The Chosen Pervert

Chapter 25: In Heat

Everyone settled back down, but the tension remained.

Torren and the other mercenaries kept their weapons close, their eyes scanning the darkness beyond the firelight.

Lyra sat with her bear, one hand resting on its massive head, her bow within arm's reach.

Aldric stood near the edge of camp, his staff glowing faintly as he cast detection wards around our perimeter.

And from the chasm—

Those sounds continued.

Distant. Echoing. Unsettling.

Like something massive was moving down there in the void, scraping against stone, breathing in the darkness.

What the hell is down there?

I didn't want to know.

But I couldn't stop listening.

I sat by the fire, my hands clasped together, trying to focus on anything other than—

Her.

But it was impossible.

Every time I closed my eyes, I felt it again.

The warmth of her body pressed against mine.

The softness of her curves.

The way her hips had rolled against me, grinding down with deliberate, agonizing pressure.

The heat radiating off her skin like she was burning from the inside out.

Fuck.

My c**k stirred at the memory, and I had to shift uncomfortably, trying to will it away.

Stop it.

Stop thinking about it.

But I couldn't.

I kept replaying it in my mind.

The way she'd crawled toward me—predatory, sensual, her body swaying with each movement.

The way her pupils had been blown wide, black pools swallowing the gold.

The way she'd sniffed my neck, her nose dragging up my skin, her breath hot against my throat.

The way her hands had gripped my shirt, her claws retracted but her fingers trembling with restraint.

The way her lips had been millimeters from mine.

So close.

So f*****g close.

I could still feel the phantom sensation of her body against mine.

The soft weight of her breasts pressing into my chest.

The heat between her thighs as she'd ground against my lap.

The way her tail had swished behind her, slow and deliberate.

God, she felt so good.

So perfect.

My hands clenched into fists.

What the hell is wrong with me?

She was clearly not in control. Something was wrong with her. And all I can think about is how badly I wanted to—

I cut the thought off, my jaw tightening.

No.

She needed help. Not... that.

But my body didn't care.

My c**k was half-hard just from the memory, straining against my pants, and I had to adjust again, praying no one noticed.

Fuck.

I glanced across the fire.

Rue was still standing where Aldric had left her, her face flushed, her ears pinned back.

She looked mortified.

And somehow, even in her embarrassment, she was beautiful.

Her black hair with its grey streaks caught the firelight, shimmering like silk.

Her golden eyes—back to normal now, pupils no longer blown wide—were downcast, avoiding everyone's gaze.

Her body—

Stop.

Stop looking at her like that.

But I couldn't help it.

I'd noticed how much she'd changed over the past three years.

Her body had filled out. Matured.

Her hips were wider. Her thighs thicker. Her waist narrower.

Her breasts—

Fuck, her breasts.

They were perfect. Full and round, straining slightly against the fabric of her shirt.

I'd felt them pressed against my chest earlier, and the memory made my pulse quicken.

Stop it.

Stop.

I forced myself to look away, my face burning.

Aldric approached Rue again, pulling something from his satchel.

A small vial.

The liquid inside shimmered—pink and purple, swirling together like oil on water.

He held it out to her, saying something I couldn't hear.

Rue looked at the vial, then at Aldric, her expression uncertain.

He nodded encouragingly.

She hesitated, then took it.

She uncorked the vial and brought it to her lips.

And drank.

The moment the liquid hit her tongue, her face twisted.

Her nose scrunched up. Her eyes squeezed shut. Her mouth moved in the most adorable way—like she was trying to work peanut butter off the roof of her mouth.

Her tongue stuck out slightly, and she made a soft, disgusted sound.

Oh my god.

That's the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Despite everything—the tension, the fear, the confusion—I felt my chest tighten with affection.

She's so f*****g cute.

Rue swallowed hard, grimacing, and handed the empty vial back to Aldric.

"Ugh," she muttered, her voice hoarse. "That tastes like shit."

Aldric chuckled. "Most medicine does."

"You could've warned me," she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Where's the fun in that?"

She glared at him, but there was no real heat behind it.

And then—

I saw the change.

It was subtle at first.

Her shoulders relaxed. The tension in her body eased.

The little tremors that had been running through her—those involuntary shudders—faded.

Her breathing slowed. Deepened. Evened out.

The soft purring and chirping sounds that had been escaping her throat stopped entirely.

Her ears, which had been pinned back in distress, slowly lifted to their normal position.

