Chapter 32
“Ours.”
Daxon POV
Back in our chambers. Later that night.
She was drunk. Not tipsy. Not cute and giggly. Fucking obliterated. Elowen swayed in the hallway like she was on a ship mid storm, mumbling about wolves and cupcakes and something about “species, mating and liquor”
Ashrian stood beside her like a fucking statue, calm and smug, holding her up by the elbow while she hissed at him like a rabid possum.
“She’s going to puke on you,” I warned, crossing the room and taking her other side. “And I won’t be cleaning it up.”
“She already tried to bite me twice,” Ash said smoothly. “I feel we’ve moved past vomiting and into feral gremlin
territory.”
“I heard that!” Elowen snapped, glaring between us with bloodshot blue eyes. “I’m not a gremlin. I’m a forbidden hybrid. Respect the brand.”
Ash raised an eyebrow. “I respect many things. Your balance is not one of them.”
She slapped his chest. Or tried to. It was more like a drunken pat.
“Stop being so smug, Dracula. I could still take you in a fight.”
“You can barely take your pants off,” I muttered.
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Oh, Alpha, wanna test that theory?”
Ash made a sound that might’ve been a laugh. Might’ve been a growl. I sighed and scooped her up bridal style before she could throw hands, or collapse face first into the floor. She blinked up at me like I was personally responsible for her entire life falling apart.
“I hate you,‘ she mumbled, slurring into my chest.
“You told me I was hot five minutes ago.”
“I can think both.”
Fair enough. We got her into the bathroom, and Ash turned on the shower, adjusting the temp like he’d done this a thousand times. He probably had. Vampire centuries and all.
1/2
21:22 Wed, Sep 24
Chapter 32
37
“I can shower myself,” Elowen grumbled, trying to shove us both out of the room with the strength of a damp tissue. I didn’t move. Neither did Ash. She turned to glare at me, stumbling again. I caught her.
“Y’all are like…like sexy prison guards,” she mumbled, swaying. “Lemme live.”
“Not letting you drown in the tub counts as letting you live,” I said, biting back a grin.
Ash stepped closer, his voice lower now. “Let us help you, Elowen. No strings. No alpha posturing. Just… let us take care of you.”
That hit her. She stopped struggling. Her big blue eyes dropped. Then she whispered, “I’m so tired of being strong.”
That? That shattered me. I helped her out of her shirt while Ash carefully untied the waistband of her leggings. She didn’t protest this time. Just stepped under the water and let it wash over her, her head tilted back, those beautiful eyes closed.
She looked like some war drenched goddess, battle worn and fragile under the spray. We didn’t leave. We stood just outside the glass, our backs turned, listening for any sign she was slipping or crying or about to throw up again.
When she stepped out, I wrapped her in a towel, and Ash dried her hair like she was made of glass. She didn’t fight us anymore. We got her into one of my shirts, way too big on her, and tucked her into the center of the bed.
She was out cold in seconds. Ash looked at me, the tension finally melting off his shoulders. “I didn’t think she’d make it through this week.”
“She barely did,” I murmured. We stood in silence for a while, just watching her breathe. Then, almost at the same time, we each sat on opposite sides of the bed, not touching her.
Just guarding her. Because tonight, that’s all she needed.
Chapter Comments
4
Write Comments
SHARE
