I Live by Rules

Sasha

“I have some rules,” He finally says. After hours of silence, I slept for a few hours and woke up at first light. This place is so far from my pack.

 I shift my attention to him so that I hear his rules. I have lived by the rules all my life.

Never speak unless you are spoken to. Never eat it unless it’s given. It’s always been about rules, so I know how to live by them.

“When we get to the palace. I will introduce you as my wife. Do you understand what that means?” he asks, of course, I know what it is. I have always prayed to the moon goddess to give me one, and he never came. Maybe because I was wolfless, I didn’t know who it was.

 “You will live in a separate room and have access to the entire palace, but you will stay away from my side of the building. Are we clear?”

“How will I know which one is the side of the house?” I ask.

“It’s on the second floor. The entire floor is mine. You are to stay away from all my men. I don’t want you looking in their way,” he goes on, and I nod my head, same rules as my father, so it won’t be difficult.

“When I call, you answer,” He adds. I didn’t know what he meant by that, so I just nodded my head. Father had similar rules. Except if I took a long time, he would hit me.

“You will not touch me unless I tell you.” He asked, and I nodded my head. I don’t know why he doesn’t want to be touched, but I don’t plan on touching him. The man scares the hell out of me.

“Do you have questions?” he asks me. My heart starts to race as I stare at him blankly. I don’t know if I should ask him. What if he doesn’t like my questions?

“Sasha?”

“I’m sorry.” I lower my gaze, playing with my fingernails. He growls and then curses again. ‘Questions?”

“No. I have no questions.”

Lies.

 I have so many questions I want to ask him. Things I would like to know about all this, but I keep quiet. I want to know if he married me there or if it was some kind of contract he signed with my father so I could be a breeder for him.

He is an alpha king and a lycan, on the other hand. I am a wolfless omega.

Does he know? Did my father tell him that? I don’t bother asking him, so I just keep to myself when we drive through the streets. I can’t help but stare at how people seem so free and happy in the capital.

I have never been here but always wanted to come. To see how people lived here. They don’t abide by rules like ours, so I was curious, but my father never took me anywhere with him.

My eyes go up to the tall building in front of me. It’s about ten times bigger than our pack house with enormous windows. I can’t help but stare. My heart was racing. I had never seen such an enormous building in my entire life, or maybe that’s because I was never allowed to leave the pack.

Taylor gets down from the driver’s seat and opens the door for me. Cassian is already making his way towards the pack house. I pull on my dress, rushing after him when a piercing pain strikes my hip again.

I fight back the tears, then continue running after him. I want to shout at him, but I don’t want to make him upset. He is a king. I can’t shout at him. I know better.

He disappeared into the house, and I stood there, not sure where to go. On both sides are just corridors with doors.

I looked behind me, and Taylor didn’t follow me inside. I stand there, not sure what to do. My heart is racing, and my palms are getting sweaty. Oh, I am going to be in trouble. How will I find him now? My eyes sting as I purse my lips together.

Pick a side, Sasha. Which way will you go? I ask myself, heart racing. I have never had to make choices. Everything was made for me already. Even which doors or routes I used back home were designated.

My eyes sting as I hold tight to my dress.

On the right is a hallway that leads to where the loud voices are coming from, and left, there’s what looks like an elevator, then next to it is the staircase.

Oh, goddess, help me.

“Sasha?” Cassian calls, coming out of the door from the left near the elevator. “You follow me.”

“I’m sorry... You were…” I stutter but stop. I can’t tell him he was walking so fast. It’s like I am blaming him.

“I just got lost.”

“I will show you to your room. Let’s go,” he says monotone, and I follow him up the staircase. My hip is in pain, but I don’t want to complain.

We pass the first floor and then head up to another floor. He continues going up to the second floor. I look back, wondering, didn’t he say this entire floor was his alone? He makes a turn and then continues walking down the hallway to the furthest room.

He pushes the door open and then walks in. “This will be your room. You are free to do whatever you want,” he says as I hold on to the bag I came with. It’s a vast room, with a four-poster bed that looks so comfortable with white sheets covering it.  

“I will let you change, then someone will bring you something to eat,” he says, then turns on his heel, about to walk away.

“Your Grace?” I called after him before he could leave.

“Thank you,” I say, trying to plaster a smile on my face. He hasn’t hurt me so far, so I guess I should at least thank him for being kind to me so far.

“No need to thank me. I told you I am not a good man. Freshen up. I need to speak to you later,” he says, then closes the door.

I sigh heavily, looking at the room. I have never had a chance to sleep on a proper bed, and yet this man, who claims he is not a good man, gave me a bed? This is better than home.