Chapter 5
1699 Words
The Blood Moon festival had come to an end, and I had intended to ditch everything, to avoid any more contact with both Selene and Alpha Ragnar. Returning back to my duties as a maid, I now stood in the hallway where all the maids converged.
Kayla also avoided me after that night. She had requested to be taken to the Enforcers quarters. I wanted to tell her that I was sorry for what I said, but at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to.
the maid mistress scrutinized each one of us with a stern look as she spoke,
"The ShadowBlood alpha is present, and as you all know that Alpha Cyril has given his orders. It is left to us to keep things, just as they should.You are to attend to their needs, and do not leave even a single person waiting."
"Yes, Mistress!” we all chorused.
"If, by the goddess, I realize that there's been a slipup of some sort, or I get negative reports about any one of you, I will have you whipped a hundred times, and locked in the dungeon until four moons has passed!”
"Yes, Mistress!”
Dread churned through each one of us as we responded with a curtsy. The maid mistress, a female in her thirties with her lips painted a bright shade of red, wore a permanent scowl on her face.
As much as I feared the alpha, I had prayed to never get on her bad side. At the end of her speech, we picked up the various trays that was lined up on the island in a single file as we headed for the hallroom.
I let out shaky breaths when my heart began to race and my vision blurred as the mahogany doors to the hallway creaked open and we strutted in. I steadied my tray, reminding myself that all I needed was to look away.
From Ragnar, and from everyone. A slight shudder racked through me when I remembered his voice, and how he'd called me his mate.
Alpha Cyril, Luna Eleanor, Kieran and Selene sat at the table extending to the far end of the room. Opposite them was the StormWood Alpha, Jacob, the Crescent Moon Alpha, Kai, and a male I couldn’t make out his face because his ruffled shoulder-length hair had managed to shield his eyes.
His jaws clenched, head snapping towards my direction and I almost froze to the spot.
Alpha Ragnar!
“It must feel good to be back home to your brother, Ragnar.” The StormWood Alpha muttered as one of the maids lowered the tray of food in her hands, curtsying as she took off the lid to reveal a well-done steak.
“Indeed, Jacob.” He responded curtly.
Ragnar watched my every move, glaring at the maids who tried to hand him their trays, until I realized that each maid had been assigned, and all had been attended to, except the ShadowBlood Alpha.
I noticed the pained expression on Kieran’s face as he stared at me, for reasons I couldn’t pin-point. I couldn’t tell if Selene had told him about the Alpha saving me the previous night, but I couldn’t care less.
I let out a scoff as I looked away, my gaze holding Ragnar’s unintendedly. I could almost feel the air on my flesh stand, as goosebumps covered my skin. From where he sat, across the entrance, he casually rested his head on the finely carved wooden chair, his brows arched when his eyes glazed as they roamed every inch of me.
“Are you just going to stand there, like a bloody fool? Or would you wait until he’s starved to death?!” Luna Eleanor fumed when her gaze turned in my direction.
“I..I’m so sorry, Luna.” I apologized.
“It’s alright, Eleanor. Allow her take all the time she needs,”
I hurried towards the Alpha, letting down my tray, even as his gaze followed my every move. He muttered a ‘thank you’ as he grabbed the piece of meat off the table, biting into it.
Alpha Cyril glared at me and my insides churned as my palm grew sweaty. His lips curling back in a snarl, “I do not know how you treat your maids back home, but in my pack, I will not allow it.”
“That I would give a maid time to set my food before me?” Ragnar asked.
“What time does a maid need?” Alpha Kai asked.
Lowering my gaze, a shudder racked through me, and I wished someone else would come up with another topic instead. I could almost hear a low growl rumbling from Kieran’s chest when he let out a scoff.
“I guess my uncle has a thing for maids, father.”
“Maids?” Alpha Cyril asked, arching a brow as he glanced at Luna Eleanor.
"Yes father,” Kieran began, “Some nights ago, uncle had defended a maid too. Carrying her in his arms,”
I stilled, my throat constricting at his words. Alpha Jacob let out a small hum as he tapped his hands against the table.
