"What do you mean take me there?" I asked, determined not to let his woody scent or smart words deter me from getting answers this time around.
"With me. When I leave here. That was the deal we made, wasn't it?" He remarked casually as he lay the towel across one of the sofas to dry before picking up his book.
"But... but you told Alpha Adrian that...." I struggled to form any words, or thoughts, for that matter.
Alpha Evan tsked, shaking his head at me. "You, my kitten, are dumber than you look," he said, pivoting around on his heel and walking towards the bed before laying down.
His words made anger flare anew in my chest, and I glared at him.
"Think before you get catty with me," he warned before I could say anything. He then opened his book back again, going back to reading as if he hadn't just insulted me.
But, I paid heed to his words and did think before speaking this time. For the first time since the incident back at Alpha Adrian's room, I considered the possibility that what had transpired in there could have been an act. It was obvious if Alpha Evan had asked to simply buy me off of him, Alpha Adrian would've denied it like he had done in the evening. The only way he would've let me go, would be if he thought I was going to be hurt and ridiculed. And that was exactly what Alpha Evan had told Alpha Adrian he would do.
Embarrassed at having figured it out so late, I peeked at Alpha Evan from underneath my lashes. He was focused on reading, his lips moving silently as his eyes skimmed the page.
But could you really blame me? The man had given me little to no warning before doing all that he had. Not to mention, I barely knew the guy, at least not enough to trust that he wouldn't turn on me like that. Still, he had given me his word back at the lake. I should've been more trusting.
But I also knew I wasn't completely at fault here. So I wasn't going to apologise. At least not until he did first. He should've told me. And ruse or not, he hadn't treated me kindly back there. I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling awkward. "So, um, back at Alpha Adrian's room, that had all been an act?"
"And she finally figures it out. B plus for effort," he muttered dryly, still focused on his book.
"You could've told me!" I raised a finger accusingly, narrowing my eyes at him.
He raised a single brow, finally looking up. "And risk you blowing it all up with your ridiculous acting?"
I gasped, indignant. "I'll have you know, I can be a pretty good actress when need be."
"I can read you like an open book, kitten," he waved me off, as if it wasn't even worth a discussion.
It wasn't. I was the worst actress ever. But he did not need to know that. Like a kid, I huffed, folding my arms across my chest with a pout.
"As cute as you look pouting like that, I'd prefer it if you slipped under the covers or you'll probably catch a cold," he said, not once looking up from his book.
I gaped at him. I couldn't share a bed with him! My cheeks flamed at the thought. That was just....no. I couldn't do it.
"I can hear your dirty thoughts all the way from here, kitten. Get your mind out of the gutter and get in. There's plenty of space for us to sleep without even touching each other," he said with a smirk, making my cheeks heating up even more.
The man really could read me like an open book. That too without even so much as looking at me.
I sighed, slowly making my way to the other side of the bed and getting under the covers.
Then, I let out another sigh, a content one, marvelling at how soft the mattress was. It was almost as if I was floating on a cloud. I groaned softly at how good it felt as I settled deeper under the covers, loving how relaxed I felt. This was pretty much the first time I'd laid down on something this soft.
"Refrain from making such noises, kitten," came Alpha Evan's slightly strained voice as he himself settled under the covers, securing them around his waist, his book still in hand.
I froze at his words, realising a little too late what it could have sounded like. "Sorry," I squeaked out as my cheeks flamed yet again. I wasn't usually someone who blushed so much, but this man had a way of making me heat up.
He didn't say anything in reply, turning the lights off, keeping only his bedside lamp on, enough to illuminate what he was reading. "Sleep well," he muttered into the stillness of the night.
"You too," I replied, careful not to make any sounds as I turned on my side. It was because of him that I was sleeping in such comfort tonight. Or else, I would've been back at my small room on my lone cot, a shivering mess under a mound of blankets for the room I was given had no heating or electricity for that matter. Heck, I heated up water on a small stove I had for a bath in my small bathroom that had barely enough room to move around in. Tonight had been the most luxury I'd seen in my entire life. And I had Alpha Evan to thank for that.
Rolling over so I was facing him, I whispered, "Thank you, Alpha Evan."
He looked towards me, the light from the lamp illuminating his features. "What for?"
For bringing me to this room? For providing me the comfort none of my pack members had ever provided me with? For my first bath? For promising to take me away? For some reason, none of that felt like the appropriate answer. And I had a feeling I would end up crying if I tried to explain any of that. Instead, with a voice full of gratitude, I simply repeated myself, "Just thank you."
