I honestly hadn't noticed. "I'll be fine."
"Get closer to me."
To my horror, my cheeks flushed, but I was behind Zakariel so at least he couldn't see. "I can't."
"Yes, you can. I feel space between my body and yours. Get closer."
My throat tightened at his command, which infuriated me. I knew he wasn't actually ordering me around, just trying to help, but I never would've let another alpha talk to me that way.
So why am I letting him?
I tried not to think about it longer than necessary. I didn't want Zakariel tangled up in my thoughts, but he was stuck there anyway, like a wolf caught in a trap.
Gritting my teeth, I hugged Zakariel tighter, pressing my chest and belly as close as they would go. My head followed my body and soon my face was buried in the fur of his neck, the only part of him that was still dry. He smelled like wet dog, but beneath that were notes of sweet and spicy musk that sent a jolt through my nerves.
Irritated, I shut my eyes, wishing I could do the same with my nostrils. But I couldn't. I was stuck smelling Zakariel's surprisingly pleasant scent the entire time I was on his back.
Gods, if anyone saw me like this, I would be utterly humiliated,I thought.
"Hey, I see something up ahead," Zakariel said.
I opened my eyes. The narrow passage ended in a marble altar that rose out of the water. There was nothing beyond it, just a black cavern wall. Some kind of pillar stood in the center. It wasn't Nautilus, but hopefully it would give us more information as to his whereabouts.
Zakariel put on a burst of speed. His strength as a swimmer impressed me. Not only could he swim well for a wolf, but he did so with my weight on top of him.
When he reached the bottom ledge of the altar, he climbed up but didn't immediately shake me off. I hesitated too, my upper half wrapped around his body while my bottom half still floated in the water.
He was... incredibly warm. My body didn't want to let go of him.
"You okay?" Zakariel asked.
Act normal,I ordered myself.
"Yes," I said, peeling myself away from him while trying to squash down the mild pang of regret. His scent still lingered in my nose.
Zakariel shifted to stand beside me on the platform. "Kamari, you're still shivering," he said with a frown.
"It was cold in the water."
"Tsk." Zakariel shook his head. "You're so damned stubborn. Here."
He came towards me, pressing his hip against mine. Lightning struck me from the point of contact. I froze. His body was warm, almost hot, even in human form. Unlike me, he wasn't freezing in the water, so his temperature was comfortable. I forced myself not to seek more of his body heat. I wouldn't debase myself like that.
Even if I really wanted to.
"Better?" Zakariel asked. He wasn't wearing a stupid grin. Just asking. Which was somehow even more infuriating.
I ignored him. "What's this?" I asked, pointing to the dark pillar ahead.
I wanted to observe it up close but I didn't want to move away from Zakariel's body. Fortunately (or not), he matched my pace, walking alongside me so his warmth was never far.
The pillar was engraved in a similar style to the image outside the temple. It seemed to depict Nautilus again, but instead of one, there were two of him. Their mirrored bodies mingled together, facing each other, and the tips of their snouts met in the middle.
A wave of disappointment hit me. What was this supposed to mean? There was no text, no clue about Nautilus or where he could be. Just a stupid picture.
I let out an exasperated sound and wrapped my arms around myself since I'd begun to shiver. "Great. We came all this way for nothing."
"Not nothing," Zakariel said, tilting his head and squinting at the image. "This has to mean something, right? Maybe we have to do something."
