*Danika*
My face fell, sadness crumpling my resolution a while ago. I was still standing there looking at him through the hood of my eyes, garnering up the last of my morale to be resistant.
“I said strip, Danika,” he thundered, pushing me backward away from his imposing body. I bit down on my cheek hard, my hands balling beside me as my heartbeat matched the tone of his voice.
“I am not going to strip, because I am not your slave, Alpha King,” I slurred the Alpha King in a way that screamed defiance.
He threw his head back and roared with mirth causing me to blink in confusion. He is laughing? Why? I thought by now he wou-
The speed of his hands shooting out to grab me didn’t escape me, or the expedite ripping of my dress off my body. And then, in the next couple of hours, the humiliating scene of whiplash on my naked butt repeated itself, with my unclothed body strung across his lap in the worst way possible.
By the time he was done with me and was replacing his belt to leave the room, I was holding onto the bedpost where he had dumped me, my head bent over my quivering hands sobbing severely that I didn’t catch the last of his countenance before he matched off. Only then did I sag on the bed and wept my eyes out-all my subsequent defiance, squashed in tiny pieces leaving me in agony and mounted apprehension.
The door suddenly flung open and I jolted back in fear, my teary eyes whipping to the entrance to behold his dominant silhouette blocking the doorway as he held the door with one of his hands and his left leg kind of acting as support. From what exactly?
He retrieved my wondering attention with his next words. “The next time you think of escaping, make sure you hide your disgusting scent. I thought Lance said you found your wolf?” With that, he was gone. Again-not a hint of remorse for what he did.
My slightly abated sob resumes, my hand going to my chest as I fell back on the bed. What do I want? A big cuddle would have sufficed after the excruciating pain he put me through, not that…
I was in that position with my body trembling with grief when I slept off for the night, my hand mildly placed over the portion I was whipped and hoping I heal tomorrow when I go for my run.
*
The next morning, I didn’t need any call to wake up. The knowledge of what happened last night and my quest to leave the house very early so that I don’t meet Theresa in the dining room and endure her questions about my whereabouts yesterday was what woke me up. I opened my eyes mildly and looked around the room, everything seemingly blurry. I yawned, my palms covering over my mouth as I made to move. No pain.
Instinctively, I touched my butt and felt no pain. Okay, I know that my power combined with the knowledge that I have just shifted, my healing process is supposed to be fast. But not super fast. Firstly, I haven’t mated with my mate yet. Only mated wolves heal this fast especially when you have someone as powerful as the King as a mate.
That is the only thing that is supposed to make my healing this expedite because my mate might help me imbibe most of the pain away if we are active in the act. You get what I mean? Like when we have sex, after going through what I went through last night, being the Alpha King, his aura is supposed to incubate me, therefore, causing a fast rippling effect to my injury. But we ain’t engaged in the act, yet.
So how come?
I made to leave my bed, still mulling over my discovery when there was a mild knock and the new maid entered.
I smiled at her making my way to the restroom.
“Good morning, Luna,” she greeted starting to pack away clothes that we’re strung at different corners of the room, earning my guilt. If not that I had slept worn out and in severe pang I would have kept them in their right position yesterday night.
“You were so tired yesterday. You looked so burned out when I came to help you to-”
“You came to my room last night?” My eyes widened in embarrassment knowing she must have seen my wound before they healed. What would be her thought now?
“Yea, I did. I was worried after not seeing you throughout the day, so when I heard sounds, I came to check. I met the Alpha, he was sitting beside you looking exhausted as though he did something very draining. He only gets like that after a mighty use of his powers,” she went on narrating.
Now I am surely going to lose my mind. I inched nearer in case for one creepy reason someone was listening from outside. “You met the Alpha here?”
“Yeah. He asked me to leave, that you were tired from what you did where they brought you back from.” She giggled covering her face like some school girl. “I have never seen him that calm and scared, not even to his chosen mate.”
You guess my stance now? Yeah, right. I was flummoxed, my mouth gaping open as I looked from the Omega to the window, to the bed, and back at her.
Then I pointed to the bathroom door, still in shock. I only heard myself say, “I will use the restroom.” I was almost inside when something occurred to me. I faced her and asked, “He left after you came in?”
She shook her head. “He asked me to leave.”
“Oh,” I nodded and rushed into the bathroom, blowing puffs out of my mouth as I tried to tell myself that this is not true. There must be one huge misunderstanding. It just couldn’t be.
But wait a minute, could it be possible that he was the one that took away my pain?
I shook my head, hastening to the mirror to look at my image properly. I discarded my nightie- Which I didn’t even know when I wore them-and then my eyes flew to my butt. They were totally healed. No markings.
Oh, shit!
What is wrong with him? Why is he acting all weird? I was very certain I saw him leave last night and knew he had on this his usual award-winning bone-chilling scowl. So how come he came back later to help me?
Really strange.
