Mated To The Alpha Of The North
Chapter 20

Willow

I allowed a grateful sigh to escape as I looked down at the clothes Ronnie had given me. I pulled on the yoga pants and sports bra she had given me without a second thought and then went to pull the t-shirt over my head.

However, I immediately noticed that the size of the shirt was disproportionate to the rest of the clothing I had been given, and the giant t-shirt smelled just like Jax.

I guess he wanted to make his own contribution to my wardrobe I mused; that, and the fact that he wanted his scent on me no doubt.

I could not replace it in myself to complain though as I pulled the soft fabric over my head. I took a deep breath of the rich coffee and fresh cut grass smell that was uniquely him.

Taking a moment to steady myself, and my control over my wolf, I took several deep breaths before exiting the bathroom.

Jax was waiting for me near the foot of the bed, and he swiftly walked to my side once I entered the room.

I was momentarily distracted by his messy locks, that looked like he had been running his hands through recently, but, more concerningly, the dark circles that I had just noticed under his eyes.

Had he sat by my side all night without resting himself?

Before I could question this much further, he reached out an arm and wrapped it securely around my waist, noticing that I was a bit unsteady on my feet.

As unsure as I still was about everything, I could at least admit to myself that I liked having him close to me, not to mention the comfort I felt with his scent enveloping me at all times.

We did not speak as Jax helped me over to the table sitting in the corner of the room. I could not help the sense of Déjà vu I encountered as we walked towards the delectable scent of food, but I also could not help but feel that this was how the first time around should have gone.

Jax assisted me into the chair and pushed it in before taking his own seat, though he could not hide his wide smile as he did so.

My wolf insisted that he was pleased we were wearing his scent. She was probably right, but I loved seeing the true joy in his eyes as he gazed at me, regardless of the reason behind it.

I peeked down at the table in front of me, feeling slightly ravenous. I was pleasantly surprised to replace several options, including the perfectly seared steak I had sniffed out from the bathroom.

Jax opted for taking the seat beside me, rather than the one on the opposite side of the table. He stretched out a long, muscled arm on the chair behind me while I dug into the food.

While I found his small gesture slightly amusing, I could not help but feel butterflies erupt in the pit of my stomach at his possessive position.

I had taken several bites already in my hurry to quiet my growling stomach; however, the nausea that generally always accompanied a mealtime for me soon followed, forcing me to slow my breakneck speed.

As I glanced around, I noticed that he was not eating with me. My wolf was unhappy about this fact, but I quickly shoved her to the back of my mind. I had too much else to worry about right now.

Although I felt very relaxed after the soothing bubble bath, I could feel the exhaustion settling in again as I attempted to keep eating the delicious food Jax had provided, though my pain level was thankfully tolerable with him near.

The weight behind my eyes continued to increase while I picked at the food, trying to force a few more bites down my throat.

I finally gave up after a few more moments of silence. I then began speaking in a soft tone, now that my mouth was no longer occupied, “Thank you for the food, but I do not think I can eat much more right now.” I said, pushing the plate away from me. “I would like to ask a few questions though if that is alright.”

I finished by bashfully looking up at him from under my eyelashes. I was not a shy person by nature, but, up until recently, asking questions or speaking my mind more often than not led to some form of pain. It was an ingrained response at this point, one I was trying to break free of.

My wolf whined in my head, protesting my timid actions towards our mate. Well, at least that was one thing I was able to resolve earlier while I had bathed, I thought tiredly to myself.

While I knew I still had my own issues to work through, I was determined to give Jax a fair shot. He had more than earned it in the eyes of my wolf and I after saving me from Zeke.

Speaking of that a*****e, I really needed to know what had happened to him. I had constantly felt on edge since waking up, worried that he would be walking through the door at any moment.

Maybe that was why I had had the nightmare about him while I dozed in the tub. Regardless of the fact that I knew deep down that Jax would be there to protect me this time if the need arose.

I pondered this to myself as a loud yawn escaped my lips. I covered my mouth with my hand and leaned into Jax’s side, discreetly taking a sniff of his mouthwatering scent as I did so.

I gazed up to determine how he had taken my words when he did not immediately respond to my question. However, I had miscalculated how close our faces would be when I looked up.

I instantly froze in place when my tired eyes met his molten orbs. My wolf and I vied for dominance in the suddenly tense situation.

I found myself sneaking glimpses of his full lips as I waited for him to speak, my eyes quickly darting down, hopefully unnoticed. I was shocked to realize I was even leaning towards him again.

I watched as he seemed to be fighting a battle with himself, his face conflicted, before he pulled back and finally answered, “I would be happy to answer any questions you have love, though I would suggest moving to the bed so you can rest if you are sure you are done eating. Ronnie did mention that you would need to rest more frequently at first.”

I felt my heart speed at his term of endearment, but I was a little anxious about his suggestion to move to the bed. I knew that was just old paranoia talking though, and my wolf seconded that.

Jax was worried about my wellbeing, something Zeke never concerned himself with, and I knew he would never do anything without my permission. His actions thus far had more than proven that assertion.

Therefore, I quickly agreed with Jax’s proposal, while moving to push back from the table, “Okay, I am pretty tired if I’m being honest. Where is Ronnie anyway? I thought she was going to be here too.”

Jax swiftly moved to help me up from the chair and wrapped his strong arm around my waist once again. It was a good thing that he had too because my legs felt like cooked spaghetti noodles, and I was unsure of whether or not I would have just crumpled to the floor in a heap.

I thanked Luna for what felt like the millionth time that Jax was the one here and not Zeke.

“Ronnie had to check on one of the warriors that was injured yesterday, but she will be up soon to sit with you.” Jax answered as he helped me stumble across the room to the cloudlike bed.

I thought that was a little strange, as most werewolves healed without the need of medical intervention due to our genetics. I was obviously one of the exceptions, but there was a good reason for that. The male must have been seriously injured, I worried to myself.

However, my drooping eyes informed me that I did not have much longer before I succumbed to sleep. I settled under the covers before turning to glance back up at Jax again.

I noticed he had situated himself back in the same chair he was in when I woke up. I took a deep breath before I asked my next question.

“What happened to Zeke?”

I was proud to say that my voice did not waver, though my heart quickly sank at his angry expression. I knew he was not angry with me, but Zeke obviously was not dealt with either.

His next words confirmed my fears, “Unfortunately, he was able to escape when several of his warriors shielded his retreat. They, however, were not as lucky.” He finished through gritted teeth.

His anger did not frighten me the way Zeke’s used to. I was disheartened to know that Zeke had got away, but my wolf’s insistence that Jax would protect us and his actions thus far helped calm my frayed nerves.

The protective look in his eyes when he gazed at me did not hurt either.

Jax continued speaking when I did not immediately respond, “As soon as Ronnie gets here, I am going to question them about his whereabouts. You do not have to worry though, love. I will keep you safe. He will never harm you again.”

Despite everything that I had been through since arriving in the South, I believed every word he spoke. My wolf and I just knew deep down that we could trust him with anything.

My eyes felt like lead weights as I pondered Jax’s avowal. However, I noticed that the time between blinks began getting lengthier each time my eyes lowered.

Vaguely, I thought I could hear Ronnie’s voice saying something, but before I knew it, my eyes closed and did not reopen.