Chapter 18
1326 Words
_Aria's POV_
The hot water hit my skin and ran down my back, washing away the last pieces of fear clinging to me. I stood under the shower longer than I planned. I needed it. My body felt sore. My mind felt heavy. I kept replaying what happened last night.
The water helped a little. It made me feel normal again, not fragile or broken…. but just tired.
When I stepped out, I wrapped a towel around myself and stared at my reflection. My eyes looked puffy. My face looked pale. But at least I looked steady. At least I was standing.
I dressed quickly and combed my hair. My stomach growled loudly. I hadn’t eaten since yesterday evening. I felt empty and weak.
“I should get breakfast,” I whispered to myself.
When I reached the dining hall, it was completely empty. The long wooden table was clean. Not even a plate, not even a cup. It looked as if everyone had already eaten a long time ago.
“Oh…” I said under my breath.
I felt awkward standing there alone. Normally, someone would be around. There would be a guard or a maid. Anyone. Today, the room felt strangely quiet.
My stomach growled again.
“Okay. I’ll go to the kitchen. There must be something there,” I decided.
I turned and walked through the hallway. The house was silent....too silent. I walked down the stairs, each step echoing softly.
I headed toward the kitchen door. I reached for the handle… and then I froze.
There were voices.
Two women. Whispering.
I leaned closer and held my breath.
The first voice whispered sharply, “He screamed again last night… but the Alpha ordered no food until tomorrow.”
A cold chill rushed through me.
The second voice answered, “We should not be doing this. He is family.”
Family?
My heart tightened.
The first woman hissed, “If the Alpha knew we talked about this, he would skin us alive.”
My breath caught in my throat.
Skin… alive?
Lucien?
Why would they speak about him like that? Why would they fear him like that?
Another whisper followed.
“What if he hears about the bruises? What if someone sees the chains?”
“Be quiet!” the other maid whispered. “Do you want him to hear? He will punish us next.”
My fingers shook on the door handle. My heart beat so hard it hurt.
Who were they talking about?
Why was someone screaming last night?
Why would Lucien order no food?
I couldn’t stop myself. I pushed the door open.
Both women jumped to their feet at once. Their chairs scraped loudly against the floor. The talking stopped instantly.
Their eyes went wide when they saw me.
One of them had flour on her hands. The other had a cloth which she dropped in surprise.
I forced a small smile. “Hi… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
The maid with the flour tried to smile back but her face looked stiff.
The other one looked terrified.
I stepped inside slowly. “I… um… I heard you talking about the Alpha not giving food to someone. Who was it?”
The maid with the stiff smile answered quickly, “We were not talking, madam. You must have heard wrong.”
Her voice was calm....too calm.
I looked at the other maid. Her eyes were wide, full of guilt and fear.
“I heard you,” I said softly. “Both of you. You were talking about someone screaming. And about the Alpha ordering that no food shall be given to that person.”
The second maid swallowed hard. “N-No, madam,” she stuttered. “We were busy with work. We did not even get time to talk.”
A lie.
A clumsy lie.
I stared at them for a moment but I knew it was pointless. They would say nothing. They were terrified. I could see it in their shaking hands and pale faces.
Lucien… what are you hiding?
The first maid forced a polite smile. “Madam… can I help you with something?”
I sighed. “I’m hungry.”
Her shoulders relaxed a little and she hurried to the counter. “Of course, madam. Please sit.”
I sat at the small wooden table in the corner. The kitchen was warm, filled with the smell of baked bread and herbs. But I didn’t feel comforted. My mind was full of questions.
What were they whispering about?
Who screamed?
Who was starving?
Who was family?
Lucien always said he had no one.
That he grew up alone.
That his parents were dead.
Then why did the maid say he is family?
The second maid placed a plate in front of me. There were eggs, warm bread and a small bowl of fruit.
“Thank you,” I said softly.
They both nodded and then stepped back. They stood stiffly near the counter. They didn’t speak. They didn’t look at each other. They didn’t even breathe loudly.
The silence felt heavy and wrong.
I took a bite of the bread. It tasted warm and soft but I barely felt it. My thoughts kept spinning in circles.
Was Lucien hiding someone in this house?
Someone he didn’t want me to know about?
Someone who was chained?
Someone who screamed?
My heart beat faster.
Could he… have a prisoner?
But the maid said, “He is family.”
Did Lucien lie to me about not having family?
Did he hide them?
Why?
I picked up a piece of fruit and chewed slowly.
Why would Lucien starve someone?
Why would he hurt someone?
His face from last night flashed in my mind. He was calm, gentle and soft when he held me. But then I remembered the look he had when he entered the room to kill the rogue.
He had been cold, powerful and merciless.
Maybe… he had two sides.
Maybe… I didn’t know him at all.
I glanced up. The two maids were cleaning the same counter over and over again, pretending to be busy. But their shoulders were tense. Their eyes kept flicking toward the hallway as if someone dangerous might walk in.
I pushed my plate away slightly.
My appetite was gone.
I whispered, “Does the Alpha… have any family members?”
Both maids froze.
Just for a tiny second.
Then the one with flour on her hands forced a smile. “No, madam. The Alpha is alone.”
But her voice cracked on the last word.
A small crack. It was barely noticeable but I heard it.
A lie.
A lie to cover another lie.
I swallowed, feeling my throat tighten.
I needed to ask Lucien. I needed answers.
Real answers.
Because if he had lied about this…
What else was he lying about?
I ate a few more bites just to calm my shaking stomach. The maids stayed silent. The kitchen felt colder now, even though the stove was burning.
When I finished, I stood up. “Thank you,” I said softly.
They both nodded.
I walked toward the door but paused for a moment and looked back at them.
They looked away immediately.
Everything felt wrong.
As I stepped out of the kitchen, my heart beat faster.
What were they hiding from me?
What was Lucien hiding from me?
Why would he punish someone so harshly?
Why would he lie about having family?
My mind raced with every step I took back down the hall.
I wrapped my arms around myself. The house suddenly felt bigger and darker. Like shadows were crawling along the walls.
I needed to talk to Lucien.
I needed answers.
But one thought refused to leave me.
If Lucien was keeping someone locked up…
If he was hurting someone…
If he was hiding his own family…
Then what else was he capable of?
- Writer
