CHAPTER 563: STARVING ENCOUNTER

The steam rose like a veil around her, curling in soft ribbons that clung to her damp skin. Jasmine had just leaned back, closing her eyes for a moment’s peace, when the heavy creak of the door made her heart leap to her throat.

She turned, startled, water dripping down her arms as her eyes met his.

Xaden.

For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. His tall frame filled the doorway, shoulders taut, jaw rigid, his gaze fixed as though he had stumbled upon a vision he wasn’t prepared for.

Jasmine’s breath caught. She could feel the heat of the water against her body, but it was nothing compared to the blaze of his eyes as they locked onto her.

Her hands flew instinctively to cover herself. "Oh my God!" Her voice cracked, part fury, part panic.

She was angry with herself.

That after everything.

After all the terrible things that he had done to her, her body still reacted to him in such a violent way.

The more she thought of it, the more ashamed she was.

And then she remembered all the scars she had on her body.

And then the fact that she had recently lost her baby.

Her body still hadn’t recovered.

Her tummy that had grown to be large with their child and was now empty was still yet to return to its original state.

She was very much insecure of her body.

But Xaden didn’t move. He just stood there, frozen. His chest rose and fell sharply, like he’d been struck.

His gaze had faltered from her face to her shoulders, down further, to the scars carved into her skin, jagged reminders of Bale’s cruelty.

A raw silence stretched between them, louder than any shout.

Jasmine felt her cheeks burn. Shame swallowed her whole. Not just because he had seen her bare, but because he had seen that. The marks she had spent years hiding, the proof of every beating, every humiliation.

Then they made eye contact and he very quickly mentioned a "I’m sorry."

Before he turned around to back her.

She took in a deep breath as she very hurriedly adjusted the towel around her nude body.

Once she was certain that she was well covered, she very gently cleared her throat. "You can turn."

He slowly turned and saw her.

She quickly walked to the dressing table and mirror, picked up her hair and tried to busy herself.

Jasmine’s stomach twisted.

He had already seen her naked so many times but this time she could barely even think things through.

She felt as though she was losing her mind.

He didn’t say a word he simply just seemed to hover around the room.

She was instantly regretting staying in the same bedroom with him.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

She stiffened and then very slowly recollected herself.

"I’m fine." She said quietly.

She resumed brushing her hair.

He didn’t seem interested in saying anything.

She felt her stomach rumble in hunger.

She looked at the food that had been placed on the dining table.

She knew it was getting cold, but she didn’t have the mind to even walk up to it and take a bite.

"Are you hungry?" He asked her as though reading her mind.

"No I’m fine." She lied through her teeth.

And her stomach rumbled in disapproval.

She heard him walk over towards the bed and from the shadow cast against the wall, she saw him take his shirt off.

She stiffened once again.

He must have heard her because he apologized again. "I’m sorry. You need privacy."

And then he proceeded to leave the room, but she found herself going after him.

In a matter of seconds she had taken long strides to where he stood.

She caught his hand without thinking and pulled him back.

"You don’t need to go." She said quickly. "It’s your bedroom. If there is anyone who needs to go it should be me."

He looked at where her hand had caught his and then she very quickly withdrew it.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

Her heart was racing.

Why was she so tensed?

She had been around him so many times?

They had even conceived a child together!

So why was she so tensed about being around him?

He gave a cocky grin. "Nanny Nia would have me hung on the gates of the pack if she finds out you slept elsewhere."

She felt a bit disappointed.

He didn’t want her to stay because he was worried about her wellbeing.

But rather he was worried about what Nanny Nia would do to him.

And then she wanted to slap her head.

Why was she so worried about what he thought of her?

He was the reason why she lost their child.

End of story.

"You aren’t well either." He added.

"I’m fine." She mumbled turning her back on him and walking back to where the dresser was.

She sat on the chair and resumed brushing her hair.

"You can stay." She insisted.

She told herself that she didn’t care whether he stayed or didn’t.

And even if he did, it won’t have any effect on her.

He walked back to where he had been standing and then she felt a sense of guilt.

Was she being rude?

She shook her head.

And then she remembered Anna.

She hated to ask, but considering the state she had been, she had to ask.

"How is Anna?" She asked.

"She is more stable." She heard him say.

His best dark voice made her tummy twist.

She shook her head fervently.

"What was wrong with her?" Jasmine asked trying to focus on the question she had.

He was quiet for a while before. "The Castle healer said she was going feral."

Jasmine blinked.

Exactly what Hildegard and Nanny Nia had said.

"It’s when a wolf tries to reject its own body." He explained.

"I know what it means." Jasmine snapped. And the she took in a deep breath.

She was feeling overwhelmed and acting nothing like her self. "Why did it happen?"

She thought he was going to ignore her for being rude to him but he surprised her by speaking up.

"I don’t know." He said. "It usually makes someone go insane. Lose their mind because their wolf and the unshifted body would be at each other’s throats. One wanting to stay while the other wanting to leave. It’s almost always fatal."

Jasmine paused.

Almost always fatal?

"But when she was examined, it was as though nothing had happened. Like her body had stopped fighting and just accepted its wolf." He said. "I’ve seen cases of feral wolves. And they have never survived. Anna..... it’s like a miracle. As though she had been touched by the goddess."

Touched by the goddess?

Jasmine chewed on her bottom lip.

Did it have any connection to do with her touching her?

The exact same moment she had touched Anna, it had stopped almost immediately.

Jasmine looked down at her small hands.

Was it her?

She shook her head.

That was absolutely ridiculous.

Anna had always had a nack for being extremely lucky perhaps this was one of those moments.

"Anyways." He said as she heard him seat on the bed. "She is resting now. By tomorrow she should be in much better shape."

She heard him begin to take off his boots and then a knock came in.

Jasmine was startled.

"Who is it?" Xaden backed.

"Maids my lord." Came a tiny female voice.

"Come in." He said and then the door opened.

The exact same girls who had come in to bring the food and water returned.

They all curtseyed and their eyes were fixated on Xaden.

Jasmine unfortunately knew that look.

"We came to change the bath water my lord." The girls greeted.

"Of course." He said with a wave of his hand dismissing them.

They went off to the bathroom and fetched the dirty bath water she had used.

Soon she began to heat splashing of water in the bathtub as they poured in new hot water.

"Thank you." Jasmine said to them.

But they barely even looked at her.

Their eyes were stamped on Xaden.

She felt the anger in her begin to grow.

"Would that be all my lord?" One of the girls asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

They looked disappointed and the one who seemed to be their leader hurried to Xaden’s side of the bed.

"My lord may I help you with your boots." She said.

Jasmine watched in horror as the girl with a massive cleavage knelt down on her feet and began to undo Xaden’s boots even before she was given approval.

The girl flashed the other maids a warning sign and they reluctantly left.

Jasmine’s face went red with fury.

Once the serving girl was done, Xaden said a. "Thank you."

Jasmine aware he was shirtless and only had his pair of pants on was filled with jealousy.

The girl very seductively said. "My Lord may I give you your bath."