Chapter Eight
1387 Words
ELLA'S POV
Could he?
My fingers traced the soft sheets as my mind spun in confusion. Alexander was a mystery I couldn't solve. There was something about him that felt familiar, his laugh, his presence, it all reminded me of the stranger in the woods.
But nothing added up. His eyes, his physical appearance, everything seemed different.
Could he be the same person?
"Ella," Alexander's voice broke through my thoughts. I jumped, startled, and looked up.
"You’re finally awake, Sleeping Beauty," he teased, still maintaining a perfect smile on his lips—the same smile that made my heart skip all the time.
“I know you are hungry, you can come downstairs and join me to eat as dinner is ready”, he said, his voice very soft.
Our eyes met, and once again, I felt that strange, familiar tiny spark. The connection was undeniable, even if it made no sense.
I nodded, suddenly breathless as I swung my legs off the bed. My heart soared as I felt, for the first time in a long while, my life might finally be heading in the right direction.
As I scanned the room, my eyes landed on the shredded dress lying on the floor. A curse slipped past my lips.
Alex had brought me here without my belongings. I only had my savings card, but no clothes to wear. I’d need to buy something soon, but first, I had to find something to wear.
The room has a walk-in closet. I slowly walked towards it, hoping for at least a plain T-shirt or something meaningful to wear. But when I opened the door, I wasn’t prepared for what I saw.
The closet was filled with women’s clothes, like dresses, tops, shoes, everything screaming classy. I skimmed through them, and it hit me that they were all in my size, which made me more confused.
When did Alexander prepare this? And how did he know my size?
Despite my unanswered questions, warmth flooded my chest. He might appear cold, like a harsh winter night, but in moments like this, he was warm like the first rays of the morning star.
I picked a simple yet elegant dress and made my way downstairs.
The dining room looked like something we imagined in a fairy tale. Each corner of the room has candlelight flickering while dancing on the silver plates that I am very sure would cost more than I’d ever earn in my life.
I approached the table, and Alexander pulled out a chair for me. As I moved to sit, his hand brushed against mine—whether it was intentional or not, I couldn’t tell. But the simple touch sent warmth rushing to my cheeks, leaving me nervous.
As we finished our meal, I stood up without thinking about what I was doing…. To clear the table. I gently gathered the plates, utensils and glasses. Alex’s eyes softened as he watched me.
“I’ll just put these in the dishwasher,” I said, a small smile playing on my lips as I picked up the plates, hoping to avoid any awkward feelings.
As I stepped into the kitchen, I bumped into a beautiful, tall lady with red hair moving smoothly into the kitchen. She was so pretty and from the arrows she was shooting at me with her eyes, I figured she was an important member of this palace.
She looked at me with so much disdain while scanning me from head to toe, and her lips curled into a sneer.
"Well, well, well," she drawled, her tone laced with mockery. "Look who’s playing “homemaker”.
“Aren't you shameless? Walking around freely like you own the house or something?” She said with a look of contempt on her face.
I felt a surge of irritation, but I pushed it down. I wasn't going to let her get to me. I calmly placed the dishes in the dishwasher and began to load the soap.
"Just trying to help out," I said neutrally, avoiding eye contact with her.
She snorted. "Oh, I'm sure Alex appreciates having a little servant to clean up after him."
My hands stilled, and my heart rate increased. But I refused to take the bait. I finished loading the dishwasher and turned to face her, my expression calm.
"I'm just trying to help out l, "I repeated. "No need to make a big deal out of it."
“I hope you do not have any idea about staying here. You are wolfless. This pack will never accept you. You are worthless to us.” She mocked and smirked in delight.
“I’m not wolfless”, " I muttered, my voice barely heard.
"Sonia!" Alexander’s sharp voice cut through the tension like a blade.
She stiffened, her confidence faltering as she turned to him. "Alexander," she cooed, attempting to recover her composure. "Who is this… girl? Surely you can’t mean—"
"Know your place," Alexander growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Leave now before you force me to do something I’ll regret."
Sonia’s jaw clenched, but she nodded and walked away, her heels clicking against the marble floor.
When she was gone, Alexander turned to me, his eyes softening. "Are you okay?"
I nodded, though my heart still raced. "Who was she?" I blurted out.
He chuckled, the sound rich and deep. "No one special."
"She seemed pretty special," I muttered under my breath.
His hand moved closer to mine on the table. Not touching, but close enough that I could feel the heat radiating between us. "You're the only one important right now," he said softly.
My breath caught. Was he flirting? Was he serious? Was this real?
“I don't mean to meddle, but I can't help but be curious,” I started, and he looked at me with a smile.
“I know what you are trying to ask, but would you also tell me if I asked why you were locked up in the dungeon in your pack?” He asked, changing the subject. But his eyes never left mine.
I looked down, my fingers playing with the silver bangle on my wrist. "It wasn't a good story," I whispered. "I was accused, demoted, and rejected. Treated like I didn't belong to them after all my years of protecting the Pack's leaders."
His warm and strong hands covered mine.
"You belong to a pack now," he said firmly.
The touch sent electricity through my body. The same feeling from the woods. The same connection I couldn't explain.
Before I could process his words, a sharp pain shot through my wrist. I gasped, clutching it as the silver bangle burned against my skin. I’d completely forgotten about the punishment—it always caused me pain anytime I tried to talk about it. A pain like a death sentence.
"Ella!" Alexander was at my side in an instant. Without hesitation, he scooped me into his arms like I weighed nothing. His arms were safe, strong and protective.
"What’s wrong?" he demanded, his voice thick with concern.
The pain reduced immediately, but I was too embarrassed to meet his gaze. "I… I don’t know," I mumbled, tears building up in my eyes.
"Crying doesn’t make you weak," he said gently. "Let it out. No one will judge you here."
His words broke through my walls, and before I knew it, I was sobbing into his chest, letting out all the pain and fear I’d been holding in.
He rubbed my back in soothing circles, his presence making me feel better.
For a moment, it felt like time stopped. His eyes locked onto mine, and I swore we were speaking without words.
His gaze flicked at my lips, and he leaned in slightly.
A sharp knock at the door disturbed the moment.
"King Alexander," a voice called from the other side. It was his Beta, Gabriel.
"Dammit," Alexander muttered under his breath, as he reluctantly set me down.
He turned toward the door, his jaw tightening as he moved away.
What happened a few seconds ago gave me a very big reason to smile again, as I silently thanked the Moon Goddess for sending me yet another person who cared about me.
I wasn't going to take it for granted.
- Writer
