Arthur exhaled sharply through his nose, fighting to maintain control as the shivers crept across his skin. Every breath he took seemed to pull more of your scent into his lungs, a scent that offered slight relief before the longing flared up again, stronger than before.

It was one thing for you to go through your heat cycle back at camp, where you hid away in your tent and stayed there for good until the worst of it passed. But this time it was different, this week Arthur was going on a trip to “check out” a cabin, a task that required a clear head, and you insisted that you should come too, swearing up and down that your cycle ended two weeks ago while he was busy in valentine — it was a reckless lie, especially since you yourself had no real idea of when your heat would start again.

And it just so happened to start the second day into your journey, the signs were subtle at first with just an inability to focus and a slight headache; which, you could easily brush off as being tired. But as the hours passed, the symptoms intensified until even Arthur, with all his stoic composure, couldn’t overlook them. And he was furious, not just because you’d lied, but because your heat now threatened to derail everything. You had screwed over both Arthur, and this mission, all at once. Robbing someone in this state? It was laughable, he’d be a joke, if not worse.

the sun was beginning to set. Arthur sat by the makeshift fire, the flames dancing over his rugged features. He busied himself with roasting some game he’d hunted earlier, trying to keep his mind on the task at hand. Arthur kept taking brief glances while you sat by his side, trembling and panting. He sighed, shaking his head as he forced his eyes back on the sizzling meat. But then you shifted again, Arthur’s jaw clenched as he bit back a curse.

“could you stay still? I can’t focus with you squirmin’ around,” he growled, his voice rough with irritation. The restraint in his tone was wearing thin. “You’ve already made a mess of things”