Her tail, which had been lashing anxiously, stilled.

She let out a long, shaky breath.

And then she sighed—a sound of pure relief.

"Thank you," she said quietly, her voice back to its usual tone. "I... thank you."

Aldric smiled. "You're welcome. It should last a few hours. Get some rest."

Rue nodded and turned away, walking toward the fire.

But she didn't come near me.

Instead, she settled on the opposite side of the camp, near Lyra and her bear, curling up on her bedroll with her back to everyone.

Her tail wrapped around herself protectively.

Within minutes, her breathing evened out.

She was asleep.

Aldric walked over to me, his expression thoughtful.

He sat down beside me, his staff resting across his lap.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The fire crackled. The sounds from the chasm echoed faintly in the distance.

Finally, I broke the silence.

"What did you give her?" I asked quietly.

Aldric glanced at me. "A tonic. To help her."

My chest tightened.

"Help her with what?" I asked, my voice rising slightly. "Is she sick? Will she be okay?"

Aldric heard the panic in my voice and chuckled softly.

"She's fine, Wyatt," he said. "She's just in heat."

I blinked.

"Heat?" I repeated, furrowing my brow. "What does that mean?"

Aldric leaned back, his expression patient.

"I'll explain it in terms you might understand."

He gestured vaguely. "Human women have menstrual cycles. Monthly bleeding. Correct?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, periods. Or... monthlys, I guess."

He paused, his gaze shifting to where Rue was sleeping.

"But beast-folk are different," he continued. "They don't have monthlys. Instead, they go into heat."

"Heat," I repeated, the word feeling strange on my tongue.

"Yes," Aldric said. "It's similar to what animals experience. A biological cycle tied to reproduction."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"When beast-folk reach puberty—around ten to thirteen years old—their bodies begin cycling into heat instead of bleeding monthly like human women. It happens roughly every few weeks, depending on the individual."

I listened, my mind racing.

"During heat," Aldric continued, "a beast-folk woman's body prepares for reproduction. Her pheromones intensify. Her body temperature rises. And she experiences... strong biological urges."

He glanced at me, his expression serious.

"It's not something they can fully control, Wyatt. It's an overwhelming biological drive. Instinctual. Primal."

My stomach twisted.

"How long does it last?" I asked.

"A few days, typically," Aldric said. "Sometimes longer. Sometimes shorter. It varies."

He paused, his gaze steady.

"And during that time, they're... vulnerable. Driven by instinct. Their bodies ache with need. It can be painful if left unaddressed."

Painful.

The word hit me like a punch to the gut.

I thought about the way Rue had looked earlier—the pain in her eyes, the way her pupils had flickered as she fought for control.

She was suffering.

"Why didn't she say anything?" I asked, my voice tight. "Why didn't she tell me?"

Aldric smiled faintly. "Would you have understood if she had?"

I opened my mouth to respond—

And closed it again.

No.

I wouldn't have.

Aldric nodded, as if reading my thoughts.

"She was probably embarrassed," he said. "Beast-folk don't talk about their heat cycles openly. It's... private. Intimate."

He glanced at me again.

He paused, letting the words sink in.

"And when they go into heat," he said quietly, "that drive becomes almost unbearable."

Oh god.

"It's incredibly difficult for them to control themselves," Aldric said. "Especially when they catch the scent of their imprinted one. Their body aches for that person. It's not just desire, Wyatt. It's a primal need. A biological imperative."

I stared at him, my mind reeling.

"You weren't around during Rue's previous heat cycles," Aldric continued. "You were separated by the Calamity. She went through them alone."

My chest tightened painfully.

"But now," Aldric said, "you're back. And when she went into heat this time, her heat cycle hit her at full strength."

He looked at me, his gaze steady.

"For Rue, being separated from you for three years and then suddenly being reunited while in heat... it created an intensity she couldn't fight. Her body was screaming at her to be close to you. To touch you. To—"

He trailed off, but I understood.

To mate.

"The drive can be so intense," Aldric said quietly, "that it causes physical pain. Her body literally aches with need. The tonic I gave her suppresses that intensity temporarily so she can function and rest."

He paused.

"But it won't last long. A few hours, maybe. And when it wears off, it will happen again."

I sat there, frozen, my mind racing.

She was suffering.

She was in pain.

And I didn't understand.

Aldric leaned forward slightly, his expression thoughtful and concerned.

"Rue has imprinted on you."

I blinked. "Imprinted?"

