Chapter 51: The Warm Bath
Rosalie:
I watched in complete disbelief as Zaiden prepared the bath. Not because he was doing a poor job of it. But quite the opposite.
The Rogue Alpha looked as though he had done this countless times before.
After filling the enormous bathtub, he checked the water temperature himself. Then he reached for a bottle and poured scented oil into the water before dropping in a bath bomb that immediately began dissolving beneath the surface.
I blinked in surprise, because surely I was imagining things.
Zaiden Nightfang owned scented oils and bath bombs! The terrifying Alpha who commanded one of the strongest packs in the world apparently also possessed an impressive collection of self-care products.
The realization felt strangely absurd.
Within seconds, the already luxurious bathroom smelled even better. The scent of cedarwood mixed with something floral and warm created an atmosphere so relaxing that I could practically feel my exhausted body trying to melt into the counter.
For the first time all day, I wanted absolutely nothing. No plans, no worries, no escape routes... just rest.
Once Zaiden seemed satisfied with the bath, he stepped out of the bathroom without saying a word. But the silence he left behind barely lasted a second. Eiden stepped closer and gently removed the coat that was still wrapped around my shoulders.
The loss of warmth was immediate. Though somehow it didn’t bother me as much now that I was standing inside a heated mansion.
His blue eyes briefly met mine as he spoke, "Take your time. You have had a long day."
I nodded. But before I could speak, the bathroom door opened again and Zaiden returned carrying folded clothes. My eyes followed him as he crossed the space and placed them neatly beside the bathrobe and towels already waiting on the counter.
He didn’t explain where the clothes came from. Neither did I ask. Once everything was in place, both men left the bathroom.
The door closed behind them. And just like that, I was alone.
For several long moments, I remained exactly where Eiden had placed me - sitting on the counter and staring into space as the events of the day finally seemed to catch up with me.
The more I recalled, the more surreal everything felt. As though I had somehow stumbled into someone else’s life.
Eventually, I forced myself to move. The first thing I did was climb down from the counter. And the second thing I did was to walk straight to the door and lock it. The soft click immediately made me feel better. Only then did I turn back toward the bathroom and toward the bath waiting for me.
A soft sigh escaped my lips.
The sight practically screamed comfort. Warm water, soft lighting, pleasant scents, and safety. After everything I had endured since stepping into Blackthorn Pack earlier this afternoon, it looked like heaven.
Then my gaze drifted toward the enormous mirror mounted beside the sinks. And I froze.
"Oh goddess!"
The horrified gasp escaped before I could stop it. Iknew I looked bad. Of course I did. I had ran through forests during a storm. I had crawled through mud. Gotten soaked by rain. And nearly frozen to death. Naturally I wasn’t expecting to look presentable.
But this?
This was far worse than I imagined.
My hair looked like a creature had built a nest in it. The long dark strands were tangled beyond reason and several sections appeared matted together. My face was streaked with dirt and mud despite Eiden having wiped much of it away in the car. As for my clothes... they looked completely hopeless. They were torn, dirty, and throughly drenched.
I looked like a particularly unfortunate swamp monster.
And both Zaiden and Eiden had seen me like this.
The realization was horrifying, though I wasn’t sure exactly why I felt so bothered about it. Not wanting to give it too much thought, I immediately started removing the ruined clothes.
Once everything was folded neatly and set aside, I stepped into the shower. The warm water hit my skin and I nearly cried from the heavenly sensation. Every aching muscle immediately relaxed beneath the heat.
I stayed there longer than intended. Probably much longer. First I washed my hair. Then washed it again because after everything it had been through, once clearly wasn’t enough. When that still didn’t seem sufficient, I practically drowned it in conditioner and spent an embarrassing amount of time working through the tangles.
Only after my hair finally resembled hair again did I move on to the rest of me.
Mud disappeared down the drain. The lingering chill vanished. Yet the exhaustion remained. But at least I felt human again.
Eventually, I turned off the shower and finally stepped into the bathtub. And as the warm water wrapped around me instantly, a content sigh escaped my lips before I could stop it.
This was exactly what I needed, though I didn’t even know it until now.
I sank deeper and let the heat soothe every sore muscle, every ache, and every lingering tension. The scent surrounding me only made it better. The bathroom was quiet, peaceful, safe. And for the first time all day, my mind stopped racing.
I wasn’t thinking about Alastor, or Darien, or Kaiser. I wasn’t thinking about political consequences, or future problems, or past betrayals. Instead, I simply existed. Floating in warmth, resting, and healing.
At some point, my eyes drifted shut. More than once. I wasn’t entirely sure whether I dozed off or not. Maybe I had. Maybe I hadn’t. Either way, time passed far too quickly because eventually I noticed the water wasn’t as warm anymore. In fact, it had started growing cold.
My eyes snapped open and I quickly glanced toward the clock. Then immediately sat upright as I realized I had been in here too long.
Quickly climbing out of the bath, I grabbed one of the enormous towels and wrapped myself in it. The soft fabric felt luxurious against my skin. After drying off, I wrapped another towel around my damp hair.
Then my attention shifted toward the clothes waiting on the counter. I reached for the folded black shirt, only to pause. There was more underneath - a pair of black boxers.
My cheeks instantly warmed.
The realization struck me immediately. These clothes probably belonged to Zaiden. The thought made something strange jump in the pit of my stomach. It was a completely unnecessary reaction, one I firmly chose to ignore.
They were simply clothes. Comfortable and borrowed clothes, and nothing more. Absolutely nothing more.
Determined not to think about it any further, I quickly got dressed. The shirt was enormous on me. The sleeves extended well past my hands and the hem nearly reached my thighs. But the boxers were surprisingly better as they worked like shorts and completely disappeared under the shirt.
Once I was dressed, I took one final look around the luxurious bathroom. Then with a deep inhale, I reached for the lock and opened the door, unwrapping the towel from my hair.
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