Page 25 of The Dragons’ Eternal Mate

Then again, I couldn’t heal anyone if I were murdered by a psychotic Alpha with a grudge.

Sighing, I closed the cabinet.

As I passed Nix’s room, where he snoozed away, snoring loudly, I made a mental checklist of all the herbs and ointments in my clinic and their various uses. Being prepared was exponentially better than being caught off guard again.

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

A few things I had were lethal in high doses, but those would be extremely hard to administer.

I needed to do some shopping.

Rowan

The familiar nightmare jerked me awake: a memory of the blinding pain, the smell of potent herbs, the horrid confusion.

Lying in bed suspiciously Alpha-less for a moment, I took stock of my surroundings. I strained my ears, the answer coming a moment later when they picked up the shower running.

I should’ve been irritated by Bastian’s insistence on sleeping in the same room as me, but ever since he’d started crawling into my bed, my nightmares had become significantly less frequent. They didn’t usually start until he slipped out.

That sneaky subconscious picked up on his absence.

I had mixed feelings about him being there. On the one hand, I was grateful for the protection. On the other, I remembered just how much of an ass Bastian had been until recently.

There was no denying how much he had changed, though. It was like night and day. Sure, I liked this new Bastian better, but did I trust him?

I sat up, rubbed my eyes roughly, and ran a hand through my tangled hair. I could probably do with a shower myself, but I had too much to do. Standing, I stretched my back out, which made a satisfying pop. I padded over to the dresser and pulled out a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans.

My hair was pretty much a lost cause, so I threw it into a messy bun. My tongue ran over my teeth; I couldn’t help but grimace at how gross they felt. I had been so exhausted the night before that I’d collapsed into bed without even thinking about brushing them. I glanced at my bathroom. Did I dare go in to brush my teeth while Bastian was showering?

Eventually, my desire for better hygiene won out over my embarrassment, and I wandered over to the bathroom, pointedly averting my eyes as I made a beeline for the counter.

“Just grabbing my toothbrush,” I muttered, doing my best to avoid looking at the shower, with my hand over my eyes like a blindfold, which of course meant I bumped into the wall.

“You can look all you want, you know,” Bastian said, with a smile in his voice.

I ignored him, brushing my teeth. It was oddly domestic… Well, it would have been if everything in me wasn’t screaming to turn around and look at the naked, undoubtedly handsome Alpha in the shower.

Instead, I kept my gaze down, staring at the sink as I brushed, even though I could hear the water slapping against the shower floor sporadically. What was he doing in there? What would his hair look like all wet, water dripping down his⁠—

Okay, stop. There’s no time for that, Rowan.

When I finished, I dried off my mouth, then checked my appearance in the mirror. I just needed to look semi-put together. I’d make a point of doing a full, deep clean when I had the time.

“I need to go check on Ma,” I said, still watching myself in the mirror. For a brief moment, my stomach turned uncomfortably. I was run-down, exhausted, and like a lesser version of myself. My skin was sallow and gray, and my eyes had dark bags underneath them. How the hell could my clan of Alphas be attracted to me?

“Give me two minutes,” Bastian said from behind me, making me jump.

When the hell had he gotten out of the shower? I hadn’t even heard it turn off.

“I’ll go with you. Just let me throw on some clothes.”

Bastian looked at me casually in the mirror, the picture of nonchalance, while I was doing everything in my power not to glance down. He was naked—very, very naked—and wet. Even trying so hard, I couldn’t help but flick my eyes to his broad chest as he scrubbed a towel through his hair. He wasn’t even concerned with the fact that his dick was out.

My heart hammered against my ribs, and I swallowed hard, knowing I needed to move, yet unable to do so.

“Umm…” What was I even trying to say? God, I needed to leave the bathroom. Yes, leaving. Leaving would be good. I⁠—

Bastian wrapped the towel around his hips, gesturing at the door. “Clothes are out there.”