^^I saw this pic and I just had to change it to this. It's so freakin' adorable!^^

Warning: Sexy time coming up (;

"When the water starts boiling, it is foolish to turn off the heat."
            -Nelson Mandela

Chapter 23

River's POV

So warm.

I turned amongst the feeling of warmth, engulfing me in a calming embrace.

I slowly opened my eyes.

The scent of exotic fruit.

I looked down to a pair of muscular arms wrapped around my waist in a protective cage.

Confusion riddled my mind as I slowly turned until I was nose to nose with a familiar, raven haired man.

"Alastair?" I whispered in a hushed tone.

Nothing. The only sound that escaped his slackened face were short breaths as his eyelashes twitched momentarily before stilling once again.

Confusion was all that filled my mind.

What? How? 

The door squeaked open as I quickly pivoted my head away from Alastair's. Michael stood by the entrance, silver tray in hand as he walked in with a cheerful smile.

"Good morning!" He chirped.

I raised a brow, "Did I miss a mating ceremony as I slept?"

"No!" He laughed, "Keith bought me a new toy."

"Uh huh."

Why do I feel like there's some perverted underlying implication that I'm missing?

He placed the tray on the footing of the bed as I turning my chin in Alastair's direction.

"Why is he in here?"

Michael sighed, "he spent the whole night trying to find you, you know. He wouldn't let anyone sleep until he found you. Like some lovesick puppy," he scoffed," Keith eventually grew so irritated that I was afraid he would bash his head against the nearest wall," my eyes widened at that, "but eventually, a maid found the room and told him. You should have seen his expression when he saw you wrapped around your pillow like a koala bear," he laughed, "he ripped the damn thing from your body and replaced it with himself."

I giggled at that. Jealous of a mere pillow.

"But Feyona-"

"Alastair threw her out of his room," he interrupted as a gasp escaped me, "yeah not exactly the most gentlemanly of actions. There she stood, the poor shivering girl, wrapped in nothing but a thin sheet as Alastair ripped the castle apart trying to find you."

"Where is she now?"

"With Hyde. To think the douche was her knight in shining armor when Alastair couldn't give two shits about her," Michael already began to munch on the cookies from the tray as he spoke with great enthusiasm.

Sounds like he found the whole situation quite amusing.

"I'm happy you came, River," I smiled, "Seriously, the castle was quite bland before you came. The most action we got was Alastair's conquests chasing him-" He stopped mid-sentence and cleared his throat, "not that, that matters anymore."

I felt my heart clench. It shouldn't bother me anymore but it did. Last night was proof of Michael's words, Alastair's conquests' chase was still occurring. It never ended. He just now had a mate at his side to witness it alongside him.

It was clear now what happened last night. Alastair hadn't strayed, rather he was being chased, held onto by past conquests who couldn't let him go.

I felt Alastair stir beside me as Keith's voice resounded down the hall.

"Sugar?!" Keith bellowed from a distance.

"Well then," Michael sighed, "I guess that's my cue to go. River?" I tore my eyes from Alastair's form, "I know it may be hard, but communicate with him. Alastair loves you and would never hurt you. You have to keep that in mind before you run from him. He may seem strong on the outside but he's not as strong as he likes to portray himself as. When you left him, when you ran, it hurt him. I could see it on his face when he came to us to beg for your location. He was so scared, River," I felt my eyes begin to tear up, "He was so afraid of losing you. His mother died when he was so young, too young to experience such a loss. It took a toll on him. Keep that in mind," I nodded, "I don't think he can handle losing someone else he loves."

"I understand," my voice cracked.

I wasn't thinking. I was so selfish to run as I did.

"Thank you," Michael said softly.

I smiled at him as he got up and ran towards Keith's shouting voice.

I went to reach down but something stopped my hand in its wake.

Aah, the sling.

I pulled it off and moved my hand around a bit. It was still a bit sore but I was afraid of Alastair seeing me in a sling. I didn't want him to feel worse than he already was.

I hope he hadn't seen it.

