Second method

Alex's POV

I halted, waiting for her to break the silence, but she remained wordless, fixating her gaze on me.

Sighing, I completed the blood cleanup, the once-white cloth now drenched with crimson. Trusting it to be effective, I disposed of it in a plastic bag, then donned my robe.

Wiping away the residual blood from the countertop, I squeezed the cloth in the sink. I sensed her eyes on me as I worked, and when I glanced at her through my peripheral vision, she was watching me.

"You need a shower, and then we'll assess your walking. It needs to be convincing that we really mated," I stated without direct eye contact, disposing of the napkin I'd used to clean up the less useful blood.

She attempted to descend from the countertop, but her legs gave way, crippled by her injury, and I caught her before she hit the floor.

Her hands held me for support as she winced, and I could tell that she was in pain.

"Take it slow, young lady, so you won't hurt yourself again," I advised, cradling her