CHAPTER THIRTY TWO ROXANNE I watched Ryker intently as he removed the cuffs. “I'm sorry,” I whispered. He didn't answer me though. He just kept removing the shackles that restricted my movement and I couldn’t be more grateful. “You were having a nightmare,” he pointed out.I nodded shyly, embarrassed that I had slapped the Alpha Lord. I was getting closer to my death. Closer than I imagined.“Were you just watching?” I ask as I try to shield my chest, uncomfortably aware of how damp my clothes were from sweat. “I was coming to check on you and you looked like you were ready to break out of those so I came in. It's none of my business really, I just didn't want you hurting yourself.”“This is the hundredth time that you've checked on me since you kept me in this room,” I said flatly. “That's because I can hear whatever noise you make. You don't have to be so lousy you know!”I nodded, “Heavy on peace and quiet eh?”“Hang in there,” he murmured as he helped me sit up.I rolled my e
CHAPTER THIRTY THREEROXANNE “Good morning Ma'am and this is your breakfast tray,” An handsome man said as he placed the tray on the bedside chest.“Oh my days. Are you real?” I whisper as I reach out to touch his cheek.“Um err yes ma'am,” he said as he stepped away from me, bewilderment evident on his face as he watched me.Screw Ryker. Who knew he had gorgeous people up here and he had been hoarding them.“You're beautiful, almost surreal,” I said to him and I could see him go pink in the nose.Talk about them, the sorts of people you bite on their lips and they feel the pleasure in their neck instead. Now I'm not even judging.“Thank you ma'am.”“Nah those credits have to go to your mom or something. Not me. I stated the obvious,” I said.I took the tray that was covered in all sorts of beautiful foods and held it close to me. My eyes welled up with tears as I gazed at all the meals that seemed to have been made by Artemis herself.It felt good to perceive good food again and by
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR ROXANNE “You again,” I blurted out before I could stop myself as I opened the door to reveal the cute man from yesterday. “Do you have a problem with it Ma'am?” He asked as he watched me. I smiled softly , “No I don't. What…Your…Um…I can swear I remember the first alphabet. It's an M right. The problem is I can see it in my head but I can't just remember.” He chuckled. “It's Miles.” “Ah, thank you!” I whispered gratefully. “I forgot.” “It's okay. Are you ready for your tour?” He asked. I shifted uncomfortably in my dress and nodded reluctantly. “Although I'd rather stay in bed and shut myself from the world, but of course the Alpha would remind me of how irresponsible I am.” Miles smiled at me. It was a genuine smile. “See, Alpha Ryker is really hard working so sluggishness irks him. He's hard on everyone. He likes when everyone is busy, you know?” I nodded. “Ma'am there's a towel on your head.” I froze and quickly removed it before closing the door of
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVERYKERI scrutinised her for a while as I mulled over her request, contemplating if I was going to give in or not. I wasn't the man who asked for time to make decisions.Before I leave a room, my mind is made up.“So what do you say?” She asked as she fiddled with the hem of her dress.I shrugged. “You don't have the strength. You look as though your hand can be snapped in two , with a tight grip.”She licked her bottom lip and I stared against my will. “You don't want to know what these hands can do, Alpha. They handle knives, pens, guns, every weapon. Just name it.”“One can't have a proper conversation without you bringing in your murder instincts?” I asked.She pulled out a bag of chips from her drawer.“That's because I can't do half of what I say, trust me.”“Says the woman that stabbed someone to death with a fork.”“You say it as though it's the first new thing to happen.” She muttered.I stared at her dumbfounded. Why did she make it sound casual? “Roxanne
CHAPTER THIRTY SIXRYKERShe took in ragged breaths and pushed back her hair from her face. She had just showered and the scent of vanilla filled my nostrils. Perhaps it was her shampoo but it smelled like what could be eaten.She pulled her legs up to her chest. “My parents were really good. I don't know about how they treated the people. I was quite young then.”“But I know they loved my brother and I a lot and they taught us to look out for each other.”I nodded as I listened, scared to interrupt for she might stop talking. “Zane loved me a lot. I would show him all my dumb paintings and drawings and he would tell me that's the most creative thing he had ever seen,” she chuckled and stared into space as though the memories had come flooding back.“I was neve scared. I had my big brother around and no one dared bully me but yes I was weak. I've always been weak. I couldn't do what kids younger than me were doing. It was that bad. But Zane told me it was because I was young that whe
CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN KARAI smiled to myself as I collected my parcel from the mailman. It was a long wait but it was worth it. Everything inside this box contained things that would help me in the future.I turned around and was about to slip into the house the exact way I had come out when Fabiola blocked my way again. I sighed in exasperation.Why did it feel like deja vu?“Listen, since you've made it your specialty to block my path, would you at least help with the parcel. It's quite heavy, you know.”She scoffed and eyed me. “Picking up the Alpha’s letter again, I presume?”I beamed at her, “that's right. And if you'll excuse me I have to take this up to him.”“By up to him you mean up to our room and under your bed yeah?” She asked, crossing her arms defensively on her chest.My arms were growing heavy and I needed to get away because the guards appeared, I'll be dead. “Fabiola, you'll have to excuse me,” I said. “I need to get this to the Alpha.”“You are such a godforsaken l
CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT ROXANNE The events of the past days weighed upon me like a ton of bricks. I was grateful for the past few days though. Maids woke me up and served me. It was so unreal. Months back that used to be me. Running helter-skelter trying to get work done but it was better here. They spoke to themselves but not to me and although they did stare at me, I never really heard anyone talk about me.I still found it hard to adjust. I was probably never going to get used to this place but one thing I was getting used to was not being accepted. The Alpha refused to see me for days now and I stopped going to see him too. He was a busy man. And for Beta Miles, he was hardly ever present. He and the Alpha were the only people I spoke to.I stared at the pancakes on my plate. I couldn't eat them all. I was hungry but not for something sweet. Dragging myself out of bed, I forced myself to the bathroom. The one place I detested a lot. Yes I wasn't one of those morning people but I
CHAPTER THIRTY NINE ROXANNE My gut twisted and my heart raced as I reluctantly turned around to be met head on with Ryker. His demeanor was as frigid as the winter wind and his voice sliced through the air like a blade. His red eyes burned— like they did when he was furious. “What do you think you're doing?” He demanded, his tone laced with fury.Tears streamed down my cheeks as I tried to comprehend his question. What did he mean? Was it about the blood staining my clothes, or the tree that was ablaze behind me? “I'm soaked in blood,” I whimpered, my voice trembling. “Can't you see? Look— the tree—it's burning, but the birds…”“Stop it!” Ryker snapped, his voice cutting through mine like a whip as the murmurs swirled around us.The whispers once distant, now roared in my ears. My eyes swept over the growing crowd and dread crept over me. My worst nightmare unfolded— ridiculed, humiliated. “Stop,” I yelled, trying to drown out their jeers. “The tree’s burning and I'm drenched in b