Mated To An Enemy

Her senses slowly returned to her from the darkness of sleep.

First, there was the soft thumping of a heartbeat not her own. Next was the rich, velvety sweetness of his scent through her nose. Then, the warmth and firmness of his flesh against her cheek. Finally, as she opened her eyes, she saw the loose strands of his golden hair across his chest mingling into her brown curls.

As he took soft, sleepy breaths, her head raised with his chest, Alice smiled at the peaceful feeling of being in Axel’s arms again.

True to his word, Axel had washed her. His firm, rough hands had touched every inch of her body, drawing out her moans and cries as he lathered her up and rinsed her off. He had made a mess of her and the water they sat in.

But after thoroughly and completely satisfying her, he drained the tub and ran a shower. Again, he held her in his arms as the water fell over her body, and once more, he washed every part of her. Alice clung to him with her arms around his neck as he gently massaged the soap into her scalp and rinsed her hair.

He helped her out of the tub, making her sit on a small bench as he proceeded to then dry her body himself. Alice sat and watched him silently with a smile on her face.

When he was satisfied that she was dry, he put a robe on her and turned his focus to her hair.

He blotted her hair a few times and scrunched it in the towel. He ran his fingers through it, tousling it back and forth lightly.

Once her hair was reasonably dry, he lifted her into his arms again and carried her out of the bathroom. She expected him to take her to the bed just outside the bathroom, but she was surprised when he carried her out and down the stairs instead.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“To bed,” Axel replied.

“What was wrong with the bed we just passed?”

Axel looked at her with a raised brow.

“You are not supposed to go up and down any stairs alone,” he said.

“And?”

“And….” he smiled. “You get snacky in the middle of the night.”

Alice smiled and laid her head on his shoulder.

He carried her into the downstairs bedroom, the same room she had been sleeping in since she started staying in this house. He sat her down on the bed and turned to leave the room. Alice couldn’t help but watch him as he walked away.

Axel wore only a towel wrapped at his waist. Though she was tired, the muscles of his back still forced her to swallow as her heartbeat picked up.

She took a breath as he left the room.

Alice reached into the nightstand, pulling out a soft nightgown. She quickly changed out of her robe and into the gown, crawling under the blankets as he entered the room once more, carrying a glass of water and placing it on the nightstand beside her.

“Hydration is essential,” he said, smiling down at her.

Alice took a long sip and turned her eyes away from him. His hair hung loose and wet, just past his shoulders, free of all the braids he usually wore it in. Though they lived together and often showered together. Very few times she saw him completely free of his braids.

Even if they showered late, he would still usually take the time to braid his hair again before getting into bed. So seeing him like this now felt like a treat just for her.

She set the glass of water back down and laid her head on the pillows, turning away from him on her side. Before she could say anything, Axel pulled back on her blankets and placed a pillow behind her along the spine. Another he slid under her belly and between her thighs.

Alice looked at him as he brought the blankets back up to keep her warm.

“How did you know?” she asked. She had only recently started sleeping with pillows around her body to ease the discomfort of her changing shape.

Axel smiled.

“Bell complained a lot about sleeping while pregnant, and Galen gave me more than a couple of reading suggestions for how I could ease your worries in pregnancy,” he said.

Axel reached out and moved one of her curls behind her ear. The slight touch of his finger against her cheek was warm.

“I’ll stay until you fall asleep,” he said softly. “If that’s all right.”

Alice swallowed.

“No,” she said. “It’s not.”

Axel turned away but did not object.

“Stay until I wake,” she said.

Axel looked back with eyes wide and a lump in his throat.

“Can I stay with you?” he asked slowly. “Is that really all right?”

Alice nodded and looked away from him to get comfortable against her pillows. The overhead light turned off, and soon she felt a shifting weight on the bed. The blankets were pulled down slightly as he got under them. He pulled them back over her shoulder as his thumb grazed her skin.

He lay down on the pillow, turning to face her. Even in the dark room, with only a soft moonlight glow coming in through the window, Alice could see his eyes on her.

She took a deep breath; his scent was comforting. She was tired, and she knew he was too. Alice reached her hand out to Axel’s cheek. He instantly leaned into it.

“Let’s sleep,” she said. “Let go of all those worried thoughts, and for tonight, just rest.”

Axel nodded and turned just enough to be able to kiss her palm.

“Good night, Sweet Boy,” Alice smiled.

“Good night, Sweet Girl,” Axel whispered.

It was the first peaceful night either of them had had for a very long time, even before Alice had left home.

She had almost expected to wake up feeling uneasy or like the distance between them had returned. But waking in his arms, and now as she looked down at his restful, sleeping face. His hair was loose and free. She never felt closer to him.

Of course, she knew that a conversation was still to be had. He needed to vocalize his apology. He needed her to hear him and see that he meant every word. It didn’t matter that she already knew. That for her, his actions had already spoken clearly.

She would hear every word and apologize and express her desire to never again experience a moment without him by her side. She would say those words in the way that he could hear her best.

Alice sat up, careful not to wake him. She smiled as she looked down at his peaceful expression.

Her eyes roamed over his familiar scars and those plump tempting lips. At the thick muscles of his shoulders and the deep grooves of his chest and stomach just before he disappeared under the sheets.

She licked her lips and felt her breath shorten.

Yes, she would speak the words he needed to hear. But first, she would express that desire in the language she understood best.

Alice gently pulled the sheets away from him. She already knew, of course, that he was naked. Still, the sight of him sent a rippling of pleasure and anticipation over her body that caused her to let out a shaky breath.

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He had taken his time in the bath to make her feel good. To draw out every moan and cry to the best of his ability. And while Alice had been more than satisfied, he had only used his hands and not experienced any of that release himself.

So, she had a decision to make. Would she wake him with her mouth? Or by swallowing him whole with her body?