After my morning ritual, I went down hoping not to see him or the others, because I knew if I do I will not blink from looking at him-possibly trying to decipher this man that is my mate. That is much cold, much hot and much ice-a mixture of confusing personalities. Just one man.
I rushed through my breakfast and left the dining, grateful not to have seen anyone while leaving the mansion. I saw Luther standing beside a black SUV and when I drew close to beg him to drop me off-not dwelling on the hope that he would agree, he indicated the car doors that has swung open before I will even ask.
Wonders are happening.
“Thanks,” I told him when I reached the infirmary and stood with my hands intertwined in front of me watching the car pull away. I wanted to chip in that I would be closing by 4:00pm if he would be kind enough to come for me, but a second look at his face as he drove away, I changed my mind. I will just have to walk home. No big deal.
Dr. Salem was surprised seeing me and the others that I met the first day I came, as I walked past them. He ushered me into his office, me secretly wishing he would ask me to quit after being absent for some days. But to my disappointment, he grinned. Widely. Then he showed me to the seat facing his giant brown oak table and slumped down on his.
He began, “I’m sorry about the absence of your husband. I know it can really be unbearable with him away.” Yea, maybe. But not because of what they think.
“Thanks,” I fiddled with my fingers that were wrapped on my laps, having nothing more to say.
“I know your husband said you are required to be here, nonetheless I just need you to take your time. You can just watch over the children, the Omegas can do most of the other works.”
I bounced my head, at least to an extent relieved that I don’t have to do all the other rudimentary exhausting jobs like wiping their shitty ass, nursing a hauling pup, and the others that could make me weep just doing them. Omegas try their best and deserve much more credit than they are given.
After I left his office and went to watch over the pups as he had instructed-which in itself had many turmoils. It was finally 4:00pm, and I more like ran out of the facility as though been chased by an invisible force. I stood at the entrance waiting, my faith as high as the mountain that someone would think about me, and probably come pick me up. But after standing for close to an hour and watching the other attendants leaving, I had to hit the road, my hands tucked into my overall coat feeling very down.
Did they even realize I was out? Hardly. I was just like another rusty pebble in the sand. Everyone would trample on me and only smile at me when I was close to Lance. At his remembrance, I exhaled loudly looking up so I don’t miss the lane which I had made sure I became familiar with in case a scenario like this came up.
When I eventually got to the mansion, my eyes went to Lance’s quarters, my heart reaching out to him wherever he is. He was the only one that gave a shit about me.
Shaking away the grime thought, I entered the King’s mansion and almost collided with Alfred who was making his exit.
He stepped back equally awestruck at seeing how wretched and fatigued I looked.
“Hy,” I mouthed, placing my hands in my coat pocket and meeting his detectable gaze. “Sorry, I didn’t see you.”
“It’s okay. I was wondering where you went to initially. You know you are not supposed-”
“I went to work. At the infirmary,” I beat him to it, not strong for any more insinuations. I just wanted to go up and rest.
“I told you, you don’t have to work there. I can handle it.”
“I kind of like it there. It gives me a place to escape to,” I dubbed, but somehow that was the truth.
He seemed to think about it, then another thought seem to glow in his sparkling eyes, “Did you come back by yourself? Like, you walked home?”
I shrugged, looking down my sandals. “I had to… not a big deal.” It was, but I’m not going to tell him that.
“Don’t ever do that again. Where is your phone?”
I was about to shake my head at him but Alfred being the bullheaded guy shot his hand inside my coat and withdrew the gadget I hardly used. He rapidly typed in something and pushed it back at me. I caught it, looking down to see a number with his name displayed on the screen.
“If you are going to be strong-headed about going to the damn place, call me at the close of works to come pick you.” My heart melted as I realize I might have found another person who cares about me like Lance did. I just hope he doesn’t land into trouble just like Lance. I wouldn’t want to lose another friend when I rarely had one.
I nodded and made for the stairs, then a thought-a very important thought occurred to me. I whirled around and caught him still standing by the door darting at me. “Hey, … Uhm… Can I ask you a favor?” I tried my luck.
“Whatever you want, Princess Mia. Shoot! Whatever you want…” he drawled lazily, his signature smirk that gets me, flashing on his face almost causing me to forget what I wanted to say.
I blushed crimson but steadied my senses and made my request. “I was thinking since you are now in charge of the warriors that maybe you can help train me?” I angled my head as though the words were coals to my lips.
His expression instantly became unreadable, those fingers that were as long as his brother’s driving deep into his pocket. He was observing me, and probably thinking if a weak girl like me can bear tackling.
My visage fell to the ground, the little morale I surmised I had, diminishing. “Forget I asked, I don’t know what I was thinkin-”
“Come on, Princess. Bring it on! But I must warn you, I don’t go slow. So if you wanna train with me, you should know that every single part of your body might experience a breakdown.” Then he leaned in, the side of his blue orbs quirking up in a sly devilish panties-ripping smirk, “… including your heart.”
I blanked, suddenly rethinking if my request was a wise one.
…