MALIA’S POV
In no time, she helped me with my hair and also even went as far as dolling me up. No words were exchanged between us but the tension that hung in the air was extremely weighing me down.
There was something in her mind, just the way I had something in mine but what could possibly make her this tense when I was the one going for the breakfast and she had no business with it?
I didn’t know if it was just me overthinking everything but she worked with so much carefulness around me. It was almost as if I was some sort of ticking time bomb that she was scared to mess with on it wrong side.
We continued like that for a while but when I got fed up with everything, I spoke out.
“You know I told you I don’t bite, I still can’t get the reason why you are so tense and look like you want to run away from here at any chance you get” I eyed her through the mirror and she immediately put her head down.
“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to. It’s just….. its….”
“What?” lacking that much amount of patience, I ceased the words from her mouth immediately.
“It’s nothing, I will stop with that habit” She tried to wave away the whole conversation but what she failed to know was I was more experienced in reading people’s expressions than listening to them.
She was hiding something.
“You are not ending this here, there is something you are hiding and I need you to come out clean and tell me. Like I said, I won’t punish you for anything” I requested firmly, not leaving any room for argument.
“It’s just…. the Alpha. He has a mistress whom he is planning to make his Luna in the coming week. So I was just finding it hard to come to terms with the relationship he is trying to create with you”
From confusion to deeper confusion, my thoughts fell. I failed to completely comprehend what she had just said. I know he had a mistress who he is to make his Luna. I met her once and I never want to meet her again. But the part where she had the two of us and relationship in the same sentence, that I did not understand.
“Relationship?” I questioned. “Can you tell me what sort of relationship he is trying to build with me?” I tried to keep my voice calm.
“Everyone that knows Alpha Ryder knows that he doesn’t have any form of interest in women and never associates with any, apart from her. So the fact that he came back to the pack with one, and not only gave her a room but is also asking her to come for a breakfast date in his room”
Her words made so much sense. Why would he be doing all of these when he had someone by his side already? Does that mean that he was interested in me and wanted to cheat on his Luna?
I shook my head vigorously to get rid of that thought the moment it got into my head. There was no way he was doing that, he just saved me and happened to take pity on me. And even if there is more to this than he was letting out, I am not going to ever do that to someone. I will never be like Victoria.
“These are all misconceptions…..” I began but she cut me off quite broadly.
“He bought you a special gown for just breakfast? Now that is no misconception.” She responded.
“I…. you have a point” Now I was the one to stutter. “What if I don’t wear the gown. I will go for breakfast because I certainly cannot refuse the call of an Alpha, but I can go in whatever I want. That won’t be a cause to worry” I tried to water down the heat.
I do not want a crisis with anyone. I have just arrived here and want to refrain from any act that would get me into trouble. Especially not with the Pack’s future Luna or anyone around for that matter.
“That won’t be such a bad idea. I want you to just stay away from her. Anything that will result in you being on her bad side, I want you to work well in avoiding it. You seem like a very good maiden so I wouldn’t want you to be hurt out of oblivion. Stay away from her”
Her words made me wonder and wanted to ask, who was this woman and what could she do. But I refrained from doing that. The information wasn’t going to help me in any way and the most important thing was for me to just stay away from her man.
“Thank you for the piece of advice, I will definitely do well in sticking to it. I will go and meet him just this once and I will make it clear to him that whatever he wants isn’t going to be possible due to his wife or whatever. That is alright?”
“That will be the absolute right thing to do” She nodded with a genuine smile as if she had just managed to save me from a near-dead experience.
Her words were the end of our conversation and we allowed ourselves to be engulfed in silence while she put in the last touches on my face and hair.
Instead of the glamorous dress that lay on the bed, I opted for a brown one from my closet. It was simple, plain, and not for any special event.
We finished just in time for me to step out and follow behind her toward what was supposed to be the Alpha’s wing. As we strolled, I hoped and wished on the moon goddess that we don’t run into his mistress when in his wing. I couldn’t afford any form of misunderstanding.
And oh, I hope he doesn’t get riled up when his instructions are bridged.