The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate novel Chapter 35

Chapter 35: True Mates

Dex hadn’t slept more than two hours in three days.

He sat on the edge of Serena’s infirmary bed, elbows on his knees, watching the shallow rise and fall of her chest like it was the only thing keeping him tethered to sanity.

Three days had passed since Drakenfell was attacked by the armies of Orosia. Orosia was a vast continent, and its forces had struck multiple packs across Skardos.

A War High Council Summit had been called, every Alpha King in Skardos summoned in ten days, and there were a thousand things demanding his attention.

None of them mattered more than the woman lying unconscious in front of him. She looked anything but comfortable, pain etched into her face. She shivered in turns, like she was sick with the worst kind of flu.

Watching her body fight something he couldn’t fix was a particular kind of hell he wasn’t built for. Multiple injuries and deep bruises, layered on top of the silver poisoning already in her blood. Alaric compared it to tearing a muscle. She’d never used that amount of magic, and had been pushed past her limits.

No amount of Alpha venom was going to shortcut a recovery from all of that, so Dex sat, and waited, and hated every second of it.

But he still had to lead. The aftermath of the attack was brutal. Between coordinating repairs and preparing for the summit, he spent every stolen moment at her bedside.

He learned that Serena had saved countless omegas, children, elders, and innocents during the assault, guiding them through hidden tunnels. Elara confirmed Serena did a full sweep through the castle and outdoor grounds, evacuating people to safety.

Those tunnels had been built for that exact purpose.

How? He always meant to ask her how she knew about those, as it wasn’t the first time.

Every day, more stories surfaced. Lives saved. Attackers taken down with her fire.

He didn’t like that she’d put herself in danger. But her instincts were spot on, and he was damn proud.

No crown. No title. No one knowing she was his. And she’d still acted like the castle was hers to defend.

✦✦✦

When Serena woke, the first thing she registered was the burn on her forearm. It was still there. Still angry.

She pushed herself upright on shaking arms, wincing as the movement pulled at muscles that felt like they’d been wrung out and left to dry.

She crossed to the cooling cabinet, the one built into the stone that held the tonics, and drank three in rapid succession without pausing for breath. The heat in her veins eased slightly. Slightly was enough.

She moved into the small bathing chamber attached to the room and rinsed off. Dark water swirled down the drain. Blood washed from her hair, her shoulders, her arms. From everywhere. She stood there longer than necessary, letting the water run until the last traces were gone.

Bruises remained, but they were fading and there were no scars.

She wrapped a towel around herself and returned to the bed. She lay back down beneath the covers, exhaustion settling over her again as the room went quiet.

When she woke again, she was lying on top of Dex.

His chest rose and fell steadily beneath her, his arms wrapped securely around her.

Everywhere their skin touched tingled.

His scent flooded her senses, deep and intoxicating, grounding her before she even fully understood where she was.

Then it hit her.

She was completely naked. On top of Dex.

Heat rushed to her face instantly.

Panic followed. Irrational because he’d already seen her naked. She knew that.

But it was still new. She felt shy. Exposed.

Too aware of every inch of herself pressed against him.

She tensed.

His arms tightened immediately, like he sensed she might bolt if he did not hold her there.

"Hey, baby," he murmured, kissing the top of her head. "It is okay."

He could feel her emotions clearly now. She liked it when he called her that, even if it made her blush. She also liked being held by him.

She was shy. Timid still. And it was adorable. He grinned.

Aegon: You are smiling like an idiot.

Dex: I am aware.

Nothing was going to stop him from holding what was his. She did not have a say in it.

He needed her skin against his.

He held her tightly for a few more minutes, pressing another kiss to her head. Finally, she relaxed into him.

"You’re mine," Dex said, squeezing her gently and kissing her again.

She giggled at that, the sound rough and hoarse, and he smiled into her hair.

He squeezed her. "I missed the hell out of you."

"How long have I been out?" she rasped.

"Three days."

That was much better than what she thought.

Dex flipped her onto her back and kissed her, hard and quick.

"Don’t move," he said, grabbing two tonics from the side table.

She was so thirsty she downed both instantly.

"I still don’t understand how you can drink those in one gulp."

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