Chapter 48: After the Fire

OLIVIA

~Pain~.

Just pure, unadulterated pain.

Her body ached so much that even breathing hurt.

Her heart pounded, fatigue seeping into her bones. Her mouth was dry, her tongue sticking to her cracked lips. Her head felt so heavy.

She couldn’t even lift it off the ground.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.”

She felt a warm presence envelop her, gently lifting her up. Her eyes fluttered open to see Alex’s face.

“A-Alex,” she managed to croak out, sounding more like a groan than his name, but he seemed to understand.

He brushed her hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “Are you alright?”

“Ouch.”

“What’s hurting?”

“Everything,” she answered, her smile a little lopsided.

He laughed, the sound resonating in her chest. “My apologies. You were so ~enthusiastic~. It was infectious.”

Her cheeks warmed as she thought back on their intimate moments, made all the more vivid by the fact that he was still unclothed...and so was she. ~Oh my~, she thought, the time for embarrassment had surely passed.

The things they’d done...they were etched in her memory. Oddly enough, it was the heat she remembered most, even though she’d never been this uninhibited before. Alex had become her world, her sole focus.

She just couldn’t get enough of him.

“You alright?” he asked again.

“Uh huh, yeah.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I’m sorry if I—”

“No. Don’t apologize,” he interrupted, taking her hand. “You need to stop doing that.”

“I just—”

“Livy. Enough. We both knew what we were getting into.” He paused, licking his lips as if searching for the right words. “Any regrets?” His voice was heavy with the question.

She shook her head without a moment’s hesitation. “No.” ~Oh my goodness~. Who could regret ~that~? She never imagined her body could be touched in such a way, she never thought she could feel what she felt. It was still—overwhelming.

Was it the lingering heat? She felt a need to keep touching him, but it was less about desire now.

“I don’t want you to worry, okay?” He sighed. “I know this is—new for you. We’ll take it at your speed.”

They’d just had mind-blowing sex for two days straight and yet he was ready to slow down. To ensure she was comfortable. She felt like a jerk.

He was the one having the hardest time, and yet he was prioritizing her needs. Had she been so neglected that she couldn’t recognize when someone was genuinely ~good~ for her?

Their conversation was cut short when her stomach growled loudly, surprising them both. Alex was the first to laugh, intertwining his fingers with hers, as if to comfort her.

“What do you feel like eating?”

“~Burgers~.” The word slipped out before she could think. She craved something meaty, something substantial. She felt like she hadn’t eaten in ages. Oh my gosh.

Her stomach was in knots. At least the hunger pangs were a distraction from the aches in her body. ~How many times did they do it again~? Wow.

He chuckled. “Okay, but that might take a while. We’ll need to get some. Anything else in the meantime?”

“~Food.~”

“Understood,” he replied, grinning. He picked up his phone from the floor and began to type. “Maya’s ready to help,” he explained as he finished texting her.

People. She would have to face people after God knows how long of screaming and moaning. She didn’t even feel human right now.

~Ding~!

“Ah. Looks like she was prepared. She says she’s bringing…~10 burgers~. Is that okay?”

Olivia buried her throbbing head in her hands. “Would I be a total pig if I said ~yes~.”

“You’d be a very hungry wolf.”

“Yes.”

“Livy?”

“Hmm?”

“I want you to know—you can’t do anything that will make me leave you.”

His words pierced her heart.

She wasn’t sure what it was, perhaps the whirlwind of emotions from the past two days or the sheer exhaustion, but he’d hit a nerve. He was right, of course; they were mates. He wouldn’t leave.

But it was—odd? Bizarre? Disconcerting?

They’d been gradually building something and then they’d hit the accelerator. He’d seen her at her most vulnerable. She’d completely let go.

Now, she was trying to find a balance.

There was still so much she wanted to learn about him.

~Ding!~ “Food’s here.”

He got up, ready to fetch the food.

As he stood, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his magnificent naked form. ~Oh. He’s completely naked.~

“~Hold on~.” She winced at her own urgency.

“Is something wrong?”

“Are you…you’re not…” She gestured towards his semi-erect state. “You’re not going to walk out there like that, are you?”

His smirk told her she’d just handed him ammunition. “There’s no one out there.”

~Sure.~

Maya was just dropping off food and leaving. She didn’t want to be a spectator to this spectacle. Yet, something nagged at her.

“If it’ll make you more comfortable,” he said, tilting his head. “I’ll cover up.”

He backtracked to the closet, reaching for a pair of blue briefs. He slipped them on.

The snug fit of the underwear didn’t leave much to the imagination—having seen what lay beneath, front and back—she had a clear mental image as her gaze swept over his lower body.

“Better?”

~No.~ Not better. Why was she feeling this way? Her body should know better than to think she could handle him again. Maybe if he was smaller. But no, not even then. “Yeah,” she blurted out, then cleared her throat.

Alexander gave her a smile and a wink. “Don’t worry. It’s all yours.”

He vanished, leaving her alone and blushing in the closet. But if she was being honest, she didn’t mind that it was ~all hers~.

She never thought she could—the sex was—now she understood what all the fuss was about. Alex. He was the fuss.

Nothing in her drawer could compare to ~him~.

It was as if he could communicate with her body; he knew where to touch, how to move. He knew her better than she knew herself.

Moments later, Alex returned with the tray, closing the door behind him with his foot.

He paused, his gaze shifting between the door and her. “Do you want to…”

She shook her head. “Can we stay here? Just a little longer?”

It was a silly request, but it felt safe. This was their space. Outside felt ~too exposed~.

The thought gave her goosebumps. She hadn’t completely come down from her heat, and her nest provided comfort.

He nodded, not questioning her, and sat down next to her.

After setting the tray in front of her, he turned and grabbed a shirt. “Here, just in case.”

~Naked. HOLY SHIT OLIVIA. HOW DO YOU KEEP FORGETTING YOU’RE NAKED?~ Will was the only other person who had seen her naked. Wait. No.

Maya had seen her naked—kind of. ~God~. Alex was the second ~man~ to see her naked.

He was so casual around her that she could almost believe she was clothed.

She took the shirt and put it on, watching as it fell to cover her knees.

~And now food.~ She reached for the first burger, tearing off the wrapper.

“I’m about to be very unladylike,” she warned, giving him a shy smile.

“Good. I like you a little wild.”

Her cheeks flushed and she suddenly found her burger ~very~ interesting. She knew what he meant by ~that~.

Despite everything, there was a strange ~comfort~ between them now. As if they’d been doing this forever. Even now, with his hands no longer on her, she found herself missing his touch.

She wanted him to touch her; any touch would do. His hand on her knee would be enough. She didn’t care.

As she took her first bite, she couldn’t help but wonder.

Was this what the bond felt like?