I peered back down. He was so beautiful. I placed my hand on his cheek, brushing gently across his soft, olive skin. His eyes twitched before slowly opening, revealing a pair of hazel eyes, hazy with sleep. His mouth widened as he looked up at me.

"Love," he wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me down to his muscular chest.

I squeaked as he began to peck along my neck. I pushed at his chest, trying to pull away from his ticklish antics. He laughed before pulling my face to his and lightly brushing his lips against mine. I felt my arms fall as he softly licked my lower lip.

My will always seems to crumble beneath his heated tongue.

I gasped as his tongue continued its heated path against my lips as if I were his favorite candy.

"You taste so good, love," he breathed out.

I felt myself shudder as his exotic scent brushed softly against my heated lips as if coaxing, playing.

"Alastair," I gasped.

He continued his soft assault on my lips, licking, coaxing oh so gently before ever so slowly pulling my shirt from my shaking form.

"No," I gasped.

He hands froze, "What's wrong, love?"

"I probably smell," he pulled away from his assault down my chin with a raised brow, "I didn't get to change from my clothes from yesterday," I covered my face with a pillow, "I slept in these. I probably stink."

A light laughter rang through the air as a pair of hands pulled the pillow from my face, "Love, you could have slept in weeks old wear and I would probably not care."

"You wouldn't?"

He laughed, "No."

"But...I stink," I tried to clarify.

"If you're so self-conscious about your scent we can always just take care of it."

"What-"

Before I could finish my sentence I was pulled over Alastair's shoulder and into a bathing room. I turned towards him, eyes widened, as I took in the shining white decor. A powder area stood opposite a large white tub standing on golden lion legs. The spout was a lion's mouths, water flowing freely from its agape mouth.

"River, stop analyzing the tub and get undressed."

My face heated up as Alastair pulled down his last remaining pair of clothes. It took everything in me not to look down as I squeaked and turned around immediately.

His laughter rang loudly through the bathroom as I contemplated drowning myself in the running tub.

I felt a tug at my shirt as Alastair began to unbutton the rest of my shirt, "Hands up."

He hasn't brought up the sling...perhaps I was right into thinking he didn't see it before.

I lifted my arms, feeling slightly like a young child, as he pulled my shirt off, eyes heating up as they roamed my nude chest.

"Beautiful," he breathed as his hands ran down my pale chest, briefly brushing against my flushed nipples. I shuddered as his fingers locked along my waistline and pulled my pants and underwear down in one pull, lips brushing lightly along my neck.

"Alastair," I gasped.

"Shh, I got you," he cooed into my ear as he lifted me into his arms and stepped into the bathing water.

He pulled me into his lap as he sat down with a sigh. I closed my eyes as the warming water seemed to calm every pore in my body. The smell of berries and vanilla filled the room as Alastair reached for a small, glass vial and poured the purple liquid into the water. His lips brushed against my shoulder blades as he pulled a veil of pink from a nearby stand.

"Let me wash you?" His voice felt so soft, so sweet.

I nodded. Too afraid of what my voice would sound like if I were to speak.

He opened the crystal top with a pop as he poured a small amount into his hand and began massaging it into my shoulders. I let out a sigh as I felt all the knots and tightened muscles relax beneath his gentle hand.

His lips continued to lightly brush against my neck as his hands worked wonders down my back, softening and relaxing every strained muscle they came in contact with.

"I'm sorry."

I turned to face him as his hazels stared back at me with a heartbreaking look.

"You did nothing to feel sorry for," I pressed my lips against his in a soft peck.

"I didn't sleep with her. I don't even know how she got in our room. I would never-"

"Shh," I brought my finger to his lips.

His eyes widened.

"It's okay," I continued, "It wasn't your fault. You didn't know she would be there," I gave him a small smile, "I'm sorry for running."

"It's okay, just," he sighed, "Promise me next time you'll stay. That we'd talk it out instead of running."

I nodded, earning myself a peck as he poured the pink liquid into his hand and began massaging it into my chest. His seemed so immersed in it as his brows pulled in concentration, his hands gently massaging the oils into my skin. It was cute.

I ran my fingers through his hair as I kissed his forehead. He pulled from the task as his eyes looked up mine, slightly flashing a yellow.

