MALIA’S POV
A week later…
Today, I woke up to an entirely different setting. I don’t even know what to think of it. I was awakened by the disturbing sound of what seemed to be wood being dragged on the floor. Bathed by curiosity, I slipped out of my bed and made it to the door, unlocked it only to be greeted by lots of busy servants, moving stuff and doing lots of cleaning in the room opposite mine.
At first, I asked no one a question, concluding it might just be some other rescued person or something of that nature but when the cleaning got too extreme, I had to raise a question.
“Uhm…. I see you have been doing lots of work since morning” I stopped a guard who had just dropped off some boxes in the room and was about to leave.
“Yes, we have to make everywhere as flawless as possible. Though the notice was sudden we are trying our best” He responded with a light smile, his hands folded behind him.
“You are putting so much effort into this, I will give you the credit” I raised a thumb up and he smiled and bowed curtly.
“But I have been a little bit overwhelmed by curiosity, especially when you consider the fact that the room is right opposite of mine. Do you perhaps happen to know who is moving into it?” I inquired, hoping it wasn’t something confidential for them not to let out.
“Oh, you mean you don’t know who is moving in?” He exclaimed like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Unfortunately” I deadpanned not understanding why he was overreacting. “I was here just a few months ago and I might have missed out on centuries of information, pardon me” I replied sarcastically.
“Oh Goodness sorry about that, I wasn’t aware that you were not a part of the pack before. Well, this room had been the Alphas for decades but he moved into the other part of the palace for some personal purposes, now he is coming back here, thus the cleaning and refurbishing” He elaborated.
“Ryder” I coughed awkwardly. “You mean Alpha Ryder?” I asked.
“Yes. Now if you will excuse me, I have lots of things to do” He was off before he even finished speaking.
“Thank you” I don’t know if he heard that and I didn’t care to confirm. I turned around and headed back straight to my room without any form of reluctance.
Why on earth will he, all of a sudden decide to come back here? Right opposite of me when I have spent my entries trying around here trying very hard to avoid him. Now that we have rooms facing each other, that might be practically impossible.
And like a flash, it clicked into my head. The first day I arrived here, I remembered him getting into that room. I could recall vividly that he did enter that room. Did he intentionally give this room to me? Oh Goodness, now I will have to face not only him but his lapdog whose name shall not be mentioned. This was not the type of day I wanted to wake up to.
With a groan, I fell back on the bed, roaming through my brain to find the easiest solution to my current problem. I can’t just continue to live with him as my next-door neighbor, that will not end well.
The only other person whom I could meet to discuss this and expect a solution was Ronan so without hesitation, I went out of my room and navigated the palace to his wing. Since he returned from his hunting, we haven’t been spending a lot of time together because he was mostly busy but when he has time, we make good use of it.
I knocked on his door and it was immediately pulled open as if he had been waiting there all this while.
“Oh woah, you are going out?” I gave his firm a once over with his hair still wet.
“To your place, yes” His face almost immediately beamed into a lovely smile.
“I saved you the stress then” He shifted away from the door and I walked into the familiar loving room as I spoke.
“Guess so” He muttered and picked up the jacket I had just thrown on his couch, hanging it on the coat hanger. Have I ever mentioned that he was a neat freak? There you have it. “How did you know I was in? I just returned”
“Might be that I am stalking you. You never can tell” I joked and he laughed.
“That would have been splendid”
“The last time I checked, you should be worried if you have a stalker” I hit him playfully on the arm.
“Not if it is coming from you. Besides, I know your room is too far away from mine for that to happen”
Speaking about the room instantly reminded me of why I was here in the first place.
“Are you aware that your brother is returning to his initial room?” I questioned.
I don’t know if it was just me but his mood instantly changed.
“I do”
“I don’t want to be that close to him”
“I know that too”
“How do I like to get a room somewhere else? You are the beta, can’t you help with that?”
“If it is that easy getting a room at the palace do you think I wouldn’t have moved you closer to me? It is beyond my power and the process has to pass through his table which I am certain he won’t approve of” He responded.
“What do I do now?” I face-palmed myself and fell back on the couch.
“Stay away from him just like I have been telling you. Just stay away from him and you will be fine I promise” He replied.
Can I do it? Can I stay away from Ryder when I know deep down, in the deepest part of my heart I was avoiding him because I was somewhat attracted to him?