Chapter 22

Nellie opened her eyes slowly, her entire body was so stiff and heavy. She looked around the room, it took her a while to make out the interior of the room she was lying in and even a longer time recalling what happened. When she finally did, she was surprised to find she was still in Earl's room, it had been what? She couldn't tell how long she had been sleeping but her throat was so dry that it felt like her own voice was going to hurt if she dared utter a word.

She looked around the room to see if there was anyone in it, there was no one, not even Ariel. She turned to look at the window so she could at least tell if it was night, she could tell it was afternoon from the sun rays that reflected on the window.

Pushing herself up, Nellie felt like all her bones had been broken into a million pieces inside her body, she knew there were guards at the door and she just had to get to them to get water. Ariel was not in the room, she couldn't blame her though, she tried to push herself up from the bed again but this time she fell back down on the bed, she tried to use her powers but her energy was drained. She just had to wait.

It took twenty minutes, which felt like an eternity for the door to finally open. Expecting to see Ariel walk in, Nellie was surprised to find Earl walk into the room, he took out his boots and kept them at the side of the door. She lay perfectly still, observing him closely, not like she could move anyway.

Earl proceeded to remove his Royal attire, today he had dressed in green and black, the pack Army color. He sank into the chair and Nellie's eyes followed him. For a split second, Nellie thought she saw a smile on his face but it was immediately replaced by a distant look she couldn't discern. He sighed and poured himself a glass of whiskey from the bottle on his dresser, after the first glass Earl ran a hand through his hair in what appeared to be frustration.

Nellie watched him intently, he saw the way his Adam's apple moved even as he gulped the whiskey, he saw the dark look in his eyes when he dropped the glass. She couldn't deny that this man was beautifully handsome, his hair had grown longer than the last time she saw him, his eyebrows, as dark as ever, were curved in a tired look, was he tired?

Nellie remembered the first time she saw him, under that tree, almost lifeless, she had thought he was the most beautiful man alive, he still was, she wasn't sure she would ever see anyone as beautiful as he was. Sitting there bare bodied in just his pants, his abs looked so masculine and his body so smooth and beautiful, Nellie wondered how it would feel in her hands. She slowly shook her head to get her head thinking we'll again, what was she doing drooling over a man when she just came out of a coma? God! She was losing it.

Just minutes ago she had been tasty but here she was, thinking of touching her captor, The Alpha of the Blood pack. Nellie realized sve knew next to nothing about Earl apart from the fact that he was an Alpha, she didn't know his Luna or if he had an heir. He didn't trust her enough to tell her, or was he not ready? She could see the look of pain and betrayal in his eyes in his eyes most times, but nobody was telling her anything

Why was he wounded and left for dead under that tree almost two months ago when she had found him? Why had she not seen the Luna ever since she came here? Here, she could tell she had been sleeping on his bed for as long as she was unconscious, why? She knew she hated the Rogues so much, but why? Maybe they had wounded him and left him for dead the day she found him, but why? Why were they always attacking the castle? Part of the reason was because she was here but another part told her there was more to it.

Realizing she only got more confused with each question, Nellie decided to stop herself from thinking, she believed he was going to tell her when the time came, or was he?. She looked over at her ankle to see if the wound was still there, it had healed, she felt relieved. There was no trace of the wound on her body, one advantage of being a werewolf, she smiled.

"Ehhm"Nellie let out a throaty cough to get his attention, it hurt her throat like hell

"Nellie, you are awake?" Earl came running to her on the bed.

"Wa...ter…" was all she could mutter

Earl ran to the dressing table beside the bed and poured some water from a jug into a glass cup, he held it to her mouth and pushed her head up so she could drink.

"I am glad you are up" The sincerity in his eyes could not be mistaken.

Nellie smiled at him and mouthed a barely audible "Thank you"

"Do you feel any pain in your leg or anywhere?" Yes, her entire body hurt she wanted to say but she found herself nodding instead.

"Just lie still, don't move" Earl took one leg in his hands and began to massage it gently, Nellie tried to move it away but he held it still in a firm hand.

"You are not supposed to be doing that, someone might walk in on you, Ariel will do it for me" Nellie tried to move her legs again but he held it still.

"I insist" Earl replied stubbornly.

Nellie gave up and just enjoyed the feeling of his hands grazing her skin. He looked like a doting husband doing that, she blushed at her own silly thoughts, her husband? That was next to impossible, she knew it would never happen, he already had a mate who probably traveled to birth their first child.

"Nellie…?" Earl's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"My Lord" She replied in a voice she could barely recognize.

That sounded funny coming from her, she only used that phrase on him when he was taunting or mocking him.

"I am sorry" He said in a shaky voice, Nellie could tell the words were very heavy in his mouth, he probably rarely apologized.

"Why are you sorry?" She was surprised.

