A Slave for the Alpha King

Chapter 9

ALIYAH

Wake up, sleepyhead."

I felt a gentle hand tapping my shoulder. When I opened my eyes, I noticed Ashton looking down at me with a warm smile on his face. He was holding something in his hands that he had hidden behind his back, and upon seeing it, I gasped in surprise. He had removed the handcuffs that were restraining me!

“You’re free now,” Ashton said softly as he helped me up from the bed. “And I’m happy to report that you are clean; the bite has not affected you.”

“I-I do?”

I couldn’t believe what he was telling me! I had been so scared before, thinking that Brayden had successfully turned me into a werewolf. I admitted he convinced me, as I didn’t know he was only playing with my heart. Now that I knew his bite didn’t affect me, all of that fear suddenly vanished like it had never been there.

As relief flooded through me, tears started streaming down my cheeks. “Oh, thank you, Ashton!” I was so happy, I didn’t realize I was embracing him tightly. But I didn’t care what he was thinking. I just wanted to express all the gratitude I felt towards him for helping me out of this nightmare. “If not for you, I was already dead back in the woods. Worse, Brayden had already turned me.”

“None of those things will happen if you agree to come with me, to begin with,” he chuckled, his voice vibrating against his chest. “But you said you didn’t trust me.”

I should have been pulling away from him, as our embrace was taking longer than I expected. But I just wanted to stay in his arms. It felt safe inside them.

“It’s Braden’s fault,” I whispered as we pulled away from each other. “He fooled me. He convinced me to believe that he was also in love with me.”

“Do you still love him?” Ashton asked. There was a curiosity in his tone as he gazed deeply into my eyes.

I shook my head without hesitation. “The only emotion I have for him is remorse. How can I continue to love someone who killed my grandmother!”

Ashton tilted his head. He didn’t seem surprised, but there was confusion in his reaction as he contracted his brows. “I am not sure if Brayden can do such a thing. We have been friends since grade school and the stupidest thing he has ever done was forcing you. But taking someone’s life? I don’t think he kills innocent people.”

“Well, I guess you no longer know him.” I turned away and continued to murmur. “If he can hurt and mess up with other emotions, then he can kill as well. One day, I’ll get back to him and give him a taste of my revenge.”

Ashton tightened his grip around my wrist. “If you ever have to stand against him, I’m here for you. You don’t have to do it alone. I won’t let him hurt you or anyone else in your life ever again.”

I could feel his sincerity, and it moved me. I’ve never seen a man so loyal and determined to help someone. I felt the warmth of his protection, and it was like a flame burning in my heart.

“Thank you, Ashton,” I mumbled softly.

He smiled and pulled me closer to his embrace. We stood there for a few moments until he finally broke the silence.

“But before you get revenge so you can have your peace back, you need to do something for me.”

I pulled away to look at him. “W-what do I need to do for you?” My insides began to tremble as he stepped closer to me, his gaze was burning down at my face. He was just beginning to earn my trust, but now I couldn’t help but think about how he differed from Brayden. They were friends, after all.

“Everybody in this castle knows that you were brought here as a slave...” he said, his fingers tracing my soft cheek. “So you need to do anything as I say, right, Aliyah?”

I nodded, tears already streaming down my face. His words felt like a time bomb ready to explode inside my heart. “D-does it involve removing my clothes, too?” My body was trembling from the emotions I was feeling.

“Removing clothes?” Ashton chuckled, his hand still on my cheek. “No, Aliyah. I would never force you to do something like that. What I’m going to ask of you is much simpler, but still important.”

I let out a sigh of relief, wiping away my tears. “Okay, what do you need me to do?”

Ashton’s expression turned serious again. “Like my initial offer, I need you to be my mother’s maid.”

My heart sank at the mention of being a maid. It was the last thing I wanted to do after everything I had been through. However, I knew that I needed to do whatever it took to survive and get closer to my revenge.

“I’ll do it,” I said with a nod, trying to muster as much confidence as possible.

Ashton’s face broke into a smile, his hand still on my cheek. “Good girl,” he said before pulling me into another embrace.

I could feel his muscular arms around me, and for a moment, I felt protected. But then reality hit me, and I knew that I was still a slave in this castle, with no actual power or control over my life.

Ashton pulled away, his hand still lingering on my cheek. “Come, I’ll take you to my mother’s room.”

I followed him, trying to keep my head held high. We passed through several hallways, and as we walked, I couldn’t help but notice the opulence and grandeur of the castle. It was clear that Ashton’s family was wealthy and influential. They were royals, though I had no idea where the country he was governing as a monarch was. Probably not in the US, since he had a noticeably thick accent.

Finally, we reached an extensive set of double doors, and Ashton pushed them open, revealing a luxurious bedroom. An older woman sat in a plush armchair, sipping tea and reading a book. She looked up as we entered, her piercing blue eyes scanning me from head to toe.

“Ashton,” she said, setting her book down. “Who is this lovely young lady?”

“This is Aliyah,” Ashton replied, his hand still on my back. “She will be assisting you with your daily tasks from now on.”

The woman raised an eyebrow, studying me more closely. “Is that so?” she said, taking another sip of her tea. “Well, Aliyah, you certainly look capable enough. I trust you will handle the duties I assign to you.”

I nodded, trying to hide my nervousness. “Yes, ma’am. I will do my best.”

“Good. Then let’s get started, shall we?” she said, rising from her chair. “Ashton, you may leave us now. I need to have a private word with my new maid.”

Ashton nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. I was left alone with the woman, feeling a sense of unease wash over me.

The woman walked over to me, her heels clicking against the marble floor. She placed a hand on my shoulder, her grip firm but not painful.

“You seem like a sweet girl, Aliyah,” she said, her voice laced with a hint of something that made me feel uneasy. “But let’s make one thing clear. You are here to serve me and my family. You are not to speak unless spoken to, and you are not to question my orders. Understood?”

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. This was not what I had expected when I took the job as a maid.

“Good,” she said, releasing my shoulder. “Now, first task. I need you to clean my private bathroom. It’s through that door over there,” she said, pointing toward a small door in the corner of the room. “And be quick about it. I don’t have all day.”

As I entered the bathroom, my eyes widened at the sight before me. The room was larger than my entire room in the Connors’ mansion and was filled with gold-plated fixtures and marble floors. But what caught my attention was the enormous bathtub in the center of the room. It was filled with steaming hot water, and I could see rose petals floating on the surface.

I turned around to see the woman standing in the doorway with a look in her eyes that made my skin crawl. She walked toward me, her heels clicking against the marble floor.

“What’s wrong, Aliyah? Don’t you want to take a dip in my luxurious bathtub?” she asked, a sly smile on her face.

I shook my head, feeling a sense of dread wash over me.

“Good, because you won’t be taking a bath in my tub,” she said, her smile turning into a sneer. “But I will.”

Before I could react, she pushed me towards the tub, causing me to lose my balance and fall into the steaming hot water. I gasped in pain as my skin burned, feeling like it was on fire.

But the woman just laughed, her high-pitched cackle echoing off the marble walls.

“You’re nothing but a lowly maid, Aliyah. Remember that,” she said before turning on her heel and walking out of the room, leaving me alone and in pain.