“Hey, Hey, calm down,” Audrey placed her hand on his cheek, gently rubbing her thumb over it, “I was just trying to lighten your mood, you were so uptight and-”
“Never, never ever joke about your life,” Alpha Lake’s voice was filled with pain as he placed his hand over Audrey’s on his cheek.
He closed his eyes and a tear escaped his eyes.
Audrey felt her heart shatter as she saw the tear slip down his cheeks. It was the first time, she never thought he could cry, and for her… Were his feelings for her that genuine?
“Don’t cry…” She used her thumb to wipe his tears from his face.
“I thought you were going to die!” He leaned over and gently hugged her, burying his face in her neck.
He thought he would never get to smell this strange yet addictive flowery scent again, even though it wasn’t the Lavender and honey he craved to smell again, he had gotten addicted to this one too.
He didn’t know why, but when he saw her bleed, he felt like he was witnessing how Audrey had been stabbed in his dungeon a year and a half ago, looking back, he realized that a part of him kind of died with Audrey, he could lie to himself that he had felt nothing when he saw her lying in the pool of her blood, but he would know he was lying.
He didn’t know what had happened to her or who had been the culprit, but to this day, the image still haunted him. He couldn’t save her then, but now, whoever this Catherine(Audrey) was, he swore to protect her with his life; maybe the Moon goddess had given him someone who looked like Audrey to make him right his wrongs with her.
And he would.
“I’m right here, it’s alright…” Audrey gently patted his back.
At that moment, she had a change of heart; maybe he wasn’t that bad; maybe she would give him a chance…
“Promise you won’t leave me like she did,” Alpha Lake asked softly.
Audrey didn’t know who the ‘she’ was, but she nodded her head in agreement. There was something to seeing the most feared Alpha crying in your arm, it moved something within her.
“I promise,” Audrey affirmed.
Alpha Lake hugged her more tightly. He wished he could have asked Audrey the same, then she would still be by his side by now, but, would he have met Catherine if he never sent Audrey away?
“Alpha, Sandra is here,” Ms. Bridget’s voice was heard from behind the door.
“I’ll come check on you later, okay?” He told Audrey, caressing her hair.
“Okay,” Audrey smiled reassuringly.
He kissed her lips as he stood from the bed and walked over to the door.
“Alpha,” Sandra bowed her head as he opened the door for her.
“Take care of her,” He said and walked out of the room.
It was about time he paid a visit to some guests down at the dungeon.
“What happened to you, child?” Ms. Bridget asked as she followed Sandra into Audrey’s room.
“Ah, it’s nothing,” Audrey easily sat up on the bed.
“B-but there’s blood on your…” Sandra trailed off, pointing her finger to Audrey’s blood-stained shirt.
“Oh… I was stabbed,” Audrey shrugged.
“Stabbed?! By whom?!” Sandra asked, agitated.
“Calm down, Sandra, go get a bowl of water and a towel,” Ms. Bridget sent Sandra away.
“Come on, let me see,” She pulled Audrey’s shirt up, and as expected, Audrey saw the confusion on her face as she stared at her bandaged wound.
“That… is the real problem?” Audrey said helplessly.
“Huh?” Ms. Bridge asked, still holding up Audrey’s shirt and staring at her wound.
“Uh, you’re not listening…” Audrey sighed.
“Oh, sorry, it’s just… there’s no blood stain on the bandage….” Ms. Bridget said, stunned.
“That’s what I was trying to say,” Audrey stood up from the bed and took off her shirt.
“Don’t move around like that-”
“Oh no! You’re going to reopen the wound!!!” Sandra gasped as she came back carrying a bowl of water in her hands.
“ugh…” Audrey facepalmed, “I’m a wolf, damn it!” She yelled frustratedly.
“Ahh!”
“Ohh!”
Ms. Bridget and Sandra exclaimed at once as they finally realized the situation.
“Yeah… So, there’s no need to wipe me up nor down, but!” Audrey raised her voice, making them stare at her expectantly.
“But what?” Sandra asked impatiently.
“But we have to make him think you did, he’s a wolf, and he’ll know if you didn’t use the towel, give it here,” Audrey stretched her hand out to Sandra.