"Yes," Aldric said. "It's a beast-folk trait. A bond. When a beast-folk chooses someone—truly chooses them—they imprint. It's a spiritual and biological connection. A mate bond, essentially."

My heart pounded.

"Once a beast-folk imprints on someone," Aldric continued, "they experience an intense attraction to that person. Not just emotional. Physical. Their instincts drive them toward their imprinted one. They're drawn to their scent, their presence, everything about them."

"There's something else you should know," he said quietly. "What Rue has done—imprinting on you—it's... unusual. Rare, actually."

I furrowed my brow. "What do you mean?"

"Beast-folk typically don't imprint on those outside their own species," Aldric explained. "They form bonds with a 'Master'—a caretaker or leader they respect and follow. But those are different. They're bonds of loyalty and protection, not mate bonds."

He paused, his gaze searching mine.

"A true imprint—a mate bond—that's something beast-folk reserve for their own kind. The fact that Rue has imprinted on you, a human, is extraordinary. It speaks to something deeper than instinct. It speaks to choice. To love."

He sat back slightly.

"Which is why this situation is so intense for her. Her body is responding not just to her heat cycle, but to a bond that shouldn't exist by nature's design. It's overwhelming her in ways she can't fully control."

I absorbed this, the weight of it settling over me like a heavy cloak.

Aldric watched me, his expression patient.

"What happened before the imps arrived?" he asked gently. "You can tell me."

I hesitated, my face burning.

But I needed to understand.

So I told him.

"She... she crawled toward me," I said quietly. "On her hands and knees. Her pupils were blown wide. She was making these... sounds. Purring. Chirping."

Aldric nodded, listening.

"She pressed herself against me," I continued, my voice strained. "She was grinding against me. Her body was so hot. She was sniffing my neck. Her hands were on my chest. Her lips were—"

I stopped, swallowing hard.

"They were almost touching mine," I finished. "And then the imps attacked."

I didn't mention the part where I'd been hard as a rock.

I couldn't.

It was too embarrassing. Too conflicting.

Aldric chuckled softly.

"Because you're her imprinted one, Wyatt. Her body recognized you. Her instincts took over. She couldn't help herself."

He leaned back, his expression thoughtful.

"You have to understand—when a beast-folk is in heat and near their imprinted one, it's like... like a dam breaking. All that pent-up need, all that biological drive, it floods out at once."

He glanced at Rue, still sleeping peacefully across the camp.

"She wasn't trying to seduce you," he said quietly. "She was trying to survive the pain. Her body was telling her that being close to you—touching you, feeling you—would ease the ache."

My chest tightened.

She was in pain.

And I almost—

I cut the thought off, guilt twisting in my stomach.

"What do I do?" I asked quietly. "How do I help her?"

Aldric looked at me, his expression serious.

"You be patient," he said. "You be understanding. And when the time comes—when she's ready—you let her make the choice."

He paused.

"But know this, Wyatt: her imprint on you is permanent. She's bonded to you for life. And that means her heat cycles will always be tied to you."

He stood, brushing ash from his robes.

"Get some rest," he said. "We have a long journey ahead."

And then he walked away, leaving me alone by the fire.

I sat there for a long time, staring into the flames.

My mind was racing.

Rue imprinted on me.

She's bonded to me.

For life.

The weight of that realization settled over me like a blanket.

I looked across the camp at her sleeping form.

Her black hair with its grey streaks. Her tan skin. Her ears twitching slightly in her sleep.

She looked peaceful now.

But I knew the truth.

She was suffering.

And I hadn't understood.

I'm sorry, Rue.

I'm so f*****g sorry.

I thought about the way she'd looked at me earlier—the lust in her eyes, yes, but also the pain.

The way her pupils had flickered as she fought for control.

The way she'd whispered my name, her voice trembling.

"Please make it stop."

She'd been begging me.

Not for s*x.

For relief.

For the pain to end.

And I'd been too confused, too conflicted, to understand.

I won't let you suffer alone anymore, I thought, my jaw tightening. I don't know what this means for us. I don't know what happens next.

But I'll help you.

No matter what.

I looked at her sleeping form, my chest aching with a mix of guilt, protectiveness, and something deeper.

Something I wasn't ready to name yet.

You're mine, Rue.

And I'm yours.

And nothing—nothing—will ever change that.

The fire crackled softly.

The sounds from the chasm echoed in the distance.

And I sat there, watching over her, until sleep finally claimed me.