My Hunted Mate
Chapter Thirty

Corinna

My eyes groggily open, adjusting to the darkness of Malakai's roomaround me. The covers wrapped around my body are damp with sweat,I quickly toss them off my body but the warmth doesn't go away.Careful not to wake Kai who is sound asleep next to me, I crawl out ofthe bed. The sun dress I had been too tired to replace when we gothome after hours of happily running through the woods, clung to mybody like a second skin and I wanted nothing more to tear it to piecesin hopes of cooling myself down.

Instead I replace myself wandering through the house until I'm in thekitchen, I swing open a press, grabbing a glass and filling it with coldwater that seems warm when it hits my lips. Irritated, I open the freezer,taking a handful of ice that melts in my hand before I can toss it intothe glass

A whimper escapes me as my temperature only seems to climb, gainingthe attention of a few vampires around me, including Olive who is infront of me in a flash. " Corinna? Are you okay? "

I shake my head. " I don't know, I don't think so. "

" What's wrong? You don't look well, you're dripping with sweat. " Shesays, the worry in her eyes is clear.

"I feel too warm. " I whisper, feeling my temperature spike again.Olive reaches out, pressing her palm against my forehead but sheimmediately withdraws it, flinching slightly. * That.. " A look ofconfusion crosses her face. * That burned. *

I cry out as my temperature once again spikes, Olive quickly moves tolift me but hisses loudly when my skin touches hers. Her eyes dartaround the room, she mutters something to me that I don't hear beforedisappearing out of the room.

She returns moments later with an orange blanket in her hands, shetosses it around me and gathers me into her arms, taking off throughthe house until we're upstairs in the bathroom connected to my room.The entire time I protest, begging her to take the blanket that seemedto be suffocating me away, she ignores me until she places my bodyinto the bathtub. As soon as she puts me down, I rip the blanket off ofme, along with my dress tossing it across the bathroom in a panic.

" What the hell is wrong with me? * I sob, as Olive leans over to plugthe bath.

She turns the blue tap all the way up, the water gushes out and startsto fill the tub, steam rises from my body when the cold water connectswith it but it brings me no relief.

My sobs get louder and louder as the heat in my body continues toboil, the bathroom door flies open but I barely register it until Kai'sscent hits me. I breathe in his scent deeply over and over again,something inside me snaps and I can feel my canines extending, I'msure my eyes are turning their glowing purple to accompany them.

" What the fuck is going on? * Malaki questions.

Olive says something in reply to him but her voice seems a millionmiles away, by now the tub is full to the brim with water and the taphas been turned off but I'm still burning. The two continue to panicbetween them until I intervene.

" Kai. " I call out. " I think I know what's wrong with me. "

He's instantly on his knees at the edge of the tub. " Did I get you sick? Ishouldn't have let you stay out in the cold wet for so long, I'm so sorrymy darling. *

" No Kai. " I say through clenched teeth. " I'm in heat. "

" Heat? What the fuck is heat? " Olive cuts in.

" Olive, 1 like you, you're lovely but please get the fuck out. " I snap,feeling myself getting irritated and possessive over her being anywherenear my mate.

"1. Okay. I'm sorry. " She rushes out before exiting the room

" What's going on baby? " Kai asks softly, reaching over to brush mysweat covered hair from my face.

A deep sigh of pleasure leaves me as his touch leaves a trail of coolnessacross my head, I close my eyes and lean into his hand, my teeth nowreturn back to their normal state but I can feel that my eyes are stillglowing.

" Heat is something a female wolf goes through when she's beenclaimed but has been left unmated for a period of time. " I whisper,humming lightly when I feel Kai's fingers massaging my head. * Mybody temperature has risen to an unnatural heat, hence the name, itfeels like my entire body is being burned by fire from the inside out. "

" When does it leave? " He questions.

* It lasts for twenty four hours. " I mumble.

" Fuck. " The upset in his tone is clear and I'm sure if I was looking athim I'd see it just as clearly in his eyes. * What can I do? *

"Just stay close. " I say, reaching out to grab his free hand and link ourfingers together. * Completing the mating process gets rid of itcompletely, but skin on skin contact with a wolf's mate eases it. "Feeling him move closer to me, I open my eyes to look at him, heremoves his hand from my head, adjusting himself so he is perched onthe edge of the tub. He leans forward, pressing his lips to my foreheadfor a couple of seconds and then he pulls away completely making mewhimper.

"Just a second, my darling. " He speaks, I watch as he rids his body ofhis clothes as quickly as possible.

He presses his palm flat against my bare back as he climbs into thewater, cursing under his breath as he does. " Did Olive use hot water? *he asks.

" No, why? " I turn my head to look at him as he sits behind me with hislegs on either side of my body.

" The heat from your body must have warmed the water because it'sextremely hot. * He mumbles, wrapping his arms around my torso andpulling my back right against his front.

I release a low sigh of relief as I lay back against him. " You have no ideahow good that feels. " I mutter, closing my eyes once again.

He shushes me, rubbing his hand over the top of my head repeatedly ina slow, calming manner. " You just relax now.