Althea stirred, a faint tickle against her skin pulling her from sleep. Her brows furrowed slightly as she blinked her eyes open—only to find Gavriel hovering over her, his lips grazing her neck. He was licking and softly suckling the sensitive skin just above her collarbone.
“Gav...” she mumbled groggily, her voice barely a whisper.
“We’re here,” he murmured against her skin, his voice deep and husky. “The bath is ready. Come bathe with me.”
Before she could process what he meant, he drew back and rose to his feet. Althea slowly sat up, glancing around in dazed awe at the unfamiliar surroundings. The massive bed beneath her was like something from a royal dream, draped in dark silks and rich textures.
The entire room exuded masculine elegance—warm wood, clean lines, and a commanding energy that could only belong to him.
“Is this... your bedchamber?” she asked softly, her voice still laced with sleep.
“Yes. You’ll sleep here tonight,” he replied without pause. “Your bedchamber, the one next to mine, is still being prepared. Your maidservant is checking it over.”
Before she could respond, Gavriel stepped closer and began to undress her. His hands were firm but unhurried. Startled, Althea’s breath caught as she instinctively tried to reach for his hands.
“I can do it...” she murmured, flustered.
But Gavriel didn’t stop.
Her cheeks burned as her heart quickened. The drowsiness she’d felt just moments ago vanished entirely, replaced by the vivid awareness of his touch—deliberate and intimate.
She gulped, her gaze dropping as warmth spread through her body, unsure if it was from embarrassment or something else entirely.
He led her into the private bathing area inside his chamber—a secluded area filled with warm steam and soft, golden light. In the center was a large tub, big enough to comfortably fit the two of them.
The water shimmered invitingly, scented with scattered flower petals that floated on the surface.
Without a word, Althea stepped into the tub. The warmth enveloped her instantly, soothing her skin and relaxing her muscles. A quiet sigh slipped from her lips as she sank deeper into the water. She hadn’t realized just how sticky and uncomfortable she felt until now.
The bath was more than welcome especially after what happened between them that morning in the forest. Behind her, she heard the rustle of clothing. Gavriel was undressing.
Althea dipped her entire body under the water for a moment, letting it wash over her completely. When she resurfaced, she pushed her wet hair back from her face, droplets clinging to her eyelashes.
Then she saw him.
Standing right in front of her was Gavriel, already in the water. Her eyes landed first on his broad chest, glistening with steam and sculpted with muscle, before they darted away in embarrassment.
Her face flushed. She tried not to look, but it was impossible to ignore how the warm lighting accentuated every inch of him.
He didn’t say anything. Just watched her with those unreadable, intense eyes.
Then she felt it, his hand sliding gently behind her neck, pulling her closer until his mouth captured hers in a searing kiss.
It was nothing new. Althea had grown used to the way he devoured her lips whenever he wanted, like she belonged to him. His kisses were always demanding, leaving no space to think, only feel.
Still, she reminded herself—again and again—not to read too much into it.
This was just the mate pull. The bond. Nothing more. It was instinct. Lust. She had to believe that. She needed to believe that. Even if the thought felt like a thorn in her chest.
His lips moved hungrily over hers, consuming her. He suckled until her lips throbbed and swelled from the pressure, until her breath came in shallow gasps. And when she thought it might end, his tongue slid into her mouth, deep and unrelenting—tasting every inch, every corner, coaxing her tongue to meet his, until she had no choice but to surrender.
He kissed like a man starved, like he needed her to breathe.
“I can’t stop,” he muttered against her neck, his breath warm against her flushed skin as he finally let her catch her breath.
‘Stop?’ Althea barely registered the word before he lifted her effortlessly. Her back met the edge of the tub, and her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, her body reacting before her mind could catch up.
She gasped as he slid into her—deep, hard, and without hesitation. The water splashed around them, spilling over the edge of the tub as he began to move, his thrusts powerful and relentless. Her hands flew to his shoulders, then to the back of his neck, clinging to him like her life depended on it.
“We’re supposed to be getting clean,” she murmured breathlessly, almost laughing at her own ridiculous thought. But at the rate they were going, the bath water would be anything but clean.
Gavriel chuckled.
Althea lifted her head to look at him, unsure if she’d imagined the sound—but no. He was smiling. A real smile, not the usual cold smirk or mocking twist of his lips.
For a moment, her heart forgot how to beat.
He raised a hand, brushing a few damp strands of hair from her cheek, and met her eyes.
That smile—it was warm, unguarded, almost boyish in a way that made her chest tighten.
She blinked rapidly, just to make sure it was real.
She didn’t know what came over her... maybe it was the way he looked at her. Or maybe she was simply too captivated by the rare sight of him letting his walls down.
Without thinking, she cupped his face gently and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his in a soft, deliberate kiss.
She kissed him.
She initiated it.
And Gavriel growled. Low. Rough. Possessive. As if her kiss had shattered something inside him. His thrusts grew faster, deeper, harder—each one more intense than the last—as if he was trying to pour every unspoken word into the way their bodies moved together.
He devoured her lips with a desperation that felt like there was no tomorrow. Like this moment, this union, was all that existed.
The water splashed wildly around them, waves spilling over the edge of the tub, but neither of them cared. Althea moaned against his lips, her voice swallowed by the kiss, her hips moving to meet every powerful thrust.
The tension built, rising higher and higher until she thought she would shatter. And then they did—together...
Their cries muffled into each other’s mouths as release took them in a wave so fierce it left her trembling in his arms. Her body clenched around him, pulling him deeper as he groaned into her kiss, claiming her with every pulse.
They stayed like that for a long moment—wrapped around each other, water sloshing gently around them, breaths heavy and uneven.
Still connected. Still burning.