The Alpha’s Slave

BRIANNA’S POV

The night was drawing close. Clad in my nightgown, I paced my room in swift, troubled strides, biting hard on my lower lip till it throbbed like my pulse, trying but all to no avail to steady the erratic thumping of my heart against my chest.

Who knew what Catherine might think seeing me in bed with her husband?

She might think we were making out. Think we have been sleeping together whenever she wasn’t around. But that wasn’t the case.

I had just broken her last and most important rule which stated that I was to never talk, go close to or engage in any form of activity with Sebastian.

Fuck! Fuck!! Fuck!!! Fuck!!!! Fuck!!!!!

I stamped my foot against the base of my bed. Falling on the bed, I cradled it as the painful sensation stung me like an electric shock. I had seen how she reacted like an enraged bull the other night she saw Sebastian checking out the lip bruise I had sustained from that bastard Alpha king at that cocktail party. Now, she’ll surely bite my head off.

I knew Sebastian had made it clear to me that the doctor said I shouldn’t worry or stress myself. That I should get enough bed rest. But my thoughts were tearing me apart. And I just couldn’t help it.

I should have told him to leave when I had the chance. Told him I was fine on my own and that he shouldn’t bother getting into bed with me. But I was so shaken, to the core after I had that flashback of what Hermes had done to me and Lily after my first failed escape attempt. I needed someone to confide in. A pillar I could hold on to so I wouldn’t crumple. I needed someone who will tell me all that dark experiences were over and won’t haunt me anymore.

And Sebastian just happened to be there. And knew the right time to come in. He was like a pest I couldn’t get rid of no matter how hard I tried. Like a virus, I couldn’t cure. He was like…a guardian angel. But all that happened to the detriment of Catherine.

Seconds after Sebastian had chased after her, I heard their muffled voices from their room as they raised their voices even though it was further away. It scarred my soul to know that I was the reason for their fight. I didn’t want that. I never asked for any of this in the first place. I didn’t want anyone to fight because of me.

After some minutes, their voices drowned away. It made me wonder what could be happening now. Even though it was wrong, I felt the undying urge to head to their room and eavesdrop on their conversation. I needed to know if Sebastian had managed to convince and calm her down.

I was about to head to my door when a knock on it made my heart jump. That could be Sebastian. I almost forgot he said he’ll be back before I knew it. Perhaps, he had settled the issue with her as I had thought. He had told her nothing was going on between us. That he was just comforting me. That was all.

Thinking it was him, I rushed to open the door only to be greeted by Amelia’s large, green eyes which were like polished jade. Balanced gracefully in her hands was a tray laden with plates of light meals consisting of steamed vegetables, a small bowl of fresh fruit and clear soup, and a glass of water, the aroma of the soup gently wafting the air, filling my nose. Beside it, a small packet of medication was neatly arranged.

“Good evening, Brianna,” she smiled softly, her voice carrying the comforting tone it always had. “I’ve brought your evening meal and the medication the doctor prescribed for you. Alpha King Sebastian said I should make sure you take it.”

“Like now….?” I asked with a stutter, thrusting my chin forward. “Like he told you that now?”

“No,” she chuckled, looking a bit confused but trying to hide it. “He said it after the doctor left. I had this meal prepared then and kept it warm in the microwave. I was just waiting for you to wake up which I assumed you’ll be now.”

“Ok,” I voiced, feigning an expression so as not to add to her confusion.

“Can I come in?”

“Yes,” I scolded myself for forgetting. “My bad. I’m so sorry.”

Approaching the bedside, she carefully placed the tray on the small table beside my bed and arranged the utensils and napkins with care.

“Alpha King Sebastian had given us strict warning to let you rest and not do any task or thing that’ll leave you stressed out in the castle until you’ve fully recovered. So you don’t need to worry about doing any chore until you’re ready and strong enough,” she strengthened her posture and said to me.

“Okay. Thank you,” with a rather forced smile, I nodded in response, not so surprised Sebastian will do such a thing for me.

As Amelia shifted her gaze from me and made her way to the door, my face returned to its sour state as a new worry seared my heart. Catherine was fighting tooth and nail to make sure I carried out almost all the chores in the castle. But Sebastian was giving me a break. Won’t that add to the fight they were already having because of me?

