The Alpha Behind The Mask-Chapter 110: In each other arms
Slowly, his pace slowed to a stop. He didn’t pull away, though; he trailed soft, lingering kisses all over her heated skin, from her shoulders down to her waist.
With panting breath, he collapsed against her neck for a second, his weight heavy and warm. He quickly moved away, mindful of her small frame, and lay down on the bed beside her. He closed his eyes, trying to calm his overly excited and thrilled wolf, which was still howling with satisfaction in the back of his mind.
Aurora felt chilling shivers run down her spine as the intense heat in her body slowly began to subside. Her blood felt like it was bubbling with a unique sensation—a sense of belonging she couldn’t quite explain.
For a moment, they stayed like that—close, breathing in sync, hearts slowly finding the same rhythm.
Then, gently, he pulled her back into his arms, their bodies tangled in the ruined rose petals. He looked down at her, his eyes soft but filled with a lingering guilt and worry.
"I’m sorry," he whispered, his voice thick with an apology. "I’m sorry for releasing inside you. And I’m sorry for being so hard, so aggressive back there. I just lost my head for a moment."
Aurora lifted her head, a tired but beautiful smile on her lips. She reached up and kissed him deeply before pulling back.
"I would be mad at you if you didn’t," she whispered. "I wanted all of you, Oliver. The gentle side and the hard side. I wanted it all."
Oliver pulled her closer, his arms wrapping around her with a protective strength that made her feel safe. He leaned down, his forehead resting against hers, and his eyes searched hers with a vulnerability she hadn’t seen before.
"I love you, Aurora," he whispered, the words sounding raw and certain, echoing in the quiet, rose-scented room.
Aurora’s heart skipped a beat, and a warm glow spread through her chest. A smile touched her lips, and she opened her mouth to say the words back—to tell him that she was already falling, that he was the only one who had ever made her feel this way.
But before she could speak, Oliver’s expression flickered with a brief flash of hesitation. It was as if he was suddenly terrified of what her answer might be, or perhaps he feared he had moved too fast after such an intense moment. He cleared his throat, shifting his gaze slightly as he smoothed a strand of hair away from her face.
"I’m not trying to rush you into anything, baby," he said calmly. "I know everything has been... complicated. But I want you to know this is real for me. This isn’t just about tonight."
He took a shaky breath, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. "I want to date you. I want to do this right."
He paused, a self-deprecating scoff escaping his lips as he looked around at the bed covered in crushed petals and then back at her naked, glowing form. "Sorry... I realize this isn’t exactly the right way or the right time to ask a woman out. Usually, there’s a dinner involved first, not... well, this."
He let out a small, nervous laugh that showed those deep dimples she loved so much. "I guess I’m doing everything backward."
Aurora reached up, her fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of his neck to pull him back down to her. The sincerity in his eyes moved her more than the grand gesture of the roses ever could.
"Oliver," she breathed, her smile widening. "I think the ’backward’ way is working just fine for me." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
Oliver smirked and kissed her head. "Whenever you are ready," he whispered against her forehead, his voice thick with a promise that made her heart ache. "I’ll be right here waiting. I’m not going anywhere, Aurora."
She nodded, unable to find her voice as the weight of his devotion settled over her. She reached up, pulling him down for a kiss that was slow, deep, and tasted of new beginnings. When they finally pulled apart, Oliver let out a long, shaky breath, his thumb tracing the curve of her bottom lip.
"Do you want to take a bath?" he asked softly, his eyes searching hers for any sign of lingering discomfort. "I can carry you. The water might help."
Aurora shook her head immediately, shifting closer until there wasn’t a single inch of air between them. "No," she breathed, her voice a tiny, shy confession. "I want to stay right here in your arms. I don’t want the smell of us to go yet."
A look of pure, raw affection crossed Oliver’s face. He didn’t say a word, but the way he tightened his hold on her spoke volumes. He reached for the discarded duvet at the foot of the bed, pulling the heavy fabric over their tangled limbs until they were cocooned in a world of their own.
Oliver settled back against the pillows, pulling her head to his chest so she could hear the steady, rhythmic thrum of his heart. For a long moment, neither of them said a word. The air in the room was heavy with the scent of crushed roses and the lingering smell of their passion.
They lay in silence—a comfortable kind that needed no words.
As Aurora listened to his heartbeat, her eyes drifted shut, finally feeling the peace she had been searching for.
But as the last candle on the nightstand flickered, threatening to die out, a glint of silver caught her eye.
She shifted slightly, her gaze landing on a small, velvet-lined tray on the dresser. Sitting right there, partially hidden by Oliver’s watch, was a heavy gold ring with a dark onyx stone.
Her breath hitched, and the warmth in her veins turned to ice. She knew that ring. She had seen it a thousand times before, wrapped around the finger of the man who had made her life a living hell.
It was Raymond’s.
Her heart, which had been beating in sync with Oliver’s, suddenly began to hammer against her ribs in a panicked rhythm. She looked up at Oliver’s sleeping face—so calm, so handsome—and felt a wave of nausea.
How did he get that?
