Chapter 7: A Ghost

ALEXANDER

Slowly, I descended the staircase and saw my father climbing up. He didn’t say a word as he walked past me, and I lowered my gaze.

I tightened my grip on my gown. After seeing the disgust in the maids’ eyes when they finished preparing me, all the confidence and excitement I had felt about wearing a new dress and shoes vanished.

“Let’s go,” Alpha Damon said.

I lifted my head and saw two figures ahead of me—Alpha Damon and Lucky. I had known Lucky for years. It was rumored that he was an abandoned child the late king had taken in. Some people even speculated that Lucky was one of the late king’s sons, a child he had refused to acknowledge publicly. But what interested me most about Lucky was his relationship with my sister, Tracy.

Ever since he began visiting our house with Alpha Damon, I had caught him several times whispering to Tracy in the dark.

“What are you thinking about?” Alpha Damon’s voice cut through my thoughts. He sounded irritated and impatient.

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked around. The guards at the main entrance were gone. My father must have sent them away. Then I looked at Alpha Damon’s handsome face and found myself imagining what it would be like to see that face first thing in the morning.

“Get in the carriage. You’re wasting our time, Alexander,” Alpha Damon said. The annoyance on his face was obvious, and he looked furious.

I climbed into the carriage and was immediately fascinated by it. The seats were covered in soft fabric, carefully made from the fur of some animal—I thought perhaps sheep. I ran my fingers over it, and my lips curved slightly.

“Beautiful,” I muttered in admiration.

Lucky laughed.

I turned to look at Alpha Damon. His face was expressionless, his eyes cold, and his lips pressed into a tight line. I could see the displeasure in his gaze. The ride was filled with a suffocating silence, and I quickly shrank into a corner, stealing subtle glances at the carriage’s interior, not daring to make it obvious.

When we arrived at the palace, Alpha Damon instructed the butler, “Take her to her room. Treat her as my wife.”

Then he waved us off. I could sense the impatience in both his voice and the dismissive motion of his hand. Keeping my eyes lowered to the floor, I quietly followed the butler.

After leading me to my room, the butler said, “Make yourself comfortable. Dinner will be prepared soon, and someone will come to inform you and escort you to the dining hall.”

I sat on the bed and looked around. Then I got to my feet, walked into the bathroom, and freshened up. When I returned, I threw myself onto the bed, spreading out my arms and legs as I exhaled in relief. The softness of the mattress relaxed me instantly.

My thoughts drifted to the future. Now that I had been given a room twice the size of the one I used to have, excitement bloomed in my chest. I let myself hope for a better life. Rolling over on the bed, I found myself thinking that maybe Alpha Damon would not treat me cruelly.

Eventually, I got up and opened the wardrobe. The beautiful dresses hanging inside were stunning, and for a moment, I was completely captivated. I reached out and pulled one free, but the moment I saw the size, I knew it was not mine. My mood immediately soured because I already knew who they belonged to.

Alpha Damon must have carefully chosen them for Tracy himself. He must have believed his bond with her was already set in stone. A self-deprecating chuckle slipped past my lips. I had been foolish enough to daydream that he might one day be attentive to me. But bringing me home at all was already more kindness than I had expected.

Just then, a voice called loudly from behind the door. “Your Majesty, may this humble servant be granted entry into your room?”

I froze, unsure of how to respond. When I finally snapped out of my shock, I said, “Please, come in.”

The door opened, and the butler stepped inside. Bowing his head, he said, “Your Majesty, dinner is ready. I will escort you to the dining hall.”

At the mention of dinner, my sour mood vanished at once, replaced by excitement. My steps turned light and eager as I replied with enthusiasm, “Please.”

I caught the flicker of surprise on the butler’s face. Clearly, he had not expected me to agree so readily. Without another word, he turned and led me out of the room and into the palace corridor. My eyes widened as I took in the towering pillars, the grand curtains, the murals painted across the walls, and the statues standing in silent elegance. Even the broad doorways seemed to possess a life of their own. The palace had been designed so delicately and magnificently that it nearly stole the breath from my lungs.

The moment I stepped into the dining hall, the rich aroma of food filled the air. My nose twitched, my mouth watered, and I swallowed over and over in anticipation. A lavish spread of dishes covered the table, and the fruits in particular caught my attention—some of them I had never tasted before.

The butler must have noticed my reaction because he said lightly, “Go ahead and eat.”

I paid no attention to his tone or the expression on his face. I hurried to sit down and took a large bite of the fruit that had first caught my eye. Then I reached for a well-cooked chicken leg, lifted it to my lips, and bit into it eagerly. I ate with pure relish. It tasted incredible.

“Mm… mm…” I murmured as I gnawed on the meat.

Then, in the middle of eating, I felt it—a gaze fixed intensely on me.

I looked up.

Alpha Damon was staring at me as though he had just seen a ghost.