69

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE.

ROSALIE'S POV.

When I woke up, I was not expecting myself to be in Jacqueline's chamber not to talk of his bedroom, and that was what first surprised me. His name slipped out of my mouth, showing my astonishment.

I had called his name in a whisper, my astonished voice was barely audible. But I knew he heard me loud and clear.

I turned fully to face him, noting the way he leaned back on the bed with his elbow. Then, in a bit, he was leaning on the bedrest with his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on a position. Me.

"Why are you awake and staring at me? And why am I even in your chamber and bedroom?" I questioned him and crossed my hands too, waiting for his response.

My dried throat had drastically become wet and free. I even forgot my first motive, which got me out of bed, that is, to go for a drink. I focused on this alpha who got me harmlessly wrapped around his pinky finger.

Jacqueline didn't respond to my question immediately. He tilted his head slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and calm. "I haven't been sleeping," He declared. "I've been watching you the whole time, I can't just keep my eyes off you."

I blinked rapidly, clearly taken aback. "Watching me? All this time?" I asked him to be sure I wasn't hearing wrong. "This should be midnight or very early in the morning."

He nodded, his expression slowly softening. "You're peaceful when you sleep. I didn't want to miss it. It's comforting to see you safe, to know you're here. With me."

My cheeks flushed, a warmth spreading across my face.

Though I didn't want him to notice what he was doing to me, I crossed my arms, trying to mask my flustered reaction. "That's new and it is kind of strange, you know. You should be resting too."

Jacqueline's smile widened slightly. "Perhaps. But watching over you feels more important right now. For me, sleep can wait. And I even slept for so long too, so I can't keep on sleeping."

I shook my head, and a small laugh then escaped my lips.

*Let him know he's important too. You're not romantic.* Rose said to me.

I almost scoffed because of her, but I didn't. I decided to ignore her but listened to her words.

"You're important too, Jacqueline. So you have to sleep," I said to him, making sure my voice held a maximum sweetness like I always do if I wanted to talk to Jack.

Just that right now, I was not faking any of my feelings, it was natural. This is real.

Jacqueline smiled very widely because of my words, and for the first time since I was awoken, he stared away from me to blush. I saw the colour rising on his cheeks and ears and called his attention to it.

"Jacqueline, you're blushing." I laughed.

"Of course, and that's because you said something nice to me." He replied.

He didn't even deny it at all.

I relented.

"Anyways, go back to sleep," I urged him gently. "You need sleep as much as I do."

"What about you? Do you want to go to your room?" He questioned me, "Because if you want to, then I will leave with you."

I chuckled, "Calm down, alpha, I'm not escaping from your room. I will sleep, but not until I get some water," I replied with a grin.

That water thing was an excuse to get away from him for a while and to give him time to sleep and stop gazing at me. His stare was beginning to make me uncomfortable.

I walked over to the fridge he pointed at when I first spoke about a sore throat, and as he said, there was a bottle of water sitting there, waiting to be drained.

I grabbed a glass and poured it for myself. I drank to my satisfaction before returning the bottle and glass to their previous position.

When I returned to the bedside, Jacqueline was still in the same position, his grey eyes lighting up as I walked closer to him.

"Jacqueline, you need to sleep," I reminded him and sat on the edge of the bed. "You can't just sit there all night watching me."

Instead of responding, Jacqueline rose from the bed and crossed the bed in a few quick strides. Before I could react or know what was going on, he leaned down and captured my lips in a deep, lingering kiss.

The suddenness of the kiss stole my breath away, and for a moment, I forgot everything else. Just his ravish lips on mine.

When he pulled away, his forehead rested against mine, and he released a shaky breath.

When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. It was sultry.

"I've been meaning to do that since the time I heard your voice right there in that mental room in Scott's pack. I've missed you so much, Rosalie. You don't know how hard it was to be sleeping away from you for that long."

My heart raced, but I quickly shook my head to get those words out of it and I pulled away from him. My cheeks were burning.

"Jacqueline, stop," I said firmly, rising to my feet. "You need rest. This isn't…"

Again before I could finish composing my words, he caught my wrist and gently tugged me back toward him.

His eyes locked onto mine, serious and filled with an emotion I couldn't quite name, but I could tell he wanted me.

Jacqueline wanted me.

'Is that good or bad news?' I wondered.

*Shut up, girl. Your mate wants you and you're thinking of it to be bad news, are you nut?* Rose scolded me, and I ignored her to focus on Jacqueline.

"I heard everything you said to me when I was sleeping," He confessed, his voice soft but intense.

"Every word, Rosalie. And I… I've lost so much. My strength, my power, it's all diminished. Do you know what that feels like?" He ended his words with self-pity, and my breathing swayed, already knowing where everything was heading.

I swallowed hard.

He didn't say anything for a while, and I reasoned that he wanted me to say something.

My lips parted to reply to him but no words came. So, he grabbed the opportunity and continued.

"As my mate, you have to help me regain what I've lost. Right now, I need you, Rosalie. Intimacy. That's the bond that will restore me. Please."

He gave me no room to think or reply to him, he leaned in again, his lips brushing mine in a feather-light kiss, a deep peck followed.

He must have been thinking that I would be saying 'no' to him, but strangely, I was not ready to say that to him. I wanted him too. Yes, I did.

It had been years, and I missed everything about him.

"Jacqueline," I muttered into his mouth and he pulled away for a second.

"Please, Rosalie. I beg you." He pleaded desperately with me.

And he captured my lips again, this time, I didn't pull away from him, I allowed myself to be lost in him.