Chapter 176: Hot in the Bath

His voice, deep and rich, sliced through the quiet. "There's no need to run away like scaredy cat, Atasha," he said with a bemused chuckle, his words tinged with a helpless note.

"Sure, I might've wanted a taste, but I'm not about to overstep and make you do anything you're not up for. The only running I want from you is us running off together, finding peace in our own little corner of the universe." His voice shook a bit, baring a soft spot that reached right into her soul.

"Maybe that's a pipe dream, though. Claiming you as mine wouldn't be fair to those who cherish you too. I can't play the hog when I wasn't your first," he mused feigning unperturbed.

'Different words, same meaning.' Her mind raced, suspicions mounting, until her next words leaped ahead of his thoughts.

"Then let's be mates," Atasha declared, throwing Howl for a loop.

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