The Cursed Alpha's Fifth Luna

"I don’t want to eat anymore."

Nina moved her mouth away from the spoon of oats Rodrigo brought toward her lips.

"You’ve not had anything to eat for two days," he said, his voice laced with a quiet, stubborn insistence. "Just a little more."

She shook her head, turning her face further away. "I’m fine, I can’t eat anymore. Moreen has already run the hot bath, and I don’t want it to get cold."

The spoon hung suspended in the air for a few tense seconds before Rodrigo finally relented, placing it back onto the plate with a soft click.

"Okay, that’s fine. Let’s get you cleaned up," he said, standing up abruptly.

Nina’s mouth fell open in surprise. "What?"

Before she could make another sound or protest, Rodrigo closed the gap between them. Bending down, he lifted her up bridal style, hoisting her into his arms effortlessly.

Nina yelped in shock, her legs flying into the air as she instinctively gripped his neck. "Let me down!" she squealed, her heart racing as he began marching decisively toward the bathroom.

"Shhhh," Rodrigo chided, a faint, amused smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You want to alert the entire estate that your husband is bathing you?"

Nina instantly clamped her mouth shut. A sudden, fierce heat rushed to her cheeks, and her fingers dug hard into his shoulders to steady herself.

Reaching the bathroom, he carefully let her slide down until her feet touched the cold tile—first one foot, and then the other. She kept her grip on him for a split second to catch her balance before quickly pulling her hands back.

"I can wash myself, I’m not that weak," Nina muttered, looking away from him shyly, her eyes fixated on the steaming tub.

"I know," Rodrigo replied softly. "I just want to."

Nina looked up at him, her breath catching in her throat as he closed the remaining space between them. His hand snaked around her back, his fingers finding the tab of her zipper, and with a slow, deliberate tug, he let it down.

The zipper slid down with a sharp hiss. Rodrigo eased the sleeves over her shoulders, letting the heavy fabric drop past her hips until it pooled around her ankles.

She stood before him in her underwear. The open gown revealed her bra, the lace upping her breasts barely, leaving so little to the imagination all thanks to the Martriach.

Rodrigo’s breath caught as his eyes fell on her chest. His lashes fluttered and he looked at somewhere else but his gaze found it’s way back to her chest again.

Focus.

Rodrigo pushed the intense lust climbing its way up his throat back down as he forced himself to focus on the task at hand.

Nina looked away from him, heat rushing to her cheeks. Rodrigo closed the space between them, his hands snaking behind her as he undid the clasp of her bra, the material dropping to the ground.

A slow inhale tore through him as he his eyes fell on her nakedness and he gritted his teeth.

With all the strength he could muster, his hands moved to the waistband of her panties.

"I can do that part," Nina whispered, her cheeks burning as she reached down to stop him.

Rodrigo paused, his knuckles brushing her hip bones. He looked up, his eyes dark with concern and something else, something primal. "I want to."

Nina held his gaze for a flicker of a second and then she let her hands drop. She nodded and looked away, blushing as he slid the silk down her legs until she stepped free.

When he stood back up, his eyes were fixed on her like she was a rare sight to behold. Like he was just seeing her for the first time.

Nina watched his teeth clench and then unclench. The side of her mouth curled slightly as she watched him come undone.

"You’ve grown leaner," Rodrigo commented, half concern, half distracting himself. "I’ll ask the healer to come check on you to be sure you are okay." He added quietly, his voice dropping to a rough whisper.

"I’m fine," Nina replied. "It was just the cold,"

She said, feeling exposed under his intense stare. She quickly raised her hands to her breasts, covering them as she turned toward the tub. Stepping over the ledge, she sank into the hot water, letting the foam hide her nakedness completely.

Nina reached for the soap but just before she touched it, Rodrigo took it. Their fingers almost brushing.

"I can do it," she said, turning to look at him.

"I know."

He replied casually as he began rolling up the sleeves of his shirt to his forearms before lowering himself onto one knee beside the copper bath.

