Kaiden stepped forward with a calm expression adorning his features. He extended his hand toward Alexandra, offering her the same steady presence he had shown countless times before.
The blond looked at it for a long moment. Her lips parted slightly as though she wanted to say something, but no words came. Slowly, almost reluctantly, she pulled away from Nyx’s embrace and took a small step toward him.
Her hand rose, hovering in the air. She tried to reach for his.
But just before her fingers could close around his palm, her arm stopped. A tremor ran through her wrist. Her eyes widened, and horror flashed across her face, looking as if she was betraying herself.
"Huh?" The sound escaped her in a shocked gasp. She stared at her own trembling hand as if it belonged to someone else. "W-Why...?" Her voice broke, and panic laced each syllable. Tears started spilling before she could stop them. "Why can’t I...?"
The moment stretched, raw and painful.
Kaiden didn’t make any drastic motions. He didn’t let offense or pride show on his face. Instead, he simply lowered his hand and stepped back, giving the troubled woman space. At the same time, his expression was that of understanding and compassion, gentle. Then he turned his head toward Nyx and gave a small nod.
Nyx was beside Alexandra in a heartbeat, pulling her back into a hug. Her tone was soft and etched with worry. "It’s alright, Alex. Because of that vile pig, you might’ve grown some hidden distrust for men without realizing it."
"No!" Alexandra cried instantly in protest, shaking her head against Nyx’s shoulder. "That can’t be! I know Kaiden is nothing like Maximilian! I know he’s a great man! You trust him, and you’re my best friend. I believe in that! I really do!"
Her words tumbled out in a desperate rush, sounding as if she was pleading with the gods themselves to let her touch him.
Aria spoke up next. "You may know it here," she said, touching a hand to her temple, "but for your body and mind to both accept it... That’s something else entirely."
Luna nodded in agreement, her tone free of cheekiness, the trait she was known for. "Right. Trauma shows itself in strange ways. It can take logic and twist it into fear. It doesn’t mean you’re weak or that you hate Kaiden, it just means you were hurt very badly."
"Umm..." Even the Ra-Blessed Felinid made her presence known. Her voice was a bit uncertain, clearly unsure if she should join this conversation, as she was the least knowledgeable about human emotions and tendencies. But when Kaiden reached for her hand and gave it a supportive squeeze, she smiled and parted her lips.
"I think you shouldn’t force yourself to touch Master, or any other man for that matter, if your heart and body aren’t ready. Healing comes first. Everything else can wait. You’ve been through a lot; all of us understand that. Master won’t think less of you."
As she listened to the opinions of the girls, Alexandra remained clinging to Nyx. Her body seemed far too small in her best friend’s arms. The two should share the same height and similar body proportions, yet Nyx seemed far bigger.
The blond woman’s wide blue eyes flicked nervously toward the three women who had just spoken. Fear glimmered there, not of them, but of herself and the strange, unwanted reactions she was battling.
Her gaze lingered on Bastet the longest. The exotic beauty’s deep bronze skin seemed to shine beneath the bunker’s light, making her a true spectacle. Then there were her feline ears and tail, as if she wasn’t quite the peculiar sight already.
For a long moment, Alexandra studied her, fascinated and unsettled at once, as though the Felinid was something out of a dream.
Then, with hesitant courage, her eyes shifted to Kaiden. He stood calmly, watching her with steady eyes that carried no judgment. No irritation. No disappointment. Alexandra shrank a little tighter into Nyx’s embrace. She searched his face for any trace of anger, desperate to confirm what Bastet had said.


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