Chapter 27: Exposed Truths

ALEXANDER

The harsh sunlight assaulted his eyes, exacerbating the pounding in his head. And what was that heavy thing on his forehead?

He gathered the strength to open his eyes without wincing.

His movements were sluggish as he reached up to his forehead, feeling for whatever was there.

He grabbed it and pulled it down to his stomach. A wet towel. A wet towel? Wait. He wasn’t wearing a shirt.

He pushed himself up on the mattress, sitting up.

That’s when he saw her.

Olivia was sprawled across his legs, asleep.

Her hair tickled his skin, her soft snores warming him.

Alexander tried to lean forward but a sharp pain in his back stopped him. As he hissed through the pain, the events of the night came rushing back. She had helped him.

She had stitched him up and apparently stayed the night to watch over him.

Had she managed to get him into bed ~alone~? He slid a hand across the mattress, barely resisting the urge to run his fingers through her hair.

For a moment, he forgot about the attack, the vulnerability he’d shown her…all he could think about was his ~mate~. He wanted her curled up against him, her small body pressed to his.

She had taken care of him.

He wanted to savor the moment.

But he couldn’t.

“Damn it,” he muttered, burying his face in his hand.

He wanted to be impatient.

He wanted to push her, knowing she’d give in but—~but then he’d be just like that jerk.~ He’d be like the beta who had taken advantage of her all those years ago. He wanted Olivia to come to him on her own terms.

The same fear that kept him from revealing the truth about mates was at play. He was scared she’d run. If only she trusted her wolf more, listened to it, he wouldn’t have to be the one to break it to her.

For the time being, he had to suppress his urges. As long as he could manage. Maya’s “joke” was still fresh in his mind. He wasn’t sure how he’d keep himself in check.

If it was a regular heat, he could control himself. But this was ~her~.

He had to do it. But he also had to keep her close. He wouldn’t let that jerk touch her again. Not ever.

“Alex?”

Her voice was sleepy, and he knew she probably didn’t realize she’d called him Alex.

She was one of the few who insisted on calling him Alexander. He suspected she did it to annoy him, and it was working.

But just now, she’d used his nickname. He didn’t want to be ~sappy~, but it made his heart flutter.

The slightest closeness, the tiniest touch; it made him yearn for her. He never wanted to let her go, but she kept pushing him away.

“Hey.”

She rubbed her face. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit.”

She laughed.

“Yeah, that’s to be expected.”

He was sticky, covered in blood… He wanted that smell ~off~ his skin. “I’m gonna shower.”

“WAIT!”

But before he could process her words, it was too late.

He’d risen from the bed, losing his only cover. He watched as the towel dropped to the floor, leaving him exposed to her gaze. She squealed, covering her eyes with her hands. “You’re naked.”

He laughed. “So did you feel me up before or after you covered me?”

“I didn’t ~grope~ you.”

“So you didn’t touch me.”

“I did but—”

“Am I not naked?”

“You are but—”

“So what would you call this?”

“I was ~saving~ your life.” She was blushing so hard, even her ears were red.

“If you want, you can join me in the shower. I can show you how grateful I am.” She was fun to tease. Too fun.

Part of him wondered if the beta had been her only sexual experience, but another part of him didn’t want to know. He was a selfish jerk who never should have touched her. He didn’t deserve her.

“In your dreams,” she said, turning around so she could finally lower her arms.

He seized the moment of surprise, closing the gap between them.

His bare chest brushed her back, and he angled his hips away from her to avoid making her ~too~ uncomfortable.

His lips nearly grazed her ear while his nose was nestled in her hair.

“Trust me, Livy, you do a lot more than that in my dreams.”

Her shoulders tensed and she stiffened. He knew if he hadn’t been standing so close, she would have moved. He chuckled, forcing himself to step back.

As soon as he turned around, he heard her start to walk away.

“Livy?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for helping me.”

He knew she wouldn’t look at him, even though now it was his back facing her.

“I’m glad you’re not…dead.”

Alexander was glad she wasn’t looking at him or she might have seen the smile that spread across his face. “So... I’m not such a monster anymore?”

He had a habit of taking one step forward and two steps back with her. It was hard to control his instincts and pretend it didn’t hurt to have her so distant.

“No, you’re not a monster.”

“Neither are you, Livy.”

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, watching as she hesitated. Her fingers tightened, her knuckles turning white, and then she gave in, grabbing the handle and exiting his room.

A sense of emptiness filled the room as she closed the door, leaving him alone, standing in front of the bathroom.

There were so many issues he had to address right now.

The beta, the other packs, her... And yet all he could think about was how cold his shower was going to be.

He needed to get his head on straight before he made a big mistake. He couldn’t afford to be distracted any longer.