Against Devil

25 - Destroy me

*Extreme Mature Content*

That morning, I felt utterly wrecked—in the best and worst ways.

Soreness lingered between my thighs, a constant reminder of the night before. Our bond had been sealed in fire and ecstasy, and now my body hummed with the aftershocks. As I stirred, memories played behind my closed eyes in vivid flashes—Alex's touch, his growl, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing anchoring him to the world.

I finally blinked my eyes open. The soft golden light of morning filtered through the window. I sighed, rolling onto my back. The other side of the bed was still warm, though empty.

He hadn't gone far.

A slight tingle pulsed in my core—faint, but unmistakable.

My heat was returning.

It wasn't unbearable yet, but it was rising like a tide. I shifted beneath the blanket, pressing my thighs together to soothe the ache that was already curling low in my belly.

When I sat up, a wave of dizziness washed over me. I stayed still, waiting for the spinning to settle. The blanket slid down, exposing my bare chest, and I glanced down to see streaks of dried blood trailing from my shoulder down across my breast.

The mark.

My fingers drifted toward it instinctively. The skin was rough, sore beneath my touch. It pulsed faintly—alive, raw, and undeniably his.

I should've looked away. But I couldn't. I'd never felt so claimed. So whole.

Voices drifted from downstairs. One was unmistakably Alex's. The other I couldn't place—possibly on a call.

I wrapped the blanket tighter around myself, still smelling of sweat, lavender, and him. My steps were clumsy as I made my way out of the room, my body still sluggish and dazed.

The house was quiet, except for the low murmur of conversation.

I reached the stairs and descended carefully, trying not to trip on the blanket wrapped around my legs. I followed the sound to the kitchen, where I found Alex—half-dressed, leaning over the counter, pen in hand, phone on speaker beside him.

His hair was tousled, messy from sleep... or from me. The scratches I'd left down his arms were faintly visible now, etched into the muscle like I'd carved my name there.

He lifted his head as I entered, his gaze locking onto mine.

And just like that, the air between us thickened.

The look he gave me was unfiltered lust—sharp, golden, possessive.

I flushed, my pulse quickening as warmth pooled low in my belly. My body remembered him far too well.

"Alex, are you listening?" Nathaniel's voice snapped from the phone speaker, grounding us both.

Alex blinked, then dragged his eyes away from me. "Yeah... I'm here."

I moved slowly to the sink, trying to ignore how exposed I felt beneath his stare. Every step I took made the blanket shift, slipping lower on my shoulders. I could feel his gaze on my back—burning. Watching every movement.

I reached for a glass and poured water from the jug.

"Alpha," Alex said flatly, still staring at me, "I'm gonna wrap things up here. I need to go."

"Fine. Just send over the last couple reports," came Nathaniel's reply. "The Council wants to review them."

Alex ended the call and set the phone down. I was still sipping from my glass when I felt him behind me.