"Alastair," I gasped.

"It's okay, love. He's suppressed. Just got a bit excited."

I knew Alastair was having a bit of a hard time suppressing his wolf since his last heat strike. It wasn't uncommon, but in his case, he had to be more warry than others. His wolf was stronger than others. He had to be careful.

He went back to his task as he worked his way down to my hip bones. I shuddered, pulling slightly at his hair, earning me a growl as his hold tightened slightly before softening again.

He began to kiss along my shoulder blades as his fingers lightly brushed against my member. I gasped as his thumb slowly moved in a circular motion around my head.

"A-Alastair," I whimpered.

"Shh," he cooed.

I gasped as his teeth lightly scraped against my shoulder blade, fingers wrapping gently around me, massaging ever so slowly as I turned into a whimpering mess on top of him. He stopped, causing me to whimper as he turned me in his lap until my butt laid next to his hardened member. A single finger ran slowly down my back before circling my tightened bud.

"N-no," I cried.

His finger froze, "What's wrong, love?"

"S-scared," I whimpered.

"Shh," he cooed, "nothing's going to happen. I'm merely getting you used to the feeling. I'm not going to enter, okay?"

His finger traced but never entered as his other hand slowly worked me towards perfection. The tingles began to slowly make their way up my leg in a quivering motion before settling above my pulsing member.

"I-I can't," I gasped.

"Let it out," he blew into my ear before taking my earlobe into his mouth and slightly biting it.

That seemed to be my last strand as I screamed. White strands flying into the water and painting it in my color.

My sensitive body shivered as Alastair continued to kiss along my shoulders and up my neck, nose skimming ever so lightly.

"You too?" I reached my hand behind me to touch him.

His hand grasped mine and brought it to his lips.

"Not now, love."

My brows knitted together.

Why won't he allow me to touch him...?

He took me from the tub, leading me by my hand as he wrapped me in a plush, white towel. He began to wipe my body down as his towel laid on his waist in a tightened knot. My thoughts wandered as he finished and kissed me lightly on the head.

"Love?"

I looked up from the marble floor with a small smile as I followed him out.

I held the towel around me in a tightened grip as I watched his muscles move like elegant waves as he walked.

I want to touch him.

I reached a hand out.

"We're here," he interrupted my movement by opening the door and climbing onto the large canopy bed.

"We aren't going to your room?" I asked as I walked into the familiar, golden room.

"Our room doesn't have a bed at the moment."

I raised a brow.

"I wasn't going to very well sleep in the same bed where someone besides you laid naked," he said it so nonchalantly, my heart thumped loudly against my chest.

"You hadn't changed it before."

There were others before me who laid naked in that bed. Why was this any different?

"I had no need to."

My heart skipped a beat.

The others in his bed where okay but she wasn't?

"No one other than you and I laid naked in that bed and I plan to keep it that way."

What?

"B-but your past conquests," he raised a brow, "surely they laid in your bed as well."

"No," he crossed his arms, "why would I allow them to lay in my bed? I would merely bring them to an empty bedchamber."

Isn't that...too cold?

"Now," he sighed, "would you step away from the entrance and join me?" He pouted, arms outstretched in the golden bed.

"Yes," I smiled as I closed the door and crawled into his arms, head pressed against his muscular chest.

"Better," he sighed, pulling me closer.

I squeaked when a certain something pressed against my leg. Coming to the realization that we were both naked as our towels laid strewn across the bed.

"Shh," his nose skimmed against my neck as he breathed in, "you smell like berries."

I laughed, "Well, you did just bathe me in berry oils and perfumes."

"I thought it'd go well with your natural vanilla scent," he kissed my neck ever so lightly, "I was right."

I felt my eyes begin to grow heavy as I looked up at Alastair whose eyes were already closed.

That was quick.

I laid my hand against his chest, feeling his heart thump softly against my palm.

Why hadn't he wanted me to touch him earlier? Was I being childish for being slightly anxious over it?

I felt my eyes turn to bundles of bricks as his heartbeat lulled me to sleep.