. Barely audible, yet intimate enough to make it feel like it vibrated through me.
My breath caught.
And then... nothing.
No words, no witty comeback—just the sound of my pulse pounding in my ears while the silence stretched far past what was safe for live radio.
I was vaguely aware of the comment feed on the monitor exploding, but all I could focus on was the weight of his gaze, pinning me in place like we were the only two people in the room.
"Vala?" Mika's voice cut sharply through my headphones. "You good?"
"I—yeah. Just..." I fumbled, still not looking away from him. "Signal glitch."
His mouth curved, slow and knowing. "Honesty's important."
I cleared my throat and forced my voice back into something resembling professional. "Well... that's probably more detail than our listeners expected," I said, aiming for light and landing somewhere in the vicinity of breathless. "I think that's all the time we have for calls tonight."
"Probably for the best, Vala," Thorne agreed, but there was a subtle roughness in his tone now, like he'd felt every second of that silence too.
"Right. So." I shuffled my notes just to have something to do with my hands. "Before we wrap, let's talk about why House Party matters. Haven House provides services for youth across the region. Thorne, you've been a supporter for years—what makes this cause special to you?"
His expression shifted, the edges softening. "Every kid deserves a place where they can learn to control their abilities safely. A place where they can find community and support. Haven House provides that. The kids who come through those doors... they're our future. They deserve every opportunity we can give them."
The sincerity in his voice landed heavy in my chest. This wasn't a rehearsed soundbite—this was personal.
"That's beautiful," I said quietly, and meant it. "And House Party makes it possible."
"Every ticket sold, every dollar donated, goes directly to keeping Haven House operational. It's our biggest fundraiser of the year." He paused, his gaze still locked on mine. "This year will be especially important. Vala and I will be co-hosting the main stage events together."
"That's right." My pulse jumped again. "Your first time sharing hosting duties. Should be... interesting."
"Oh, it will be." The way he said it made it sound like a promise, and not entirely about the event.
"Well," I said, glancing at the clock, "that's our time tonight. Thank you to Alpha Thorne Kaine for joining us. And remember, House Party tickets are still available through the Haven House website."
"Thank you for having me," Thorne said into the mic, his eyes still holding mine until the very last word.
"This is Nightingale invading your dreams. Stay wild, night crawlers."
I cut to the next song and pulled off my headphones, suddenly aware that my hands were shaking again—but for entirely different reasons than when the show started.
Thorne stood slowly, and I found myself tracking the movement, the easy grace of someone comfortable in his own skin. He pulled off his headphones and set them carefully on the table.
"That wasn't so bad," I said, trying for lightness.
"No," he agreed. "It wasn't."
We stood there for a moment, the air thick with unspoken tension. I should say something professional, thank him again, maybe discuss the upcoming House Party logistics. Instead, I found myself studying the strong line of his jaw, wondering what it would feel like under my fingers.
"I should go," he said finally.
"Right. Yes. Of course." I took a step back, needing distance before I did something stupid like ask him to stay. "Thanks again for doing this. I think it went well."
"It did." He moved toward the door, then paused. "There's a planning meeting tomorrow at the compound. 1 PM. It would be nice if you stopped by."
"Great. I'll be there." I did not just say that.
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