Steam curled around him, blurring the sharp lines of his face as he dipped the soap into the warm water and worked it gently between his hands.

Nina watched him in silence.

His eyes focused on the bath loofah as he lathered it carefully, then he placed the soap back down.

Then he looked at her.

"Close your eyes," he said.

Nina opened her eyes wider, holding his gaze.

"Nina," Rodrigo warned. She didn’t blink.

A second passed.

And then,

Rodrigo leaned in and kissed her lips. The sudden warmth caught her off guard. Her lashes fluttered, snapping shut as she melted into the kiss.

"There," he murmured, pulling back. He looked at her blush-stained cheeks, lifted the lathered loofah, and smoothed it over her face.

"You cheated," Nina mumbled, a soft huff leaving her lips.

Rodrigo smiled, his hand steady as he brushed a damp strand of hair away from her forehead. She sank deeper into the hot water, letting him wash her.

"I was scared," Rodrigo said quietly, his voice almost trembling at the edges. The cloth moved down her jaw, tracing the line of her neck to her shoulders.

Nina’s eyes snapped open.

Rodrigo’s gaze lingered on her collarbone before meeting her eyes. "Don’t ever scare me like that again."

Nina held his stare. The silence stretched. She forced a smile that failed to reach her eyes.

"I won’t," she lied.

She was going to do things—much worse things.

Rodrigo nodded, "I have a lot of things I am worried about. I don’t want to be worried about you too."

He rinsed the cloth in the tub. The water splashed softly. He brought the wet fabric to her chest, dragging it down across her breasts.

Nina dropped her gaze. Heat rushed to her cheeks as the textured surface caressed her skin. Her nipples hardened under the water. The air turned thick in her throat, her lungs locking up as she tried to draw a breath.

Her eyes flickered back to him. His pupils were blown wide, dark with hunger. His jaw clenched so hard a muscle ticked in his cheek, his hands trembling slightly as he forced his touch to remain light. He was fighting himself, suppressing the urge to touch her properly because she was too frail.

He washed every inch of her with that same agonizing restraint. Once the soap was rinsed away, he lifted her out and used a dry towel to blot the moisture from her skin.

Wrapping a fresh towel securely around her frame, he scooped her into his arms and carried her out to the bedroom.

"I can dress myself now."

Nina’s voice was quiet but firm as Rodrigo set her gently on her feet inside the dressing room.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then she looked up at him.

"Go."

She placed both hands against his chest and gave him a small shove toward the door.

Rodrigo looked down at her hands before his gaze returned to her face. He studied her for a brief moment, as though weighing whether to argue.

In the end, he sighed.

"All right." A faint smile tugged at his lips. "I’ll be waiting for you."

He turned and walked toward the door.

Just before stepping outside, he glanced back once more.

"Don’t take too long."

The door clicked softly behind him.

Silence settled over the room.

Nina remained exactly where she was.

Her shoulders, which had been held so rigidly moments ago, slowly sagged beneath a weight no one else could see.

She turned away from the door.

The Alpha’s end will be his love for you.

The words echoed through her mind with cruel clarity.

Her throat tightened into a painful knot.

She tried to swallow.

It hurt.

A trembling breath escaped her lips as she raised a hand to cover her mouth, desperately muffling the sob threatening to break free. Her eyes burned.

She squeezed them shut, but the tears slipped through anyway, rolling silently down her cheeks.

He would die because of her.

Another sob rose into her throat as she imagined the look in his eyes the moment he realized she had betrayed him.

That the only person he allowed himself to love had stabbed him in the back.

Nina bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood, refusing to let herself make a sound.

She didn’t know how long she stood there.

Minutes.

Perhaps longer.

By the time she finally dressed herself and stepped out of the dressing room, the chamber had grown quiet once again.

Rodrigo lay across the bed.

Asleep.

Nina stared at him for a second and then she took a step forward, but her feet came to a stop instantly, all the color draining from her face,

Something was wrong.