Red Riding Hood

Overthinking Again

Cassidy's POV

When the king assigned me the room beside Alex's, I had been ecstatic. But when I looked at him, he was frowning. Did he not want that too? I worried at my bottom lip.

I was shown to my room. The queen-sized bed felt like a huge chasm in the centre of the room. Whatever. I sighed noisily and went to brush my teeth. After washing up, I realised I didn't have any pyjamas. Well s**t. Now I have to go ask Alexander for some. And he doesn't want to see me.

I could sleep in my current clothes, but I doubt I would get comfortable enough to even fall asleep. I'll just pop my head in, ask for some pyjamas and that's it. I won't even go in.

"Alex? Could I... borrow some pyjamas please?" I asked. Yes, that was nice and polite, he shouldn’t have any reason to refuse.

Alex looked at me. “Aren't you coming in?" He asked.

Stuttering, I replied, "No?"

He frowned. "Come get it if you want it." He said, pulling a pair of pyjama bottoms from a chest of drawers.

Oh hell. "Never mind. I'll just sleep in my clothes. Okay, bye!" I slammed the door shut and when back to my room. Why would he say ‘no’? Weren’t we at least friends? What the hell was that about? I was working myself up thinking about this.

I sighed. Guess I'll just sleep in my clothes then.

I pulled the covers over my head; the door opened just a sliver.

"Cassidy?" Alex's voice called out softly. "I have the pyjamas if you still want it." He paused. "I was just playing earlier..."

I nodded. "Yeah thanks, just leave it on the chair over there."

Confused, he asked, "Did I do something?"

"Who said anything was wrong? Is something wrong?" I asked, trying to ignore the pounding of my heart.

"I don't know. Your heartbeat is really fast. I know you're lying Cass," he said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I didn’t. I felt I was overthinking everything again. The mattress dipped as Alex sat beside my lump of blankets. 

“If you tell me to go away,” he whispered. “I will.”

Shifting under the covers, I exhaled. "Am I annoying?" I worried.

“Not at all.” The mattress moved again, and Alex and I were lying side by side, separated by the thick layer of blanket. “Do you think I’m annoying?”

“No, of course not. But,” I paused.

“But what?”

“But I always think too hard about everything, except before I speak. You would know, you’ve seen it!”

Alex huffed in amusement. “Yeah, I have. I like you. And if you like me back, does it really matter?”

The stinging in my eyes receded at that. “Guess not,” I whispered.

I huddled under the covers, pressing my burning face against the sheets. Alex was sweet. I peeked out. His eyes were closed even as he faced me on his side. 

“Can I have the pyjamas now?”

His eyes slid open and he grinned. “Can I join you under there?”

I rolled my eyes and slid out of bed to grab the pyjamas draped across the armchair. Locking myself in the bathroom, I splashed water on my flushed cheeks before changing. 

“Get in,” I told Alex as I crawled back into bed. I hid my smirk when he pumped his fist and eagerly joined me, pulling me bodily into his arms. It took a while; I eventually relaxed enough to find his hold comfortable. But I couldn’t sleep.

“Cass,” he murmured. His palm dragging warm lines between my chest and my belly. “What is it?” 

I bit my lip. "Why did you frown when your Father said I had the room next to yours?"

He furrowed his brows against the back of my neck. I sighed. He tightened his arms.

"Cass, sweetheart. Believe me when I say this. I want you all the time. I frowned because my wolf wants you too."

"I don't understand," I said in confusion.

"My wolf wants to mate you," he said. "And I promised you, I would only do that on our wedding night."

"Oh." Oh.

"I can smell arousal, by the way.”

I blushed hotly and thanked the gods I wasn’t facing him.

“You smell good.”

“Thanks.”

My eyebrows raised when his chest vibrated against my back. 

“Are you purring?”

There was silence.

“You are sweet.”

Alex purred again. I wriggled around to face him and cupped his pink cheeks. He watched me; eyes half-lidded in the moonlight. I pulled him in for a chaste kiss, one hand pressed against the gentle rumbling in his chest. My sweet Prince.