*Hazel's POV*
"Answer me," I insisted, my heart racing. "Why are you swapping my pillows in the middle of the night?"
Kael stood frozen, the pillow gripped tightly in his hands. For once, the mighty Lycan King looked caught off guard.
"Your scent was fading," he finally admitted, his voice low and rough.
I blinked, trying to process his words. "My scent? On the pillow?"
He nodded, jaw tight. "I need to keep it fresh."
"For what purpose?" I demanded, fully awake now. The strangeness of the situation sent prickles of unease down my spine.
Kael's eyes gleamed in the darkness. "It helps me."
"Helps you what?" I pressed, pulling my knees to my chest defensively.
He hesitated, seeming to struggle with how much to reveal. "It keeps me calm."
The admission hung between us, oddly vulnerable coming from a man who embodied power and control. I stared at him, trying to understand.
