With these words, her hand moved and found his leg. She placed her hand on his thigh and stopped mumbling, leaving him frozen.

He knew it was only her subconscious talking, her fever was so high that she had no idea what she was saying. But his heart swelled thinking that her subconscious mind was filled with him, maybe there was still hope.

Some part of her didn’t want him to leave, her fever had stealthily brought forward the words she would never say to him. No matter how much she might desire him, he knew she would never say that to him in her fully conscious state.

"I won’t," he murmured to her as he lay down beside her and touched her reddish cheek. He observed her hair had gotten longer and was as long as his now, almost reaching her legs. She looked skinnier too, she hadn’t been eating properly when he was away. He knew he had to make her eat more once she would get better.

Her cheeks weren’t scalding his hand anymore meaning her fever had lowered a bit. She was coughing the same though. Beads of perspiration began to form on her forehead and temples and trickled down. He wiped them with a tissue as she slept peacefully for a few more hours.

The night time came and she woke up with an itchy throat. He was still there, watching her. She asked for some water and he helped her up and made her drink a few mouthfuls. The fever was back and it refused to break even after the medicine.

Dr. Wanstine visited again and gave her an injection as the last resort. It lowered a bit but didn’t break fully and she complained of having leg and abdominal cramps. After a few hours, her fever had risen and Xiran became worried sick. Unable to comprehend why medicine and injections weren’t taking effect.

Dr. Wanstine then addressed Xiran: "Señor, I need to speak to Aselia alone. Can you step outside for a while and wait in the hall because your senses can hear behind the closed door as well."

This spiked Xiran’s worries even more, as he asked: "Why? What’s wrong with her?"

"That’s what I am trying to figure out but I will need to speak to her alone." Dr. Wanstine had a stern look on her face and Xiran unwillingly climbed down from the bed and stepped outside.

Once the door closed Dr. Wanstine asked Aselia: "My question might appear strange but it might help me figure out what’s actually going on. Because after the doses I have given you, your fever should break." Aselia looked confused but nodded. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Are you a virgin?" Dr. Wanstine asked grimly. Aselia thought long and hard at her question, feeling embarrassed.

"I am," Aselia replied sheepishly not trying to make direct eye contact with Dr. Wanstine.

"Makes sense, Elves bond for life and they usually bond early in their lives. Mostly they bond with elves but due to their dwindling numbers they can now bond with any species, humans, hounds, shifters and on rare occasions even with vampires.

Their skin tingles when they come in contact with the person their heart and body want to bond with. This only happens with a single person and if they deny the bond, their bodies react. Symptoms can include fevers, different body aches and pains, vomiting, and even vagin*l bleeding on occasion. Symptoms vary depending on the specie they want to bond with. They can be mild or they can be extremely painful, depending on how strong the bond between the two is. Stronger the bond, painful the effect of symptoms be.

It will subside in a few days after running its course but it will keep happening until you accept the bond. It can occur monthly, every few months or yearly depending on how strong the bond is." Dr. Wanstine continued to explain as Aselia listened on in horror. How did she not know that? Then there were no elves around to tell her that.

"Remember it doesn’t happen with all the Elves because not all of them wait to be bonded to someone. Once they have sex with someone, the bonding ability of their bodies disappears. But, those elves who don’t have s€x after turning 23 awaken this ability and they suffer if they find someone to bond with and deny it. I am guessing your body wants to bond with someone and you are denying it. And it’s not my place to say this but I am sure you know who that person is." Aselia was dumbfounded at this information dump on her.

’Bond...’

’S€x...’

Wasn’t her life already complicated enough that now she had to deal with this nonsense as well? That explained why his touch tingled her from the very first moment he touched her. Why everything bothered her so much? Why his touch, his voice and his nearness soothed her. Why her heart craved him, always.

She just stupidly stared at Dr. Wanstine who guessed that she had no idea about the information she had just given her.

"So, it means I have to...do that to be rid of this or I am doomed for life." Aselia finally blurted out.

"Yes, but if you don’t want to then you can just randomly do it with anyone and this pull will disappear and these symptoms too. You just need to have intimacy, your body craves it and you are denying it. So choose what you want to do." Dr. Wanstine explained further.

"I see, but I have a request. Please, don’t tell him." Aselia’s expression was deadly serious. A thousand thoughts were racing through her brain right now.

"I won’t, that’s why I asked him to step outside. I might be his employee but firstly I am a doctor and you are my patient. My priority will always be to make you feel safe. He won’t know from me but he might find out so you need to make up your mind. He is sharp, not dumb." Dr. Wantine’s words reassured her but also filled her heart with dread. What was she going to do about him? She couldn’t bring herself to do it with him, how in the hell was she supposed to consummate with a stranger? Did that mean an endless supply of pain waited for her? How was she supposed to tell him all this? This was beyond embarrassing, what did she ever do to be bonded with an enemy? She wondered.