“Ohh… And you don’t have to worry about Luna Catherine. I’m very sure Alpha King Sebastian will tell her the reason you can’t do any chore at the moment,” Amelia added while at the door, snapping me from my thoughts as though she sensed my worry. “Is there anything else I can assist you with?” She inquired softly.

“No… I meant yes,” I said as I remembered the torn red gown I had worn to the cocktail party. “I have a torn gown that needs to be amended. I have been looking for a needle and thread to do it myself. But Alpha Sebastian said I should give it to you or any of the other maids that you’ll know what to do.”

Making my way to the wardrobe, I hardened my heart and mind, trying not to focus on what could have happened on the night of that cocktail party if Sebastian hadn’t shown up.

I was about to search for the gown when Amelia stopped me from behind.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Don’t worry,” she said, holding my arm. “Go ahead and eat before it gets cold. And also take your medication. It’s extremely important. Alpha King Sebastian will go ballistic on us if he finds out you didn’t take it. Just describe the gown, and I’ll find it for you.”

“Thank you,” gratitude was evident in my eyes as I walked to where the meal was. “It’s a red off-the-shoulder gown with a thigh-high slit. The edges especially on the back are badly torn.”

Sitting on the edge of my bed close to where the meal was, I reached for the glass of water and first took a sip to quench my thirst before turning my attention to the meal.

The steamed vegetables reminded me of Catherine’s breakfast. They were a bit bitter. But I had to force myself to chug it down because they were healthy and I needed them if I wanted to recover quickly. The different fruits were fresh and crispy and sweet, the soup warm and inviting.

“You seem to have gotten so close to Alpha King Sebastian. He must truly care for you to treat you this special,” Amelia said with a playful tone as she roamed the wardrobe.

Letting out a cough, I almost choked on my soup as I reached for the water, taking a gulp and leaving a little to take my medication.

“No,” I struggled to find my words. “It’s nothing.”

“It is something,” she emphasized and shot me a playful glance. “I’m not blind Brianna. He came to me at the servants’ quarters in the middle of the night to ask me to come up to you and administer first aid. You get to go to dinners and parties and special occasions with him. He called a doctor for you and stayed here in your room till you regained consciousness. You get to wear this expensive, stunning gown he had bought for you,” she took out the gown and mused over it in the mirror. “Come-on-girl, I’m beginning to think he has a spark for you.”

Dumbfounded, I swallowed a lump and felt it thud down my stomach. Even though I found it hard to admit, everything she said was…right. Sebastian has been very kind and generous to me since the day I met him at that auction. Could he be having a spark for me? But he was married. I shouldn’t be thinking of this. Or was there something else?

A bigger part of me was thinking there was something more to his kindness towards me. And thinking of the possible options made me shudder in fear. Hermes used to be like that before he turned to the wild, eccentric boar he was now.

“May I ask how this stunning gown got torn like this?” Amelia turned to me, assessing the severity of the tear as her voice jolted me from my paranoia.

“Em.. em… it was an accident,” finding my words, I lied. “It got stuck in a rail at the party. When I tried taking it out, it ripped off.”

“Ohh,” she grimaced. “Such a shame. This is such a lovely, stunning gown.”

“Isn’t there any hope for it?” I chipped in.

“Yes, there is,” her grimaced face returned to normal as her green eyes met mine. “I’ll have to take it to a seamstress. If you’re done eating, you can take your medication. Pluck two tablets from the packet.”

I did as she said, plucking two tablets, dropping them in my mouth and washing them down with the remaining water in the glass.

“And speaking of stunning gowns,” her eyes grew openly amused. “I can’t wait to see the gown Alpha King Sebastian will be getting Luna Catherine for their wedding anniversary.”

“Wedding anniversary?” My brows shot up in curiosity and surprise.

“Yes,” she answered. “Their third wedding anniversary is in two days. And Alpha King Sebastian always gets Luna Catherine some of the best gowns made by top designers in the kingdom such as this one and the other blue mermaid one back in the wardrobe as a surprise gift every year during the celebration.”