Chapter 13: A Much Needed Bath
Rosalie:
The moment the door closed behind him, the atmosphere shifted almost instantly.
Aria dramatically sighed, "Finally."
I blinked at her in confusion.
"He keeps this place so dark all the time," she complained while walking toward the sitting area. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder if he’s secretly a vampire."
Before I could react, she grabbed a remote from the coffee table and pressed a button. The heavy dark curtains covering the enormous glass wall immediately slid open, letting sunlight flood the room.
I actually gasped softly. Because only now did I properly realize what lay beyond the glass.
The room was on the ground floor. And outside the glass wall stretched a small but breathtaking backyard filled with green grass, flowering plants, and stone pathways leading toward what looked like a small orchard.
It looked peaceful, almost dreamlike.
Aria grinned proudly at my expression before walking toward one side of the glass wall. Only then did I realize a portion of it was actually a hidden sliding door.
She pulled it open smoothly.
Fresh air rushed instantly into the room along with the soft scent of flowers and the distant sound of birds chirping. The previous dark room turned bright, fresh, and alive.
After days trapped between pain, nightmares, and darkness, the fresh air felt almost unreal against my skin.
Aria switched off the room lights afterward before turning toward me again. "I’m going to prepare your bath." Then she disappeared into the adjoining bathroom.
True to her word, around five minutes later she returned and carefully helped me out of bed. My legs felt weak immediately beneath me, forcing me to lean slightly on her while walking.
"I know," she said sympathetically. "Your muscles are probably screaming at you right now."
"That obvious?"
She snorted. "You walk like a newborn deer."
Despite myself, a tiny laugh escaped me. It felt strange. I couldn’t remember the last time I laughed naturally.
Aria carefully led me into the bathroom, and I froze immediately as I took in the enormous area. Soft cream marble stretched across the walls and floors, golden light reflecting gently off elegant mirrors and silver fixtures. Near the center sat a large bathtub already filled with steaming water and thick bubbles.
And the smell, it was heavenly. There was lavender, vanilla, and something floral and calming beneath it. I nearly melted from the scent alone.
Aria smiled knowingly at my stunned face. "Freshen up slowly," she told me kindly. "And call if you need help with anything." Then she gestured toward the room outside. "I’ll change the bedding and clean up meanwhile."
Warm gratitude spread through me immediately. "Thank you," I said softly.
Her expression brightened. Then she quietly left, giving me privacy. The moment the bathroom door closed, I slowly looked toward the bathtub again.
It had been nearly six days since my birthday night. Six days of river water, herbs, medicine, sweat, and pain clinging endlessly to my skin. At this point, a bath didn’t just sound nice. It felt necessary.
- - -
The warm bath felt heavenly against my sore body.
The moment I lowered myself into the scented water, I nearly melted from relief. Heat wrapped around my aching muscles slowly, carefully loosening all the stiffness and pain that had settled deep into my body over the past days.
Aria had prepared everything perfectly.
A toothbrush and toothpaste sat neatly beside the sink along with expensive-looking shampoo bottles, conditioner, body wash, skincare products, fluffy towels, and even a soft white bathrobe folded carefully nearby. She had also left fresh clothes for me - a matching set of undergarments and a loose yellow summer dress that looked both comfortable and elegant.
The thoughtfulness behind it all stirred something warm inside my chest.
I took my time washing properly. And for some reason, it felt strangely emotional, as if I was washing away remnants of that horrible night itself. Though unfortunately, some things clearly couldn’t be cleaned off so easily. Because the memories still lingered stubbornly beneath my skin.
I pushed the thoughts away before they could ruin the fragile peace surrounding me. Instead, I focused on the warmth of the water and the soft scent of lavender filling the bathroom.
By the time I finally finished bathing, the water had already gone cold and my stomach was growling painfully from hunger.
I carefully dried myself before slipping into the fresh undergarments and loose summer dress. The soft fabric brushed gently against my skin, comfortable enough that I nearly sighed aloud in relief.
After wrapping my damp hair inside the towel, I slowly stepped back into the bedroom.
The room looked completely different now. Aria had apparently finished cleaning while I bathed. The bedsheets had been changed into fresh pale-colored linens, the shattered glass was completely gone, and most noticeably the medical machines had disappeared entirely. The room no longer resembled a private hospital room.
Instead, it looked peaceful again. Comfortable.
Fresh flowers now sat inside elegant vases both on the coffee table and beside the bed, filling the room with a soft floral scent that blended beautifully with the breeze drifting through the slightly open glass door.
For a moment, I simply stood there quietly, taking everything in. It had been a long time since I had stayed somewhere that felt this calm.
A few minutes later, the door opened and Aria returned carrying a tray carefully in her hands. "There you are," she said brightly. "Perfect timing. It’s food time."
The delicious smell instantly reached me, and my stomach growled so loudly this time that Aria laughed openly. "See? Even your body agrees with me."
Embarrassed, I carefully moved toward the couch near the glass wall and sat down while she placed the tray in front of me. The meal itself was simple - warm porridge, soft bread, and herbal tea. But the moment I took the first bite, I realized just how starving I actually was.
I finished the entire bowl embarrassingly fast.
Aria watched with obvious satisfaction before handing me my medicines afterward, which I obediently swallowed without complaint this time.
The warmth of the food settled heavily and comfortably inside me, making exhaustion slowly creep into my body again. I had just leaned back slightly against the couch when Aria suddenly appeared behind me holding a blow dryer.
"It’s time to dry your hair," she announced seriously.
I blinked up at her. For some reason, the situation felt oddly intimate. Not in a bad way, just... unfamiliar. No one had really taken care of me like this before.
But instead of declining, I simply smiled softly. "Thank you, Aria."
The girl brightened instantly. Then she carefully started drying my hair. Warm air flowed gently through the damp strands while she worked surprisingly skillfully behind me. The entire atmosphere felt peaceful enough that my eyes nearly started drifting shut again.
After a while, curiosity slowly surfaced inside me again.
"Aria?"
"Hmm?"
"Where did Eiden go?" I hesitated briefly before continuing. "I thought he wasn’t part of any pack." At least... that was what the rumors always claimed. "But it sounded earlier like he went to one."
Aria paused briefly behind me. Then, much to my surprise, she answered casually, "He’s indeed not part of any pack."
I frowned slightly in confusion. "Then-?"
"But he’s close friends with Zaiden Nightfang."
My breath caught instantly.
Zaiden... Nightfang?
The feared Rogue Alpha?
