I'M SORRY.

Roxanne's POV

I woke up to the soft glow of light streaming through the slightly opened curtains. The warmth and the softness of the bed was completely different from the cold, damp dungeon I had been in just hours ago. Who was I kidding? That cold and hard ground can never be compared to this bed in any way!

My poor body still aches from the harshness of the dungeon ground and my mind was filled with nothing but the weight of everything that had happened to me just within a short period of time.

First it was Ethan's rejection and now, it was Alpha Alejandro. I must be a cursed woman! I must have gone against the moon goddess in my past life to warrant all of these bad things that keep happening to me.

I MUST BE CURSED!

“Come on, Roxanne, don't say that. You are not cursed, neither have you gone against the moon goddess in any way!” Zoey chided me in a soft tone, but I shook my head. I can't be made to believe otherwise. I was cursed. If I wasn't, then bad things wouldn't be happening to me over and over again.

All of a sudden, I noticed something or rather someone, that made my heart skip a beat.

An old lady sitting on the chair not so far away from the bed, watching me with a gentle smile on her face. Her silver hair was pulled back into a neat bun, and her piercing blue eyes held a warmth that immediately put me at ease, even though the situation felt... strange.

For a moment, I found myself wondering what she was doing here! How long has she been watching me? Has she been watching me as I slept?

“Who was this woman and why was she sitting there, watching me sleep?” I thought to myself as I continued to stare at her face. It felt... creepy, to say the least. But before I could say anything, she spoke up. Her voice was calm and soothing..

"Good morning, my dear," she said, her smile widening. "You looked so peaceful. I didn’t want to wake you. Go back to sleep if you’d like."

I sat up quickly, as I pulled the blanket closer to me. "No, I’m fine," I said, my voice slightly shaky. "I don’t want to sleep anymore."

The old lady’s expression softened, and she nodded understandingly. "I’m sorry if I startled you," she said. Her tone sounded apologetic. "I just wanted to check on you. My name is Kaitlyn. I’m Alejandro’s grandmother."

My eyes widened in surprise. Alejandro’s grandmother? The Matriarch of the pack? Even though I haven't seen her for once, I had heard stories about her, how she was a force to be reckoned with, how even someone as powerful and strong as Alpha Alejandro feared her wrath, because of how deadly it was. I had imagined her to be intimidating, but the woman sitting in front of me didn't seem intimidating at all.

She seemed... kind and frail. Unlike her grandson who was a beast. How could someone like her be regarded as scary when she didn't look like one in any way?

"It’s nice to meet you, ma'am," I said, my voice still hesitant. "I’m Roxanne."

The old lady nodded, her smile never wavering. "I know your name, my dear. I just wanted to meet you as soon as I heard that my unfilial grandson has found his mate. I’m so sorry for how my grandson has treated you. Throwing you into the dungeon like that, like you were a slave.. It was unacceptable. I’ve already given him a piece of my mind."

I looked down at my hands, my fingers twisting the edge of the blanket. "It’s okay," I said quietly. "I’m used to pain and rejection. This isn’t the first time."

All my life, I've been subjected to nothing but pain…. Rejection. No wonder I didn't feel dejected when Alpha Alejandro rejected me. I have learned not to ever expect too much from people, so I don't end up getting disappointed.

Mrs Kaitlyn’s brow furrowed, her expression turning concerned and confused at the same time. She walked towards my direction and sat on the bed beside me. "What do you mean, my child? What happened to you before this?"

I opened my mouth to answer, to tell her about my first mate—the one who had rejected me without a second thought just because he wanted my step sister, leaving me broken and alone. I also wanted to tell her how I've never been loved by anyone.

But before I could say anything, a knock sounded at the door, interrupting us.

“Come in!” Mrs Kaitlyn answered. The door opened, and the head maid, Lucia, stepped inside. She bowed slightly to Mrs Kaitlyn before turning to me.

"Good morning, Miss Roxanne. I’ve come to take you to breakfast. I know you’re hungry already."

Mrs Kaitlyn smiled and stood, patting my hand gently. "We’ll continue our conversation later, dear. I don’t want to keep you from your breakfast. You need your strength."

I nodded, even though I felt a strange sense of relief mixed with disappointment. Part of me wanted to tell Kaitlyn everything, to unload the weight I had been carrying for so long.

A problem shared, they say is a problem half solved, right?

But another part of me was grateful for the interruption. I wasn’t sure I was ready to open up about my past just yet. Not when I was just meeting her for the first time.

"Thank you," I said softly, glancing at the old lady. "For... everything."

She smiled warmly, her eyes filled with a kindness I hadn’t expected. "You are welcome, dear. Now, go enjoy your breakfast. We’ll talk more soon."

As soon as Mrs Kaitlyn left the room, Lucia stepped forward, holding out a hand to help me out of bed. "Come, Miss Roxanne. Let’s get you ready for the day."

I took her hands as I got out of bed. “Thank you, Lucia!”

She flashed a smile at me. “I'm so sorry for what you've been through, okay? I'm really sorry!”

I forced a smile to my face. "It's fine. It's really fine!"

She exhaled sharply. "I just wished I can tell you why Alpha Alejandro doesn't want a mate, why he's acting this way towards you!"