The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate novel Chapter 114

Chapter 114: We Do Not Rip Dress

Dexmon pulled back from her lips and pressed his forehead to hers.

"You just focus on feeling better. Let me worry about the rest."

Serena swallowed.

"Okay," she whispered after a moment.

Dex sat up with her still pressed against his chest. As if he still wasn’t convinced she wouldn’t run if he let go.

"You’re sore," he said, kissing her head.

She didn’t argue, because he wasn’t wrong. Baths always had a way of making her feel better. And right now, her body ached. Her heart ached worse.

He carried her into the bathing chamber, at Alpha speed, and turned on the water with one hand while still holding her.

He slid the silk chemise off her shoulders, his breath hitching as the fabric fell away.

She blushed, heat crawling up her neck. But she didn’t pull away.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, caressing her cheek.

His lips found hers again, soft and reverent, before he lifted her and carried her to the bath. He lowered her into the water slowly, carefully, like she might break.

The warmth enveloped her immediately, and the knot behind her ribs loosened, one slow thread at a time.

Dex stripped off his clothes and climbed in behind her, pulling her back against his chest. His lips traced across her shoulder, her neck, her temple. Kissing every part of her he could reach.

His emotions flowed through their matebond to her.

Relief. Overwhelming, desperate relief. He’d been terrified he’d lost her for good.

Underneath her own tangle of emotions, she felt it too. A small, quiet echo of the same relief.

She was here. He was here. And for now, that was enough.

"I love you so much, baby," Dexmon whispered, breathing in her scent.

She loved him too. She did. But saying it aloud made her heart feel heavy and conflicted again.

He nibbled her ear playfully, breaking her out of her spiral. "I didn’t know our dragon breathed gold magic and fire."

Her brows furrowed but no images came to mind.

"When did he do that?" she asked, swallowing.

Dexmon laughed behind her. "While you stood on his head and killed a Dark Fae High General." He shook his head and kissed her cheek. "And after, he sucked the excess energy from you."

"I don’t remember killing Dark Fae," Serena commented. "Did they explode?"

"They turned to ash. No explosions," Dexmon answered. He was quiet for a moment, his thumb tracing circles on her arm. "What are you thinking about?"

Serena exhaled. "I’m trying to figure out what is wrong with me."

Dexmon laughed. "How much time do you have? I can start alphabetically."

Serena started laughing despite herself.

"Why are you wondering what’s wrong with you? Because you killed fae and can’t remember?"

"No." Serena swallowed. "It’s because I feel numb to the fact that I did. And when I shot them off the dragons ... the first one, I felt bad. Then nothing."

Dex understood that. He’d fought in wars and many battles. "There would have been no survivors if you hadn’t intervened. You haven’t gone out of your way to kill them, either. They invaded."

He kissed her shoulder and squeezed her tighter. "There’s nothing wrong with you. Those thoughts are common for new soldiers after battle. Killing is never easy. Feeling nothing about it later doesn’t make you a monster. It makes you someone who did what they had to do."

Serena didn’t respond, but he felt her spiraling again through their matebond. Self-directed frustration. Guilt. Sadness. His brows furrowed.

His wolf spoke before he could react.

Aegon: Severing a matebond as deep as yours hurt her at a soul level. Even with us marking her again. It will take time for her to heal.

Dex: Why isn’t it affecting us like this?

Aegon: I told you. The fated bond didn’t sever on our side. When she severed it, there was nothing to sever on our end. I marked her again before the black magic wore off.

Dexmon pushed calm and love into her through their matebond. She jolted in surprise, a small gasp escaping her.

"There’s nothing wrong with you, Serena," Dex said, voice firm. "You’re just feeling aftereffects from breaking a matebond. It’ll get better."

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