Sandra placed the towel on Audrey’s hand and watched her with interest as she used it to wipe off the blood around her skin, she proceeded to rinse it with water in the bathroom, then hung it to dry.
“All done,” Audrey announced proudly.
“So, he scents the blood in the towel when he comes back and thinks that we wiped you down?” Ms. Bridget mused.
“Yes.” Audrey nodded with a smirk.
“Awesome! My friend is really awesome,” Sandra said, giving Audrey a thumbs-up.
Audrey chuckled and shook her head, Sandra never failed to be dramatic.
“I do like this plan, children… but guess who’s going to be cooking for the Alpha for a week now?” Ms. Bridget asked, putting her hands on her waist.
“Oh, that’s true, Audrey. She has to take your place now, since you’re ‘injured'” Sandra did an air quite as she said the last word.
“Ah, yeah, I’m sorry…” Audrey finally understood that she also had to act to make Alpha Lake believe she was still wounded.
“Why are you apologizing?” Ms. Bridget chuckled and started walking to the door.
“It’s not me you should apologize to… It’s Sandy,” She said and walked out the door.
“W-what?! M-me?! No, no, no, I don’t even know how to boil an egg! Oh, that old haggard witch!” Sandra whined.
“I heard that!” Ms Bridget said from down the stairs.
“N-no Mama! I meant Audrey; she’s the witch, after all!” Sandra defended.
Audrey laughed and patted Sandra’s shoulder in consolation.
“I’ll go take a shower, and you’ll have to replace another gauze when I come out,” Audrey said as she took her towel and went into the bathroom.
Sandra grudgingly sat on the bed, racking her brain on his she was going to survive a week of cooking for the Alpha and not get killed for her horrible cooking skills.
~
“Done!” Sandra said as she fixed a gauze in the supposed injured area on Audrey’s abdomen.
“Thanks,” Audrey pulled down her pajama shirt.
“Mm,” Sandra nodded and sighed as she sat on the bed.
“Do I have to sleep here,” Sandra asked, dreading the reply.
“No, don’t worry, I know you don’t want to, and don’t have to,” Audrey said.
Sandra sighed in relief.
Audrey smiled and went over to get something from her drawer.
“Look, I found half,” Audrey said excitedly.
“Wow, that looks beautiful and magical… What’s it?” Sandra asked sincerely.
“The amulet I told you about,” Audrey informed.
“Whoa!!!” Sandra’s eyes widened as she stared at the ethereal object.
“So, are you going to reveal yourself now? When are you leaving? No! Wait, he’s going to miss you when you’re gone, you see how much he already cares about you-”
“Wait, this is just the half of the amulet, and what the hell are you rambling about? Who is missing who?” Audrey asked with a raised brow.
“Ah, nothing then. Just half of it, it’s good, you’ll be head over heels for him before you find the other half. Call me your Cupid,” Sandra wiggled her brows at Audrey.
“You’ve finally gone nuts, Sandra,” Audrey chuckled and placed the amulet back into the drawer.
“But, for real…” Sandra sighed and fell onto the bed on her back.
“Don’t you see he’s fallen hard for you?” Sandra asked in a serious tone.
Audrey lay beside Sandra and placed her hand around her friend’s waist.
“I know, Sandy, and, honestly… I’m so confused, I know I still hate him… I should, right?” She asked softly, turning her face to Sandra.
Sandra patted Audrey’s arm and didn’t reply. She wasn’t in the position to answer that question, Audrey was the right person to answer the question herself, from her heart.
“I’m scared… I’m scared I might have started like him too,” Audrey said with a sigh.
She couldn’t keep lying to herself
She couldn’t keep lying to herself anymore, she knew what those feelings that kept growing in her and every day meant.
“I think I’m starting to”
“Hey, kitten?” Alpha Lake said from the door.
Sandra swiftly stood from the bed and pretended to stretch herself.
“Um, I-I’ll be on my way now. Ms. Bridget needs my help with something,” Sandra quickly headed to the exit, hoping to escape before she got called back, and… she was.
“Stop,” Alpha Lake said to the fleeing girl.
‘Damn it!’ Sandra paused outside the doors clenching her jaw and fists in frustration.
“Y-yes, Alpha?” Sandra answered meekly, slowly turning to face him.
“Make dinner,” He said and closed the door to her face.