68

CHAPTER SIXTY- EIGHT.

JACQUELINE'S POV.

I couldn't fall asleep throughout the journey to the pack house. When I got back to the castle, my eyes were widely opened like that of a night watchman, whereas, my dear was snoring to dreamland.

I carried my mate in my arms gently and stepped out of the car, so as not to wake her up.

I turned to the guards helping Carl out, "Carry him gently to his chamber and make sure he won't be disturbed in there.

"Also, stay close to his door to know if he would need anything in the night. I'll send someone over later to take care of him."

They bowed to me, "Okay, my alpha."

I turned to the route which led to my chamber and began to walk through it.

"Alpha." Someone called me from behind. It was the maid who was in a strict interaction with Briana and Lennox when I woke up.

Though I didn't turn to see her, I could tell she was the one with her voice.

I didn't bother to wait up for her or acknowledge her call. She had to run up to me herself and began to walk with me.

"Is she okay, alpha?"

I glanced at her, and she had her face buried to the floor. Then to reply to her question, I nodded, not like she was staring at me, but I felt too lazy to open my mouth to say more words than the ones I'd said.

"Alpha? What about beta Carl?"

I growled. 'Really? Can't she get the message and shut up?'

I halted and turned to her with a frown, wanting to bash out all my anger at her, but she looked innocent and pure. She was not doing it intentionally, neither was she sent to frustrate me.

She bowed apologetically. I could also feel her heartbeat increasing in her ribcage. "I'm sorry, my alpha. I'll just come back tomorrow."

I sighed, then remembered Carl needed help.

"Get some people to prepare a hot bath for Carl, he needs one."

"Okay alpha," She bowed and left.

I watched her go and I could finally walk with no worries or a feeling of having a spy beside me.

I got into my chamber, and I met it looking like it had always looked, neat, huge and welcoming. I smiled.

I took Rosalie to the bathroom immediately, knowing that even as she looked as if she was perfectly fine, she wasn't. She needed a fresh bath with hot water.

I gently shook her in my arms, "Hey, Rosalie, wake up."

"Hmm..." She muttered and wanted to turn around in my arms. She must have been thinking that she was sleeping on her bed. I quickly grabbed her tightly, preventing her from slipping off. She must have hit the ground, or worse, hit her head on the tub.

Still, she didn't stir awake. She only stirred in her dream and continued sleeping like nothing happened.

I had to bathe her myself.

A warm bath had already been prepared in the tub, though the water was turning cold, I had to replace the water before dropping Rosalie into it without stripping her.

It was when she was safely in it that I began to remove her dress from her body, one at a time. I removed everything from her with my eyes, taking in all the details of her body.

I didn't stare away.

I didn't close my eyes either.

This was my mate, and everything should be stared at by me.

Just me.

And when one has the opportunity, one has to grab it before it slips off.

*I'm not a gentleman.* Jack stated.

I nodded, *I know, but thank you for the reminder.*

I trashed the clothes she was wearing in the trash basket in the bathroom before returning to her to thoroughly wash away all Scott's pack stains from her flesh.

I washed her clean with soap, and my bare hands.

That would be the very first time I would be bathing someone who was not myself, and I enjoyed each part of it.

I could take up the job every day without receiving any pay just to see those sweet smiles of hers as she smiled in her sleep with every touch of my hand on her skin.

It was not surprising that I was as hard as a rock when I was done bathing for her.

It was not also surprising that the bath took hours as I was bathing each part of her body one at a time, though some parts took more than enough time, parts like her butts, they were too soft to just wash and go.

I had to massage them to my satisfaction before moving on. Still, I was not fully satisfied.

Just had to move on like that.

I was done bathing her, and I wrapped her in a bathing robe before carrying her out to the bathroom.

*I think she was exhausted in that pack, for her to sleep this tirelessly like a log of wood. Scott did it this time, and I'm not letting him go. Never. He'll pay for it after she recovers.* Jack vowed.

I knew I would not let him go either. I didn't even want to imagine what she went through in that pack because the more I imagined it, the more annoyance I felt.

I carried Rosalie to the bedroom and tugged her into bed. Then I lay beside her to watch her sleep.

I lay there with no sleep in my eyes. My head rested on my palm. My elbow on the bed with my side lay there straightaway for easy admiration of the beauty in front of me.

I lost count of time and I was like that til late when my dear awoke.

My eyes were fixed on her as she stirred awake, and didn't notice my presence yet. She rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly. She let out a dry cough like her throat was dry.

'Get her a glass of water.' Said my instinct to me, but I couldn't move. I was lost by her side view.

She was sitting right beside me, trying to get her throat cleared, but all I saw was another form of her with the faint moonlight streaming through the curtains and straight on her face, casting a gentle glow of her across the room.

Damn!

*I'm a lucky alpha.*

Rosalie smiled to herself about something in her head, but suddenly began to frown again, "I should get this soreness away." She muttered to herself and touched her throat.

She must have wanted to stay more in bed, but her sore throat must have pushed her out of the comfort of the blankets.

She swung her feet to the floor, ready to head out of the room probably for a glass of water, and that was when I came in, "There's a bottle of water in the fridge there," I told her, not wanting her to leave the room for anything.

Not when I was in.

She froze mid-step after I spoke my words.

Then she slowly turned back like she was acting in a slow-motion part of a movie. There, her eyes met my steady and unblinking piercing eyes, which had been on her.

I saw her eyes almost popping out of their sockets under the dim light.

"Jacqueline?"

"Yes, sweetheart. It's me."

I smiled naughtily at her.

*I want her. Right now.*