"For everything, for the way I spoke to you the other day and for not being there to protect you when those Rogues came" Earl gave her a very childish look which warmed her heart.

"You didn't have to apologize Earl, I totally understand"

Of Course she did, she was his captive and he had every right to yell at her, she couldn't also deny that something in her heart warmed with the look he was giving her.

"Earl… can I ask you?" She really hoped he would answer this time.

"What is that?" He was almost smiling at her.

"Where is your mate? I have not seen or heard you talk about her since I came here, and here I am lying on your bed?"

The smile on Earl's face disappeared and was immediately replaced by a dark look that made Nellie's heart churn. Was he angry? Maybe she was crossing boundaries. She immediately regretted asking.

"I am sorry, it's okay if you don't want to talk about it" ofcourse it was not!

"Your mind says otherwise," Earl said calmly.

He had read her thoughts! How long has he been doing that? She seriously hoped he had not been reading her thoughts since.

"That's an invasion of privacy" She gave him a deadly glare. "It's okay if you don't want to answer"

"Even on a sick bed you still have fire in your tongue" Earl was smiling, Nellie wondered what was funny.

"You are so grumpy and annoying!" Nellie scoffed and turned on her side to look away from him.

"Just earlier, Charlie said I play too much for a man of my age and status" Earl was clearly in a mood to taunt her, Nellie ignored him.

"How long have I been sleeping?"

"Two days?"

"That's a long time"

"Yes, but your wounds healed well and I'm glad you were not awake when that happened"

That was right, the pains would have been too much on her. Their healing process was always very difficult and painful especially when the wound was deep.

"Where is Ariel and Charlie?" She suddenly asked.

"Charlie went up to take a nap, Ariel is probably somewhere around" Earl found it odd that she had to ask about the two of them at the same time.

"How about Ma'am Dodda?" She asked yet again.

"She is fine now, she even came down for breakfast this morning, she will be relieved to find that you are awake" Earl flashed her a smile. Deep down he wished she could have slept a bit longer, that way, he could hold her while he slept and have the most peaceful sleep.

Nellie smiled, revealing her perfect set of white teeth "I am glad" she let her eyes travel over his bare chest "you are half naked, go get dressed"

Earl let out a hearty laugh "You can touch if you want"

"You are a pervert" Nellie scoffed, she was tempted to touch him.

"I know. I actually came in to nap before I found you were awake, I have a drawl with Charlie in the evening and I need a lot of rest before then"

"I never knew a Alpha was allowed to sleep in the afternoon"

"Well," was all he said. If only he could sleep, he thought.

Nellie stopped talking, somehow she felt hurt, he didn't trust her enough to tell her about his Luna, did he still doubt that she was indeed the Alpha of the Moon pack? He still probably thought she was a Rogue. No, even if he doubted her, he definitely didn't think she was a Rogue, he probably just had a hard time trusting her.

But why was he still keeping her? He could have just sent her back home or killed her but here she was, lying in his bed, in his room. Earl slowly climbed the bed and lay down beside Nellie, staring up at the ceiling.

Nellie listened to his heartbeat, it was slow and calm, almost matching her own. She wondered why he had not kept her in Astrid's chambers instead, but she was thankful. Astrid could as well have killed her in her sleep. After a few minutes of silent thinking, Nellie poked an elbow to support her face up, looking into Earl's face she called out softly,

"Earl?"

He turned around to face her in the same position she lay. It gave her a silly feeling, she was lying in bed with a sinfully beautiful married man- a Alpha, in his bed.

"I'm honored to know that you think I am sinfully beautiful" He gave her the biggest grin she had ever seen on his face.

Nellie flushed instantly, she brought her face down, averting his gaze.

"Why didn't you just let me stay in Astrid's chambers?" She tried to look down on the bed but her eyes only landed on his lips.

"She doesn't like you, I didn't bring you here just to have you killed by a mere girl" Earl was still smiling.

"Tha….nk you" Nellie was flustered, a part of her heart warmed to the thought that he wanted her alive.

She felt safe here, in his hands. He only smiled in acknowledgement of the appreciation, she felt knot in the pit of her stomach the way he smiled, revealing a perfect set of white teeth, she couldn't tear her gaze from his mesmerizing lips, his face was this close to her face.

"Aren't you hungry? I should send for food, you haven't eaten in three days"

Of course I am, I am hungry for your lips. Nellie slapped herself in her head for thinking such a stupid thing, yet her eyes never left his lips.

"It's okay, you can taste me"

Nellie flushed in embarrassment, she had to remember that Earl could read her thoughts, there was not stopping him. Her cheek burned red.

"I… didn't mean that" she tried to find the right words but she couldn't find any.

"Shh… I mean it, you can taste my lips"

That was all she needed, Earl's face was too close to ignore, she grabbed his head and covered his mouth with hers.