~ LHARS ~
"Was that what you wanted to tell me?" Kyelle asked quietly. "Or was there more?" Her eyes were a little too wide, shining, but with a hint of grief, not the heat he wanted to see there. Even so, Lhars had to swallow the sudden urge to take her chin in his hand and pull her into a kiss.
Blinking away from the mental images, he shook his head. "I… no. I just…" He trailed off, frustrated with himself. She'd just told him she was giving up on finding a mate! She'd just told him she was letting go of Zev and didn't believe another male would ever take her.
"Lhars?" Kyelle said, more gently this time, as if she'd gathered that she wasn't the only one struggling.
Lhars' breath whooshed out of him like he'd been punched. He clenched his hands to fists beneath the surface of the water, met her eyes, and forced himself not to tuck his tail between his legs.