Thalina weakly grasped Zorath's wrist, her fingers trembling.
"P-Promise me…" she rasped, eyes fluttering as if she were barely holding on.
Both males leaned in closer, their breaths warm against her cheeks.
Zorath's voice broke. "Anything, Lina. Just say it."
Tharion's grip tightened on her shoulders, his face tense. "What do you need?"
She gasped, milking the moment for all it was worth. "Stop… fighting."
Zorath nodded aggressively, his tail smacking against the ground. "Done. Fighting's over. Never happening again."
Thalina's gaze shifted.
Tharion was hesitating.
His brows furrowed. His ears twitched. His nostrils—
Shit.
He sniffed the air.
Thalina's heart stopped.
No. No. No.
She tried to cut him off. "Promise, Tharion. Say it now."
His eyes narrowed. He leaned in, taking a deeper inhale.
"Wait…" His gaze hardened. "This smell—"
NOPE. NOT HAPPENING.
Thalina lunged forward, grabbing his face with both hands. "Tharion, focus! Your words! The promise!"