He stared me for a moment, his eyes roaming over my face before settling on my eyes. I noticed he had a habit of looking right into my eyes when he spoke. "You're welcome, Melody. Sleep now," he said before going back to his.
Hearing him say my name made me a giddy feeling bloom in my chest. I smiled to myself, for once not questioning what I was feeling and why, before closing my eyes and letting sleep take over.
***
When I woke up the next morning at the crack of dawn like I was used to, I had half expected yesterday to be a complete dream.
But it was Alpha Evan's sleeping face inches away from mine that made me realise that it all been true. I couldn't help the smile that pulled at my lips as I stared at Alpha Evan's sleeping form. This was the most peaceful I'd seen him look ever since I'd met him. There were no frown lines marring his forehead, no smirk in place. Just him and his relaxed as ever beautifully sculpted features.
"It's rude to stare, kitten," came his deep yet husky, morning voice, making me gasp.
A small, amused smile graced his features as he slowly opened his eyes. They looked clearer than ever, making me loose my train of thought momentarily.
Embarrassed at having been caught staring, I cleared my throat. "Can the guy see in his sleep or something," I muttered to myself, getting up from the bed, instantly regretting my words when I heard him chuckle. Geez, I didn't think he'd hear me.
"Go freshen up while I call for someone to bring us breakfast," he said from behind me, making me turn and look at him.
The fact that someone else would bring my breakfast was a foreign concept to me. All my life, I'd been the one bringing breakfast to others, eating leftovers only once everyone else had had their fill. So the mere thought that I would be eating just as others did was something I hadn't even considered, not even in my wildest dreams. And now that it was actually happening, I had no idea how to feel.
"This is the first time someone else is going to be bringing me breakfast," I admitted, my voice a mere whisper. For some reason, I felt as if I said it any louder, it wouldn't happen.
But I knew Alpha Evan had heard me for his gaze softened. "It's one of the many firsts I'm going to take away from you, kitten," he said, and much as I knew he could've put a double meaning twist to it, he didn't, his voice full of sincerity- a gesture I appreciated greatly.
I simply nodded at him in response before making my way towards the bathroom, hopeful that life would take a turn for the better soon.
"Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you," Raymond exclaimed as soon as I entered the kitchen and my eyes landed on him doing the dishes. I got to work doing the dishes right along with him as I filled him in on the events of last night, leaving the part about Alpha Evan being a hybrid, and finishing with how I'd had the best breakfast ever this morning. "That's.... that's unbelievable," Raymond said, his expression mimicking his words as he wiped his hands on a rag before passing it to me. I nodded in agreement, taking the rag from him and drying my hands. "I know! But after the way he has treated me last night and this morning, I think he really is going to take me with him when he leaves. I don't know how he will do it, but I know he will."Raymond seemed skeptical at best as he looked at me. "He has been behaving nicely, but you can't deny that the man is scary as fuck. What if it's just an act? What if you end up going to some place worse than here?" I contemp
"I don't have anything to wear," I all but wailed as I looked at Miss Lillian. Her deep brown eyes twinkled in amusement, the crow's feet around her eyes deepening as her perfectly shaped full lips pulled into a broad grin. "I never thought I'd see the day you went on a date.""It's not a date!" I exclaimed for the umpteenth time that night, recalling the conversation I'd had with Alpha Evan during that scrumptious lunch. "Yes. Like a date," he'd said and I'd stared at him like a fish out of water, my mouth opening and closing of it's a own accord, but no words coming out. "For real?" I'd finally managed to ask. Then, he'd smirked at me, the kind that made him look deviously handsome. "What do you think?" I'd shook my head then. Why would an Alpha take me, a good for nothing slave, on a date? It was absurd. His smirk had only deepened. "I want to show you something. Tonight. Wear something comfortable."My mind seemed to have a single track at that point. One that was focused on
"Shift," Alpha Evan told me once we made it out of the house and had walked a few steps towards the woods. "What?" Dumbfounded, I looked at him."Shift into your wolf, Melody," he explained patiently as if talking to a three year old.I squirmed a little as he looked at me, suddenly embarrassed that I couldn't shift into my wolf. "I, uh, can't," I managed to mumble."Can't? What do you mean you can't?" He asked, his voice sounding impossibly loud in the stillness of the night, making me flinch a little. "I've... I've never shifted into my wolf," I admitted softly, looking anywhere but at him, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. It truly was embarrassing. What twenty six year old werewolf hadn't ever shifted? "Why not?" Alpha Evan asked, making me look up at him. I'd expected to see disgust in his expression, maybe even amusement, but he looked completely serious, if a little curious, as he looked down at me. "I, uh, wasn't allowed to," I replied, giving him a short, wate
