5. “I was never dreaming.”

Ava’s POV

“You are not supposed to be in here” the figure said and I felt my blood run cold. I quickly scrambled to my feet, as I tried to maintain a good posture.

The figure walked into the room and I realized it was Beta Kieran. Why him of all people?

His gaze went over my shoulder before he looked at me again, “What are you doing here?” He asked sternly.

“I….I got lost” I lied as I avoided his eyes. He scoffed quietly as he walked past me towards the portraits. 

He stared at it for a while before looking back at me, “Did you touch it?” He asked and I shrugged. 

“It was an accident” 

“Hmm. Your arm” he started but I instinctively tucked it behind my back.

“I’m fine.” His eyes narrowed as he stared at me with an expression I couldn’t read, then he sighed.

“Come with me” he said as he held my hand.

He led me out of the room and back into the courtyard and before I could think it through the words blurted out of my mouth.

“What happened that night?” I asked as I stared at him.

He let go of my hand as he turned back at me “Nothing happened”

“Then why did I pass out?”

“You were beaten up, did you forget that?” He asked and I nodded.

“I know that, but there’s more than you are letting on” I said back and a tiny bit of shock flashed through his eyes before it disappeared like it was never there.

“Believe what you want” he said as he stepped closer to me and I instinctively moved back.

“I know something happened in that room, and I’m going to make you admit it” he said with a serious expression written all over his face. I gulped hard as I stared back at him, my fingers gripping the hem of my gown tightly and he noticed.

A soft smile appeared on his lips as he stepped backwards, “Haven’t anyone told you that curiosity kills the cat?”

I gulped hard as he winked at me before leaving. I stared at his retreating figure for a while as I tried to steady my breathing and process what happened in that room.

What was that? That painting……. I shrugged the thought out of my mind as I walked back to the dinning hall. The moment I stepped inside, Tina ran up to me as she threw her hands on me.

“Where did you go?” 

“I…. I got lost” I said back as I stepped backwards.

“You got lost?” Elina asked with a raised brow as she walked towards us.

“Uh….yeah” I said back as I avoided their eyes.

“Don’t scare us like that again” Tina said and I gave her a small smile.

Elina stared at me for a while before sighing,“Come on, the dinner is about to start” Elina said and I nodded.

*****

After a while, the doors to the dining hall slowly opened, and the air instantly shifted. Alpha Alaric walked in first, then Beta Kieran next, closely followed by Lord Lucian. 

The chatter among the servants immediately died down as everyone lowered their heads in respect to the three of them. My fingers tightened on the wine bottle in my hand as my heartbeat grew louder. 

Madam Rhea cleared her throat loudly as she gave us a sinister look and we immediately started serving.

Lyra served the food, while Elina and I served the drinks because Tina was too scared to move. As I poured the wine into Beta Kieran’s glass I could feel his eyes on me but I avoided it, and moved to serve Alpha Alaric.

He sat quietly as he took a sip of his water, leaving tiny droplets on his lip and I gulped hard as I stared at him, he noticed my staring and turned towards me but I immediately looked down as I poured wine into his glass, my hands slightly touching his as he reached for his cutlery and something in me stirred up from his touch. Before I could fully register it he pulled his hands away, and the feeling disappeared.

“So, is she worth it?” Lord Lucian asked as he stared at Alpha Alaric.

“Just settling the old man’s debt” Alpha Alaric replied without looking up from his food.

I moved away from Alpha Alaric, as I went towards Lord Lucian to pour him his glass.

“Still though,…..is an omega really worth it?” He asked, and I immediately became intrigued by their conversation.

Omega? Debt? Are they talking about me?

Alpha Alaric was about to reply to him but I got distracted by their conversation and accidentally spilled wine on Lord Lucian.

A loud gasp erupted in the dinning hall as everyone looked at me. 

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry Lord Lucian” I said in fear as I tried to wipe his sleeve with a towel.

“It’s okay” he said as he looked at me, his eyes moving to my forearm for a second and I realized my sleeve had gone up, and I instinctively dragged it down as I apologized one more time.

“Ava!” Lyra screamed as she rushed towards me as she took my hand.

“I’m so sorry Lord Lucian, she’s new here, please forgive her” Lyra pleaded as she looked down and he nodded.

“It’s okay it’s just wine” he said again as he wiped his sleeve.

“I can take it from here Ava” Lyra said as she gestured me to leave I nodded as I bowed my head again before leaving.

The farther I walked away from the table the more I could feel a pair of eyes staring at me but I couldn’t tell who it was then I heard it again.

The low growl that haunted me.

“Grrrrr…… Mate…..” then I realized, I was never dreaming.