Fully naked

Fully naked


I stared up at Winston, his words echoing in my mind like a lullaby I hadn’t heard in years. There was something about the way he said it, so full of affection and pride, that made my chest feel tight, like I was going to burst into tears for no reason at all. My body still trembled from the intensity of everything that had happened, and my thoughts were a tangled mess of sensation and emotion.

It wasn’t until I felt the warm stickiness between us, the way my body slumped from pure exhaustion, that I realized what had just happened. I had completely let go, my mind and body overwhelmed, pushed past the edge and floating somewhere I couldn’t quite describe. And still, Winston and Xavier were there, steady as ever, grounding me in their arms and praise.

“Such a good boy,” Winston murmured against my temple, his voice low, reverent, and full of something I couldn’t name. I leaned into his chest, taking deep, ragged breaths, trying to calm the wild rhythm of my heart. His arms wrapped around me fully now, his hands stroking my back, his lips brushing soft kisses along the shell of my ear and the side of my neck. They weren’t doing anything more. They were just there. Holding me. Comforting me.

It was almost too much.

Xavier moved away from us, and I cracked my eyes open to follow him as he walked across the room. My muscles ached and tingled, too drained to do more than watch. He made his way to the dresser, back turned, fingers working at the buttons of his shirt. My brow furrowed slightly. What was he doing? The confusion lasted only a moment before I was shifted in Winston’s arms, cradled like something precious, and carried toward the adjoining bathroom.

The warm light spilled across the tiled floor, casting golden shadows along the walls. I didn’t protest as Winston set me gently on the sink counter, his touch careful, like he thought I might break. He stepped away to start the water, turning the knobs until steam curled softly into the air.

Still dazed, I reached to tug off the rest of my clothes, but he returned and brushed my hands aside, wordlessly helping me. I let him. There was something soothing about being taken care of like this. Something rare. When he lifted my shirt, I raised my arms without thinking, and a small smile tugged at my lips when I caught the tiny grin that crossed his face.

“Did you feel good?” he asked, voice warm but gentle. Not teasing. Not smug. Just genuinely curious.

“Yes,” I answered, barely louder than a breath. I was too tired to lie. Too tired to hold anything back.

He picked me up again, this time from under my arms, and carried me into the tub. I blinked in surprise as he stepped in fully clothed, water rushing up around his thighs.

“What about your clothes?!” I blurted, staring at the soaked fabric clinging to his body.

He chuckled, grabbing handfuls of warm water and letting it pour over my chest and shoulders. “Don’t worry,” he said, eyes twinkling. “They’ll dry.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed, my voice light and airy, like something unburdened. I relaxed in his lap as he began to lather me up with soap, his movements tender, his fingertips gentle. It was quiet. Peaceful. The kind of moment I never thought I’d get to have.

Then the door opened with a soft creak.

I turned my head, already knowing who it would be. Xavier stepped inside, and everything about him demanded attention. My eyes followed him instinctively, but I froze the moment I realized he was completely bare.

Embarrassment flushed my face and I quickly turned away, but not before my eyes had wandered. My heart thudded in my chest, the moment heavy and intimate, though no words passed between us.

“Admiring me, huh?” Xavier’s voice was low and amused. I flushed deeper, trying to hide my face. Winston laughed behind me, and Xavier chuckled as he crossed the room.

I dared a glance back at him, drawn to him despite myself.

But when he turned slightly to grab something off the counter, I saw it.

His hair shifted, falling over one shoulder, and I caught a clear view of his back.

I froze.

My breath caught.

Scars.

Dozens of them. Some thin and pale with age. Others darker, raised, jagged. They stretched across his back like a brutal painting, evidence of pain that went deeper than the skin. But two of them stood out, long, thick, and angry-looking, slicing down either side of his back from shoulder to hip. My stomach twisted at the sight. It looked like something had once been there. Something large.

But it was the third that truly struck me silent.

In the middle of his spine, just below the nape of his neck, the skin looked wrong. Twisted. Distorted. Like the bones underneath had been broken and forced back together in a way nature never intended. It looked empty. Hollow. Like something had once lived there, something essential, and had been torn away.

What could a person have on their back that would leave scars like that?

No.

What would an Alpha have on their back that could be ripped out?

I shivered, despite the warmth of the water. My eyes were still locked on that scar, my mind racing. A hundred questions suddenly fought for space in my head, but none of them had answers. Only theories. Dark, terrible theories that made my blood run cold.

And when Xavier turned around again and met my gaze, I knew he’d seen me staring. But he didn’t get angry. He didn’t hide. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes, those eyes, looked tired. Like someone who had carried the weight of those scars for far too long.

And for the first time, I realized I didn’t know him at all.

But I wanted to.

More than anything.