The Alpha's Surrogate

Chapter 4

Vanessa POV

Life at Ivan's mansion was boring and slow. I began to look forward to the weekends, when I would go back home to see my brother. I still can't believe I'm the only staff in this big mansion. There is no security at the gate, even. If there were any guests, Ivan had to be home to grant them access. Well, the mansion was still secured but I can't help feeling that it was a little creepy.

I sliced some pineapples into a different plate, and arranged it to look appetizing. Ivan always has his dinner around seven pm after he's back from work and has refreshed himself. He lives such a lonesome life. Work, home, work home, wake up, breakfast, home, dinner, sleep. That's his routine. I even wonder what he does for a living to have amassed such wealth for himself.

I balanced the food tray on one hand and walked to the dinning room to serve him. He wasn't in the dining room. Maybe, he's somewhere in his study doing some work. I got the cleaning equipment from the basement and walked to his room to clean the place up for the night.

Ivan is a neat freak and always wants his place to be spotless and clean. His cleaning disorder is obsessive and it always gets on my nerves. I opened the door to help his bedroom and walked in.

The broom and dustpan falls from my hands to the floor.

Ivan stood next to the bed, naked. He grabbed a towel and covered his front before my eyes could move down. I stood frozen at the point, with eyes wide open as my eyes raked his body. His muscles showed he has dedicated time in the gym and worked hard for what he has, now. Our eyes locked in and he pushed back hair from his eyes behind his ears. I swallowed and moved my eyes around his beautiful body. I don't know if I moved or he moved, but it seemed we had covered a few steps and were closer to each other.

"What are you doing?" He asked in a low whisper.

I shook my head, realizing the situation we were in. And moved back, before apologizing.

"Sorry, Sir." I said, dazed at what had just occurred.

Ivan wrapped the towel around his waist and walked closer to me. With each step, I shrunk away, taking backwards steps till I hit the wall and had nowhere to run anymore.

"Why did you walk into my room without knocking?" He asked in a breathless whisper. It was as though he couldn't get over the moment, and I knew he was enthralled just like I was. His eyes locked with mine and he held me there, challenging me not to look away.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I came to clean and thought you were in your study." I managed to say.

"That doesn't justify what you just did." His eyes went cold and he wore a stoic expression.

"Forgive me, Sir."

He smirked. "You would be punished for what you just did, and that way, you would learn never to walk into a man's room without knocking on the door, first." He said, as he leaned so close to my face. I could inhale his musky masculine scent.

I feared what he could do to me. What's going to happen to me? There's no one to come to my rescue even though I scream. I'm in big trouble!

He lifts my head and makes me stare into his eyes. "I would," He stopped and my heartbeat accelerated. "Deduct five hundred bucks from your salary." He finished off, and I heaved in relief.

"Now, get out of my room." He commanded in a harsh tone. His eyes had turned dark and I could tell he was really angry.

I rushed off from his room, but not without shouting. "Your food is ready!" As I dashed out.

Tears streamed down my eyes as I walked to the garden. How foolish of me to walk in without knocking on the door. I was so certain he was in his study and didn't even bother to knock. I can't even explain why I'm crying. Even with five hundred dollars gone, I still have enough for me and Henry but the shame is what irks me and wishes for a time machine to go back in time. Although, it was wicked of him to take such a drastic act because what happened was nothing but a mistake, but who am I to complain?

IVAN POV

I smirked as Vanessa rushed out of the room, face flushed and pink with embarrassment. If I hadn't held myself, I would have had her here, pinned to the wall, while banging her. It still upset me that I desired her, that I wanted her, because it's been years since I laid with a woman. After Selena, I hated women and wanted nothing to do with them. Selena was my mate and on the day of our mating ceremony, she ran away with my best friend Kyle. I was so mad with range that day, and almost destroyed Nightdale Pack and got banished as the Alpha and from Nightdale Pack that uneventful night by the moon goddess. Selena and I were so in love with each other, and I never saw the betrayal coming.

Since then, I never trusted women, and stayed clear away from them, but I still don't know why I chose to hire Vanessa. There's something about her that irks my skin, which I can't pinpoint. She fascinates me and her clumsy behavior is fun to watch, at times. From the look in her eyes, I could tell she was a woman that bore many wounds and pain from her past. I can't tell what she suffered and might be suffering, but I know she's as broken as me. Maybe, it's the broken heart and spirit that attracted her to me, and made me hire her. I shook my head, freeing it from everything, Vanessa, pulled out a shirt and pajama bottoms and wore them before going downstairs for dinner.