The light was coming from a flower I hadn't noticed before. It was a beautiful little thing, glowing a bright blue under the moonlight. I watched entranced as more and more of those bright blue flowers I hadn't noticed before in the dim moonlight began unfurling all around us. Soon enough, we were standing in a circle with blue lit up flowers all around us, casting a warm glow on the both of us. It was a beautiful sight to behold, one I couldn't help but grin at. "This is beautiful," I admitted softly, looking around at all the numerous tiny flowers glowing all around us. "It is," came Alpha Evan's even softer reply and I looked at him, only to find him already looking at me. I felt my cheeks heat up, squirming a little under his intense gaze. "What are all these flowers? I've never seen flowers that could glow like that." "They're called nocte caeruleo. Literally translating to blue night. These are a special type of flowers that glow bright blue when they bloom at the stroke
"Alpha Evan, let's not do this," I tried to cajole him, not knowing what else to do. The truth was too humiliating and painful for me to admit out loud. "I want answers, Melody," he told me, his voice stern. I closed my eyes, unable to look at him any longer. Not when I could see the worry for me and anger on my behalf shine so plainly on his face. "Please, look at me, kitten," his velvety smooth voice met my ears, making me open my eyes. The tenderness I saw in his gaze made my knees feek weak. And when he oh so gently placed his hand on my cheek, I was surprised I hadn't melted into a puddle on the ground, because that was exactly what I felt like doing right then. "Tell me what happened, baby," he murmured, his voice low, almost hypnotising. Trance like, I nodded, before I realised what he wanted me to tell him. The thought of reliving those old memories was like a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped onto me. I pulled back from his touch at once, wrapping my arms around m
"And I can't decide if that was a compliment or an insult," I couldn't help but reply, both in an effort to lighten the mood and to change the topic of discussion to something that didn't weight my heart down like a tonn of bricks. "Take it as you may," Alpha Evan shrugged, still looking at me strangely. "Stop looking at me like that," I finally said fidgeting under his thoughtful gaze.Much to my chagrin, he smirked at me. As relieved as I was that he was back to smirking, and not a volcano ready to erupt at any given moment any longer, I didn't like the way he was smirking at me either. "Like what?" He asked. "Like you can't decide if you want to wrap me in your arms and never let go or go and drown me in the nearest river," I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind, regretting it almost instantly when his smirk deepened and he stepped closer to me. "I would much prefer the first option, kitten," he said, his voice low as he stalked towards me. I couldn't help but roll
I was being dragged down the stairs to the dungeon, my frail body hitting each step with a resounding thud. I whimpered, willing myself not to let out any noise. I knew they'd only hit me more if I screamed so I didn't. Once we had reached a dingy cell, I was thrown into it unceremoniously. Too weak to get up, I simply laid there. Even breathing was a task. Then, I was suddenly being held up by my arms and tied to the silver chains mounted on the wall behind. I screamed as the silver bit into my arms, burning my flesh. I was punched in the stomach. A punishment for screaming. I didn't let out another sound, knowing it would only get me in more trouble.These men had explicit orders from my father and their Alpha that I was to be punished every time I let out a noise. "Put a sock in it, bitch," one of the soldiers spat in my face. "The Alpha will be paying you a visit soon."No sooner had he said that, Alpha Adrian's looming presence filled the small cell. He sneered at me, his gl
The next morning when I woke up, I was alone in bed. Alpha Evan was no where to be seen. I looked out through the windows off to the side, noticing that it was day outside. Panicking a little, I lunged for the bedside clock, looking for the time. It was ten in the morning. I'd slept in. Goddess, Michel was going to skin me alive if he found out I wasn't downstairs and working. I quickly flung the covers off of me, ready to bolt towards the door when my eyes fell on the plate of food lying on the table and the small note sticking out from underneath. It was the small note that made me stop in my tracks. Hurrying towards it, I picked it up, letting my eyes skim over the neat handwriting which was without a doubt Alpha Evan's. 'Do not leave before having breakfast or I'll be upset. Also, do not worry, I've already sent the message that you will be late this morning since I kept you up till late last night - E' It was almost weird how I could picture him saying all that to