Sleeping Dragon better creatures could love you, i know

The commander's first few words caught Wildfire off guard. Scared was not the word she would have used for any of this. She thought back on that nocturnal encounter. Perhaps Thuringwethil was referring to her nightmares. But they hadn't frightened the Delta. She had just wanted to comfort the ailing Alpha, which had prompted her to confess her feelings. She could still vividly remember the string of rejection as the Heda fell asleep right in the middle of the most important speech Wildfire had ever made.

Before she could formulate a response, the other woman took her by surprise again. I missed you. She bit her lip, aching suddenly at the literal and figurative distance that had opened up between them. "But you don't—" she began to refute when Thuringwethil closed her eyes, took a step back and made to leave. "Thur, hang on," the Delta said, genuinely confused. "What do you mean, scared? I wasn't... I mean, I was scared of my feelings? I guess? And of admitting them? If that's what you mean? But you didn't...?" Why was everything coming out as a question?