The Heartwood heart to heart

Alya's breath hitched when he repeated her name. Stupid boy, she thought viciously, distantly wondering if that was the best he could come up with. Just repeating her name. But it was working, and she gave another feverish shiver and pressed forward again, actions lacking the cool fabrication that she'd hid behind in past encounters with the opposite sex. Lately, all encounters with men seemed to go by too fast to comprehend. She was out of control, she knew, but completely helpless to do anything about it.

"You're Vaati," she said, not acknowledging his pronouncement. Pretty, she inwardly scoffed. And the sky is blue. Perhaps at some other time, she might have appreciated the homage, but at that moment, her body burned for the pale wolf's touch. She could not expend the energy to feel grateful for compliments when her whole being was focused on figuring out how to achieve other goals. If she'd had more time to plan this, she might've thought of something clever and sultry to say, but as it was, she could only thrust herself at the almost-stranger and demand of him, "Touch me."