The Alpha's Witch |18+|

Chapter Thirty Two

                              ADELINE

Ember nudges into me, pulling me from sleep. I lazily reach an arm up, finding her soft fur without even opening my eyes. She purrs contently back at me while nudging me again. I stay like that for a while, petting her until I eventually feel more awake.

When I finally manage to blink the sleep from my eyes, I glance over at Braxton next to me. His hair is slightly disheveled, some dark strands graze against the skin of his forehead. My fingers itch to reach out, to touch them. To touch him.

But I don't. I don't want to wake him, he looks too peaceful. And in all honesty, it's a sight I've realized is rare.

His dark eyelashes brush against his cheeks and flutter ever so slightly as he stirs for a moment before settling once again. I watch, almost mesmerized by the way his bare chest rises and falls softly with each breath.

It's comforting. Watching him breathe, knowing he's alive. It's also weird—feeling this way, when I haven't felt like this for such a long time.

I used to wonder if I would ever love someone again. The only problem is that it's terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.

I loved my parents. And then I lost them. One right after the other. And it left a burning hole in my chest, a fire so deep within me, I never thought it was possible for it to go out.

Yet, it did. And all because of him. The realization pulls at me then, yanking on my heart.

I'm in love with Braxton Black.

The thought alone quickens my pulse and makes my mind buzz. The only thing that grounds me is Ember nudging into me once again, making me realize I'd froze and was no longer petting her. I exhale a breath, one I didn't know I was holding and slowly pull back the blankets.

Braxton doesn't move a muscle, even as I leave the room to feed Ember and return a minute later. The nerves still course through me and I wipe my palms against his shirt that I'd worn to bed last night. I force myself to tear my gaze away from him, knowing it will only continue to skyrocket my pulse further.

I quickly turn the shower on once I'm in the bathroom and climb in shortly after the steam fogs the glass. The hot water does nothing to rid this feeling in my chest. Maybe it's panic. Or maybe I'm just scared. Scared of loving him and losing him, like my parents.

I don't get the time to decipher what exactly it is before Braxton's hands are on my waist, his chest pressed against my back, and his lips against my shoulder as he murmurs against my skin. "I don't like waking up without you next to me."

His touch is distracting yet perfectly calming. The heat from his body seeping into mine even more so. My brain is still fuzzy with racing thoughts and my mouth hums back a simple, "Mmm."

"Mmm." He does it back, like he's mocking my lack of a response. I can't find it in me to care though as his lips trail across my skin from my shoulder to the base of my neck.

"Are you okay?" He asks against the shell of my ear. It's like he can sense my feelings, or maybe he can just hear my heart thrumming.

I nod.

I know he knows it's a lie. He doesn't say anything back though, or press for the truth. Instead, we stay just like that. His head dipped into the crook of my neck, my body molded to his, our fingers interwoven against my lower stomach.

I don't know how much time passes, but eventually my heart slows and my mind clears.

I turn to face him and I'm met with amber eyes that are filled with concern. My palms flatten against his chest as his own encircle my waist, pulling me flush against him.