With his body trembling above yours and his forearms rigidly braced against the mattress, Zayne slowly pulled away. Your lips parted reluctantly, the aftermath of a passionate kiss cruelly cut short. A faint wisp of smoke slipped from his mouth as he sighed, his lips taking on that familiar violet hue you both recognized too well.

He looked down at you, his eyes heavy with unspoken apology. Guilt shadowed the usual brilliance of his emerald gaze, but you knew this wasn’t his fault. Zayne’s evol was unpredictable, wild in its rhythm of highs and lows.

“Sorry, my evol…” he whispered quietly, his gaze drifting to his freezing forearms. A fine layer of frost had begun to creep across his skin, intricate patterns of ice spiraling from his fingers to his elbows. The same delicate web had formed along his back and the side of his neck.

Zayne could feel the drop in temperature, and he knew his touch was growing too cold for you. He tried to pull away, but your hands immediately stopped him, gently urging him closer again. Your fingers glided over the chilled expanse of his bare back, warm and steady, and that made him gasp softly.

Surprised, Zayne looked down at you, shivering in your embrace. The moment your eyes met, he remembered the soft, reassuring words you always whispered when his evol spiraled. He smiled.

“Okay,” Zayne murmured, his voice a breath against your skin. He eased back down, his cold body pressing into yours, the bed creaking softly beneath your joined weight. Then he drew in a slow, deep breath. “Got it,” he whispered, eyes fluttering shut as he buried his face in the curve of your neck, letting your warm touch anchor him once again.