The War God Alpha’s Arranged Bride Novel - Chapter 263

---- Chapter 263 [Evelyn's POV] Every muscle in my body had gone still. Not a single breath of air passed through my lungs as | stared back at Alexander in awe. My voice was too low for even myself to hear. "What...? You... You love me?" The air thickened around us, making me feel as though I'd just stepped into an overly surreal setting. | was frightened that | was going to somehow find myself waking up out of a dead sleep, only to find that this had all been just a dream. But everything about it was far too real to be mistaken.

Alexander moved closer to where | could smell the alluring scent of his cologne. | felt the calloused pads of his finger play at the exposed side of my face and the very edge of the mask. He was real. Everything around us was real which meant that even the words he'd uttered were real too. There was a glint in his eyes as he spoke. "Yes, | do." He lowered his hands to rest on my hips. "I should have told you that before, | know." ---- "To tell you the truth," | started shakily. "I think part of me knew that you did. | felt it every time you touched me. It's just that.

With these scars, | was afraid you wouldn't feel that way toward me anymore." Alexander gave me a chastising look, making me feel all the more embarrassed about my earlier assumptions. "There is nothing that could make me stop the way | feel about you," he said firmly. "Evelyn...Will you please take off the mask?" | sucked in a tremulous breath and hesitated before ultimately nodding my head. Taking a step back, | reached behind my head to undo the ties. | kept my gaze low on the floor as | slowly removed the mask.

My heart was pounding so fiercely, | could have sworn that | heard all of the blood rushing to my head. | clamped my eyes shut. The room had fallen silent which only made my nerves panic further. Alexander hadn't made a single sound. Instead, he curled his finger under my chin and tipped my head up. "Open your eyes," he said. "Look at me." | blinked back the blurriness in my eyes and searched his face for any trace of discouragement. | found none. No, much to my great surprise, Alexander cupped my cheeks and pulled me ---- closer for a better look.

He ever so lightly ghosted his fingers over the rough mended skin. "Does it hurt?" he asked. "Sometimes," | answered. "It tends to be a bit sore in the morning and when | get out of the shower." "And the nightmares?" he inquired. "Are they every night like mine?" This had me pulling back to get a better look at him. My brows lifted in shock. "You're having nightmares too?" Oh God...I've really been horrible. If | hadn't persistently pushed everyone away, | would have known that Alexander wasn't doing well. | would have noticed it at meals had | been brave enough to show up for them: "Yeah.