Alpha's Angel

Chapter Thirty Six

"Cameron!"

I snapped my eyes to meet Archers as he glanced back at me. "Huh?" I questioned the way he was looking at me, clear concern in his eyes.

"I've been calling your name for the past five minutes." I looked around me to notice that we were back in the driveway of his house. I slowly unwrapped my hands from around his waist, and slipped off the side of the bike.

"Sorry." I hadn't paid a single ounce of attention the ride back, not even slightly cognisant of how fast we were going. My mind was still transfixed on the image of that figure, like it was lingering in the shadows of my own head.

Archer caught my hand before I could get very far. I turned, keeping my eyes cast to the ground as he tugged me towards him.

"What's the matter?" He said tilting my chin up to him with a finger, his hand lingering on my face after. I closed my eyes, leaning into his touch. I took a deep breath, the feeling of dread that was clawing inside of me was subsiding.

I thought about telling Archer what I had seen, debating the idea around in my head. But I hadn't even decided myself if what I had seen was real, or just a trick of the light. Maybe even my own sick mind trying to scare me.

"I'm just really washed out" I smiled up to him weakly, finally confronting that worried look. He pursed his lips slightly, his eyes scanning over my face. I could tell that part of him didn't believe me, but he didn't push it any further.

In one smooth movement, he lifted my body off the ground and pressed me against him. I wrapped my legs around him, my arms flying out to go around his neck, surprised that had picked me up and I instinctively got scared that he would drop me. Although I knew he would never let that happen.

"I can walk" I raised an eyebrow, trying to hide the way I was holding back the urge to melt under his dark gaze.

"I know." He pressed his nose to my neck, nuzzling into me. I squeaked as his stubble tickled the sensitive skin. I could feel his lips pulling into a smirk before they places a long, tentative kiss on the mark. My grip on his neck tightened as I held back a moan that was building up in my throat.

It had healed much more over the past couple of days, not nearly as painful as it had been, which meant I didn't need to have the bandage on it anymore.

I hadn't even realised my eyes had shut until they fluttered open again when Archer pulled away. The urge to pull his soft lips right back against me consumed me as he began walking back towards the house. I ignored it, resting my head on his chest, listening to the soft thump of his heart. I breathed in his woodsy aroma, letting it swirl in my chest along with the comfort it brought me.

Archer expertly opened the door to the house with one hand, the other securely holding me against him.

"You sleepy?" He asked as he ascended the stairs effortlessly, like he wasn't being weighed down by me at all. His low voice rumbled through me like a smooth velvet, sending the hairs on the back of my neck shooting up. I nodded my head , pushing my face deeper into the side of his neck. "I'll take that as a yes."

Archer placed me down on my feet when we got to the bed room. I left him to go into the bathroom and change, brushing my teeth whilst I was there. I spat the contents of my mouth into the sink, raising my head I caught eyes with my own reflection.

I looked tired, my eyes drained of their energy. Not in the way that I had seen them before, it wasn't like the life wasn't in them. I could see the happiness there, something that had been missing for long. But the bags under my eyes could warn anyone from a hundred meters away how exhausted I was.