BOUND TO THE RUTHLESS ALPHA

chapter 18

Soraya's POV

I dragged the broom across the stone path, the dry leaves making a rattle noise as they piled to the side. Irene bent down beside me, gathering them into a basket.

“Wow, you’re really good at this, Miss.” She said, surprised.

We were busy sweeping the garden and getting rid of the fallen and withered leaves.

I gave her a small smile, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “We did this a lot back at the orphanage. This is nothing compared to the kind of work we did there.”

Chantelle paused, her broom resting against her shoulder. “Orphanage? You grew up in one?”

I nodded. “Yes. I grew up in an orphanage. But…” I hesitated, “…later, I forcefully ended up at the brothel.”

Their eyes widened, but I continued. “At the orphanage, we worked every day. Woke up at five a.m. to cook, to clean, to take care of everything. And when I turned nineteen, not so long ago, the woman who ran it didn’t want to keep us anymore. She loaded some of us into a van, and before we knew it… we were at the brothel. It wasn’t by choice.”

Silence hung for a moment. “Wow… I didn’t know.” Chantelle whispered.

I shrugged, forcing a small smile. “I know.”

Just then, we heard the sound of footsteps. I turned and saw Darius walking with Sam trailing behind him.

I dropped my eyes back to the broom in my hand and pushed at the pile of leaves as though it were the most important thing to do right now. He had nothing to do with me. He made that clear and plain to me two nights ago, when he spat those words at me.

I didn’t even know why it had hurt me so deeply. Why it still burned when I thought about it. I had cried that night, muffling the sound into my pillow until sleep barely came at all. But that was the last time I’d let him get under my skin.

Now, why in the world was he walking toward me?

My grip on the broom tightened. No, I wasn’t going to look up again. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. I lowered my head and swept harder, dragging the broom across the stone path.

When his shadow finally fell across me, my heart was beating so loudly in my chest.

“Hey,” he said.

I looked up at him, briefly, then forced my eyes back down. Why couldn’t he just quietly go to work and leave me in peace?

*What is it now?* I muttered under my breath, though not loud enough for him to hear it.

“You’re not going to say anything?” His said.

I lifted my head just enough to meet his eyes and turned away without a word.

“Well, for your information, I feel much better now,” he said, as if I should be grateful for the update. “I’m heading to work.”

Still, I kept my lips sealed.

“Soraya.” He called my name this time.

I turned my back to him completely and swept again, dragging the broom across the stones.

He stood there for a long moment. I could feel his gaze on me, before he finally sighed. The sound of a car door opening, then shutting, followed.

I turned around to find Sam walking towards the car as well. He gave me a wave, and instinctively, I lifted my hand and waved back with a small smile.

He slipped into the shotgun seat, and just like that, the car rolled down the driveway and disappeared from sight.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

“You ignored him so bluntly, Miss.”

I glanced at her and shrugged. “Yes, I did. And I’ll keep doing it as long as I have to,” I said.

Her eyes glimmered mischievously. “Did you two already have a fight?”

I froze for a second. “Stop saying that mate thing to me,” I snapped. “Darius obviously doesn’t care. He’s just too arrogant.”

Irene, tilted her head. “What happened, Miss?”

I pressed my lips together, the sting of his words from two days ago replaying in my mind. I hated how they hurt me. “He’s just… judgmental. And always says mean things,” I admitted, forcing my broom back into motion. “It’s fine. I don’t want to talk about it.”

The path filled with the sound of sweeping bristles as silence stretched between us. Then Irene stepped forward.

“Well,” she said softly, “if you ever need to talk about anything, we’re here to listen.”

I turned to look at her.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

By the time we were done with the garden that morning, the maids insisted I sit and eat. They brought me breakfast on the patio, and though I didn’t have much of an appetite, I ate every bite.

Afterwards, I went back to my room, took a shower, and pulled out the little notes I had been studying. Reading always calmed me.

I didn’t like being disturbed when I studied, so I stayed tucked away for a while. Finally, I closed the book and decided to stretch my legs. The hallways of the house were wide. Irene and Chantelle were busy doing kitchen duties now.

And then, I saw Emily.

My stomach dropped instantly, and my mind flashed back to days ago when she had mocked me for no reason.

Of all the people to cross paths with right now, it had to be her.

I kept my head down, deciding to walk past. Sometimes if you ignored trouble, it would die on its own. But sometimes trouble wouldn't ignore you.

The moment we were close, she stomped her foot directly on mine.

“Ow!” I winced, stumbling a little. “Couldn’t you look where you were going?”

Emily blinked, faking surprise. “Oh? I didn’t see you there… neither did I realize I stepped on your…whatever that is.”

I flexed my toes inside my shoe, the sting was terrible. Rolling my eyes, I kept walking, determined not to give her the satisfaction.

But before I could escape, she grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

“Listen, brothel girl.”

I straightened. “Soraya,” I corrected coldly. “My name is Soraya.”

She scoffed. “Soraya, brothel girl, what’s the difference? I don’t give a damn what your name is, okay? But you cannot be mated to my brother.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, staring her down. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”

Emily leaned forward. “It means you’re low-class. You’re human. And you’re from a brothel. Darius can never be mated to someone like you. I don’t even know what the Moon goddess was thinking.”

I lifted my chin slightly. “Your sister Kimberly has a mate—a responsible one, too.”

Her face darkened.

“And you?” I said, letting a bitter smile creep to my lips. “You don’t seem like you're mated to anyone, to me.”