With one arm beneath neck and the other curled around her waist, Brantley was looking deep in her eyes. "How are you Bia?" he asked in a hoarse voice. His eyes were red and had purple below them.

There was so much concern etched on his face that she felt a pang in her heart. She cupped her cheek with her weak hand and grazed his stubble. "I am fine…" she felt as if a freight train had passed over her.

​​

He leaned in her hand and heaved, "Thank the Gods." He closed his eyes and held her head closer to his chest as if to reassure himself that she was there, she was back. He rocked her gently in his lap and stroked her hair and her arms. There was silence between them. Moments later she went off to sleep in his arms like a baby in her mother's arms.

She had no idea how long she had dozed off. Perhaps days, but when she cracked open her eyes, the air was cooler than the normal and she was wrapped in a soft quilt. She turned her head to find him propped up on his elbow, watching her from a distance.

"Good morning," he said with a lovely smile and she fluttered open her eyes looking at the quilt and the glass wall. To her surprise, there was a light drizzle on the outside and the raindrops pitter-pattered on the glass.

"How long have I been sleeping?" she asked. She wondered if he had been watching her sleep, and the thought made her cheeks pink.

"Almost three days now," he said and got up.

Bianca arched her eyebrow. "Wow!" For the first time in her life she felt so bamboozled by her sleep.

"Are you hungry?" he asked and came closer to her.

As if on his question, her stomach responded and grumbled loudly.

Brantley smiled and said, "I will take that as a yes."

Even though she was feeling utterly weak and her face was paler than usual, she blushed again. She tried to get up but he stopped her, "Please don't get up. I will ask the servants to bring food here."

She swallowed saliva down her parched throat. "Thanks," she croaked. He got up and poured water for her from a pitcher on the bedside table and gave her. Placing one strong arm beneath her, he lifted her shoulders and helped her drink it. "I need to use the bathroom first."

Brantley removed her quilt and was about to scoop her when she said, "No! I can walk."

He stared at her for a moment. "Okay," he said and waited for her to get off the bed.

There were hundreds of stars dancing around her head when she tried to get up. By the time she placed her feet on the ground, she was panting. Covering the distance to the bathroom looked like an uphill marathon of ten miles.

He shook his head and without waiting for her to ask him, he scooped her in his arms bridal style and she grabbed his neck. He carried her to the bathroom.

As soon as they reached, she said, "I will manage from here."

He kissed her forehead and said, "Are you sure?"

She nodded. He left her and closed the door behind him. However, as soon as he reached the bed, he heard a thud. He leapt from the bed, banged open the door and stormed inside the bathroom. Bianca had fallen on the floor. Immediately he turned her into his arms. "Bia!" he said when he saw how limp her limbs were.

Bianca was not able to walk properly. Her body protested so much out of fatigue that when he picked her up again, she didn't protest. She closed her eyes and shivered. She didn't protest when he first stripped himself quickly and then stripped her down to her underwear and stepped in the oversized steaming bathtub. He placed her in his lap and submerged her in water and continued to hold her until she had gone soft in his arms. In the warm water, her head rested on his leg and she became acutely aware of his stiff shaft.

To her utter shock, she found his swollen shaft pleasing against her body. He was naked and aroused and she found herself in the same position. She closed her eyes and tried to think of a thousand different things.

Throne, that covered her with the roots.

Green lights, which shimmered around her making her feel warm.

Hazel eyes, consuming her in the morning.

His naked body.

His erection.

And she was back in the bathtub on his lap.

She tensed and closed her eyes. As if understanding her awkwardness, Brantley brushed her hair over one shoulder and said, "Do you know the change you have brought about in our kingdom?"

Our kingdom. She opened her eyes and stared at him. The way he said 'our', she felt strangely 'at home'.

"No," she breathed out.

"I would love to give you a tour of Azelia. There isn't much, but things are promising." He picked up the soap and lathered it on a soft cloth. Slowly he started to apply it on her shoulders. It was so relaxing that to her morbid embarrassment, she moaned out loudly, and then bit her lip immediately. She chided herself to stay in control and definitely not think about his erection. No, she would behave herself. So she concentrated on what he was speaking, but she was able to focus on every third word that came out of his mouth.

He picked up her hand and applied the soap under her arms, then slid his hand on her clavicle and then the upper swell of her breasts. His body shuddered and he hissed. As soon as his hands were on her breasts, all he wanted was to cup them. They were so large and perfectly created to fit in his hands. For him.

Bianca's breath hitched. She brought her hand over his and stopped his movement.

"Relax Bianca," he said. "I am only giving you a bath."

But she knew that he was indulging her. How could her hands completely cover her breasts? His shaft pulsed painfully and pressed harder against the side of her stomach. His reaction made her feel good.

—Mine— her wolf growled. She pushed her wolf down and focused on his talk.

He pushed her to lie fully on his lap and then took the soft loofah to her stomach. She tensed again as his touch when he took it below her navel, in between her thighs. This time the only thing she wanted to manage was her inner control. The way he massaged her with the loofah softly in circles that she left her pitiful attempt to restrain her from not relaxing. Her body became limp and she relaxed completely on him. She loved the way he touched her. Adored it. His spice and lush blossoms scent washed over her. How could such a divinely handsome man be her husband? A man, who couldn't keep himself off her. And she wondered if she would start craving for his touch. Would she beg him to touch her?