Chapter 87

~Grace~

It didn’t hurt.

Not like Liam’s, not like Chrisopher’s.

It didn’t hurt at all.

Was he even doing it?

Was this how it was supposed to feel?

It was as if he connected a part of his very soul to me. I felt a buzzing in my chest I couldn’t describe. It felt like he was just kissing my neck, but more. Deeper, stronger. It was a sensation I had never felt before.

What was this?

I felt warm all over, as if wrapped in a freshly washed blanket. I could feel Alex all around me, in my very being. His scent, his essence, his soul.

I could swear the ground was spinning beneath our feet and only Alex was keeping me from flying off into a vast nothingness.

He was my only anchor to this world. I don’t think the other people who were in the audience were even here anymore. Or the officiant.

It was just us, together. Transcended.

And then, everything came back, all at once. It was like being sucked through a tight tube that threw me right back into reality.

I stumbled and gasped for breath, but Alex held me steady. I looked at him with wide eyes, and he gave me an excited, deep-loving look back.

We knew what had happened. What we felt. We shared whatever that experience was, and it made us closer.

There was a deep, internal connection I felt to Alex that I hadn’t felt before. Like I was more receptive to his emotions and thoughts.

I laughed a little, and he pulled me into another kiss, deeper this time.

So this is what it felt like to have a fated mate.

“God, you’re everything I’ve ever wanted,” Alex growled in my ear as he pushed me back onto the bed.

My wedding dress was on the floor in a crumpled heap. It was dark in here, just slivers of moonlight illuminating our bodies.

I looked down, and Alex had both of his hands around my thigh, his nose right at the edge of the garter.

He looked up at me with his longing, golden eyes, before closing them as he licked the inside of my thigh up to the garter.

I shivered, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. His hands slid up my thigh to my hips, as he shifted further on top of me.

My breathing became unsteady as his teeth grazed my skin.

I gripped the sheets, my face red. Alex gave me a confident grin as he took the edge of the garter lace with his teeth and slowly slid it off.

My stomach knotted, and I lay further back into the bed as I felt his breath travel back up my legs.

He paused for a moment, before moving so his face hovered right above mine. His tie was undone, his dress shirt open, and I could see his muscular body as he leaned over me.

I felt faint just thinking about what he was doing to me–what he was going to do.

He peered at me, his black hair over his eyes, an infuriating smirk on his face. It was like he knew the effect he had on me, and he relished in every second of it.

I lowered my brows. He wouldn’t feel so cocky for long, when I made a bold move. Surely, that would surprise him.

In a sudden motion, I sat up, and grabbed his hair in one hand. My lips crashed into his, and I felt his body tense, as he pulled me into him. I felt my chest press against his, and my fingers quickly worked to undo the rest of the buttons.

While I tugged for his shirt to come off, Alex never stopped kissing me.

I couldn’t hear anything but the sound of our panting breaths, gasping in between kisses. Alex pressed me into the bed, his body heavy on top of mine.

I ran my hands up and down his back, his skin warm and smooth. Alex growled right before he grabbed my jaw with one hand, forcing my mouth to open wider as he kissed me deeper.

I could feel my body trembling as he moved his other hand down my side, to my hips, where he gripped into my skin with a hungry desire.

I couldn’t move my head, nor did I want to–but my mouth was left open to be explored by Alex, who growled into my mouth.

My eyes closed, I let him take the lead. I had only wanted to surprise him, I hadn’t expected that he’d respond in full force.

Finally, he broke away from my mouth, and looked into my eyes for only a second before he slid his hand from my hip to the edge of my lingerie. I looked at him with wide eyes, before he quickly slid them off.

This was odd… It was definitely weird.

I stood in the bathroom, looking at the calendar on my phone. It had been about two weeks since Alex and I got married, and it’s the first time I missed my period.

I’ve been late before, and maybe that’s all this was… but I couldn’t help but feel anxious about it.

I looked into the bedroom where Alex was still sleeping, strewn out across the covers. I couldn’t help but smile.

Should I tell him about this? I didn’t even know what to say. What if I was just being silly, and it was nothing?

It probably was nothing. I couldn’t conceive. I knew that. And I hadn’t taken the medication in so long, I’m sure it was far out of my system now… That was probably the reason why Nola was able to return to me.

“What are you thinking about?” Alex’s deep voice said from the doorway of the bathroom. I jumped. He must have gotten up without me noticing.

He leaned against the doorway, his forearm resting against the frame. He only wore boxers, and I couldn’t help but look up and down his body before quickly turning away.

“Just… thinking about what I should do today,” I lied.

Alex moved behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. He rested his head on top of mine. His body was still warm from being under the covers.

“And what did you want to do today?” He asked, his voice slurring a little. He looked like he was still half asleep. I smiled.

“I think I’m going to the store. There’s a couple of things I want to pick up.”

Alex hugged me tighter. “Mm… I could pick it up for you.”

I sighed. Should I tell him? I felt so nervous.

“Your heart’s pounding,” Alex suddenly said, leaning down to talk into my ear. I laughed nervously.

I mean… If I worded things the right way, I guess it couldn’t hurt…

“I… I’m a week late to my period.”

Alex looked at me in the mirror, and I could see the confusion in his eyes.

“It could be nothing-” I quickly stammered out, “but in case it is something, I just… want to check.”

Slowly, a grin spread across Alex’s face. “You think you’re pregnant?”

I shook my head rapidly. “No- I don’t know. I didn’t think it was possible.”

Alex looked more awake, now. “Then let’s find out!”

I gave him a sheepish smile, then slowly nodded. I really hoped I wasn’t getting his hopes up.