"I'm sure he must have taken her to his room and had her f****d all night.”
Ragnar's jaw clenched, crimson bleeding into his eyes as he shot the Alpha a warning glance. "If you think that I would f**k a she-wolf, under the guise of helping her, then you must have lost your mind.”
I blinked, hating where this was going. I had to do something to distract myself from their talks. My gaze shifting from Alpha Ragnar fiddling with his meal, to the empty glass of water right in front of him, so I grabbed the jar off the table.
"Be careful with her, Alpha. That girl doesn't deserve your help, she just tries to play victim. She only pretends to get gullible men like you into her bed.”
"Language, wolf!” Ragnar snarled.
Pain and anger seared through me at her words. I gritted my teeth as my hands trembled and I fought to hold the jar still but it tipped over, it's contents spilling over the table and the jar shattering into a million shards.
I heard gasps echoing through the room from the maids, mostly. I could almost hear my heart hammering furiously in my chest as Selene's lips curled back in a smirk.
"I'm... I'm so sorry.." I pleaded as I began to tremble like a leaf in harmattan.
I never saw Alpha Cyril pick the ceramic plate on the table, the next, I merely caught a glimpse of it flying in my direction. I ducked instinctively, the plate barely missing me by an inch, as I staggered back, falling to my knees.
"I'm so.... I'm so sorry Alpha, please forgive me!”
"What the f**k, Cyril?!” I heard Ragnar growl out, but I shook my head to stop him from talking.
"Bring in the maid mistress,” Alpha Cyril ordered.
"Yes, alpha!” I heard someone respond.
No! I couldn't let them! I would die before I'd taken all hundred whips! Going four moons without food was also not an option, either.”
I scuttled over to where Alpha Cyril was, hoping to plead with him. I knew Ragnar couldn't defend me this time, in front of his brother because tonight was entirely my fault.
I'd accidentally stepped on Alpha Kai's toes when I made to get closer, I let out another gasp, knowing I was good as dead.
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry Alpha Kai,”
He growled out, grabbing my hair from the back and pulling my face closer to him. Before I could process what he'd tried to do, his hand came down fast on my cheek.
I yelped out in pain as my face stung from the hit. In a flash, Alpha Ragnar darted to our side, yanking Abner off me like he weighed nothing, while I stood there, trembling and shuddering as I watched him take a mid-shift.
"Ragnar!” Alpha Kai cried out.
"Stay the f**k back, Cyril.” Ragnar growled, his voice undulating with each words.
His claws dug into Kai's left shoulder, he cried out from the pain. Alpha Ragnar's eyes glinted with rage. I couldn't let the Alpha kill him for my sake, it would only make things worse for me in the pack!
He smirked, twisting his claws in his shoulders, enjoying the pain he inflicted on Kai as he roared out. "You lay your bloody hands on her! I don't care what the f**k she did to you, I will sever your hands from your body, bit by bit. And when I'm done with you, you'll wish for death!”
“Let him go, Ragnar! You'll kill him!” Cyril snarled.
The room was thrown into panic as cries and screams filled the air. Gathering myself to my feet, I turned towards him, my voice brittle.
"Don't kill him, please! You'll only give them more reason to kill me. I'll take the punishment, whatever it is.”
His gaze snapped in my direction as he growled out his warning, “Stay the f**k back, Kitten.” he tutted, "It doesn't matter, because I will kill whoever dares to lay a hand on you. No one has the f*****g right to touch you.”
Instinctively, I dashed forward and before he could realize what I was about to do, I pulled his face to mine, smashing my lips against his. He grunted, taken aback by my abrupt move, letting go of Kai in the process.
Unanimous gasps echoed through the room, I'd just made a bloody mistake and was going to regret it, but it didn't matter. I had to stop this, one way or another.
Kai winced, needing no invitation before he darted out of the room, making a run for his life. Alpha Ragnar's body tensed, near-rigid bristling as he shifted back to skin,
“Little wolf,“
He whispered softly, watching a smile play on my lips as my eyes grew heavy and my consciousness drifted away from me.
- Writer
