Alpha’s Badass Mate novel

---- gently, over and over, but Alex barely reacts. She lifts his upper body carefully , pushing her legs down to make Alex lean on her. At least he's sighing now, heavy against her. Ashly pats his cheek and neck softly, pressing her forehead against Alex's. "What have you done, hm? How many times have I told you, don't doo this?"She can't be mad at Alex; she isn't really anyway.

She's frustrated and worried , and she blames herself for not acting sooner, for not making Alex talk to her, for not taking the time to even just hold him for a minute when he clearly needed something. She's quick to move on from self-deprecation, though, in order to look after Alex the best way she can now. She manages to make him stand, pulling Alex's arm around herself to walk with him. Though it's slow and strenuous, they arrive in the bathroom, where she gets him to sit on the chair.

He still seems out of it, but Ashly tries not to panic; just do what feels right for him. She quickly rolls up her sleeves, grabs a washcloth and wets it with lukewarm water, crouches down before Alex, and watches his face as she gently wipes his skin, softly caressing and patting Alex's hands on his legs. His eyes opened briefly a few times, his fingers curling into Ashly, exuding visceral exhaustion. ---- Ashly's stomach twitches with sorrow.

She stands , dropping the cloth, and shifts between the chair and wall, behind Alex, to lay her hands on his shoulders . She probes and kneads lightly to find dozens of tight muscles , knowing he'll feel awful in the morning if she takes him to bed like this, and she can't have that. Ashly drops a kiss on Alex's head. "Let's run you a bath." She turns on the water and undresses herself, carelessly discarding her clothes.

Alex tries to open the buttons of his shirt, his eyes open but dazed, staring into nothingness . His fingers seem clumsy and slow, and Ashly takes his hands, lovingly but firmly pressing them down again, before she swiftly undresses his shirt for him. At least he's aware enough now to lift his arms when she needs him to and to stand up for Ashly to take off the rest of his clothes.

The bath is just full enough, and Ashly remembers to take off both of their rings before she guides him forward with a soft shove, holding onto his waist and making him climb inside in front of her as she slips in to sit behind him, pulling Alex close to her chest and wrapping arms and legs around him.

Alex sighs, sounding relaxed, almost content, to Ashly's surprise, making her smile, her hands slowly ---- wandering along warm, wet skin and muscles, caressing and kneading very gently as she drops sweet kisses on his shoulder, neck, and face where she can reach. "Sorry." Ashly still suddenly, rather than sensing than actually hearing the word, spoke it so quietly. Her heart beats so loudly, but she releases the tension, letting her chest expand, smiling forgivingly.

"You're an idiot , Alex, a big, handsome idiot ," she whispers against Alex's temple, hugging him close. " But you're my idiot." She closes her eyes, inhaling her skin, scented by the oil, and rubbing her nose against the spot just under Alex's ear. Suddenly, she's sure. I'm wholly sure that they'll be okay-even better than that. Ever since learning the truth, her faith and trust in Alex have grown bigger than before.

She might be foolish, ignorant, or masochistic, as some people would say, but she's certain in her heart, inside the very core of herself, because she knows the core of him. And that's enough for Ashly to never waver again. She savors the moment of having him close like this, feeling, smelling, and hearing his soft breaths, gauging when it's time, washing Alex's hair with her fingers , massaging his head with calm, purposeful