"Wait a second... I can't..."
Tessa paused, both hands clutching her throat as the familiar sight of the settlement finally came into view.
"My throat..."
The words came out between ragged breaths.
Unlike the males around her, who looked only mildly winded after the insane sprint through the forest, Tessa looked as though she'd just fought a war and lost. This wasn't the first time this was happening and it definitely wasn't going to be the last, unless she changed the narrative.
Her entire body trembled.
Her lungs burned.
Her vision blurred every few seconds.
Even cargo carriers hauling mountains of supplies probably looked less miserable than she did.
"Oh, wow..."
She wheezed dramatically.
"I didn't realize just how cooked I am."
She bent over slightly, trying to suck in more air.
"If another danger shows up right now, I'm going to become a burden to my males. And I definitely don't want that."
Julian moved first.
