Page 30 of Bonded By Christmas
If you bypass the staircase and instead go straight through, there’s a bedroom down on the right. To the left is another living room that opens up onto the back deck. It’s an open floor plan with a great view of the kitchen.
Wilder takes the stairs, and my stomach wobbles as I’m jostled around. He’s not even moving that quickly. My equilibrium is just off. Once we’re on the second-floor landing, my system settles a bit, but he takes the wrong corridor.
“Did you forget which room was mine?” I ask, trying to keep my tone light.
“I did not. You had a rough day. I think that calls for a bedroom upgrade.”
Wilder stops by a room that smells exactly like Grim. He snags a pillow off the bed that is covered in my newly bonded alpha’s scent and digs in a dresser, grabbing out one of Grim’s shirts.
“You’re freshly bonded. Having his scent close will soothe your system.” He stuffs both items between us and takes off again.
I’m still gross from blood, even if Wilder cleaned my face in the car, so I don’t let myself snuggle with Grim’s pillow.
Not yet.
That will come after a scalding-hot shower.
“This room has been completely redecorated since you’ve seen it,” Wilder says, opening the door at the end of the hall.
I already know which room this is.
This house has two primary bedrooms. The one on the first floor, which was Wilder’s room. Not that he ever spent a night in it the entire time I was here.
The second was the room my mom shared with his dads. It’s lovely, or it was the last time I saw it, but it’s also huge. My old room was big compared to anything I’d lived in before, and it was incredibly lonely.
I was used to being able to walk twenty feet—at max—and find my mom in our apartment. Having to search this mansion, just to run into anyone, left me feeling extremely isolated.
Wilder comes to a stop while I’m still busy replaying those memories. He pries the pillow and shirt from between us and tosses them onto the bed before taking off again.
The bathroom he steps into is familiar, but it’s been completely redecorated since I was in it last. The tile, fixtures, and even the color on the walls are all new.
We end up near the laundry area, and he tugs the blanket off my shoulders.
“We’re going to have to dispose of your clothes. I hope you didn’t wear anything you’re too fond of.”
It’s all covered in blood.
I’m good with it being destroyed. “Burn it, for all I care.”
He chuckles and steps around the hamper, reaching into one of the cabinets and pulling out a huge black trash bag. With that in hand, he walks us across the room.
Wilder puts me down on the small bench in front of the vanity and shakes out the bag, shoving the blanket in. Once he’s done, he drops the trash bag and steps over to the shower, pulling open the frosted door.
He climbs inside, fully clothed, and starts the water before returning to squat down in front of the bench I’m seated on.
Goose bumps erupt down my arms, and I realize how cold I am. It’s freezing in here, but steam wafts through the open shower door, and that seems like a good sign.
“You’re still pale,” Wilder says, brushing his fingers over my cheek. “I’m not going to let you climb in there by yourself, but Iam willing to compromise. I’ll leave my boxers on, and you can keep your bra and panties, if you’d like.”
“I’ll be okay. I can do it,” I assure him, but at this point, I don’t even know why.
Omegas are coded to crave care from compatible alphas, and I just went through the scariest thing I’ve ever had to live through.
I want to be comforted.
“I know you can, but it’ll mean a hell of a lot to me if you’d let me help.” Wilder’s dark blue eyes sparkle, and I nod before I can stop myself.
Wilder removes his attire with no fanfare. Once that’s done, he helps me out of my clothing and into the shower.
