Chapter 10
2325 Words
I had muttered the word you, to myself because I was afraid to speak to him. The look in his eyes made me stutter so badly. My legs shivered and I could not look at him in the face anymore. I had thought he was the same masked man I met in the woods. The one I had thought to be the Beta.
"W-what if he punishes me for talking to him that way in the wood? What if he..." I thought and that thought made me shiver more.
I was so worried and disturbed at the same time. I raised my head slowly just to steal a glance at him but when I saw him staring at me through his mask, I looked down quickly. I realized they are not the same. He wasn't the one I met in the woods.
"what if he decides to kill me for staring at him?"
If he could kill someone for stealing a tuber of yam, he can kill me for staring at him. Not to consider the fact that I had entered his bad book already.
"What if he doesn't even recognize you?" My subconscious mind asked and I mentally nodded in agreement.
"It does not look like he recognizes me," I thought and smiled a bit.
He would have ordered my arrest or even ask that they kill me.
"But why is he not saying anything to me?" I thought and raised my head to look at him.
It was difficult for me to read him and the silence looming between us was getting me worried.
"Raise your head" I heard him say and I froze, batting my lashes.
He finally spoke. Why does his voice sound so terrifying and intimidating? "Don't make me repeat myself" he said and I slowly lift my eyes to meet his.
He batted his lashes in surprise but hide the surprised look on his face so quickly.
"Do I know you?" He asked, his voice sounding so calm and tender.
I admire him for how he can change his personality in such a short period.
"D-do you remember me?" I asked, stuttering slightly.
"You are the new mistress right?" He asked ignoring my question. "Are you?" He asked again and I nodded.
He frowned at me. "You don't nod when I ask you a question"
"Y-yes," I replied in a quavering voice.
He sighed. "What's your name?"
"V-Val"
He furrowed his brows. "Val? Valentina?"
"N-no. Valerie"
He nodded. "Valerie. That is a nice name. How old are you?"
"T-twenty"
"Come closer," he told me and I batted my lashes.
Did he just tell me to come closer to him? I moved closer to him and I felt someone push me slightly. Though his push was not hard, I was taken by surprise. I staggered backward, lost my balance, and landed on the couch. My left hand hit the table and I whined.
Why did he push me? Why was he so hard on me? Did I move closer to him without realizing it? It must have been my imagination thinking he acted that nice to me. He stared at me, giving me a strange look.
I was surprised to see the Beta instead of the Alpha that was standing in front of me some minutes ago. I batted my lashes.
"A-a... B-beta" I was so confused about what to say to him.
The last person I saw was the Alpha standing right in front of me. I was sure he was the one I saw. Seeing the Beta now instead of him had rendered me speechless and I could not help but ask these questions.
Why is the Beta here instead of the Alpha? Was seeing the Alpha an imagination? Or he was here like I had imagined? I had a lot running through my mind.
He flicked his finger across my face and I blinked back, to presence.
"Are you not supposed to apologize for bumping into me?" He asked.
His voice sounded so calm and I wasn't afraid of him
"I-i am so sorry. I-i do not mean to..." I sighed. "I am so sorry"
He sighed. "You should get some sleep. It's late. Or is there anything you want to eat?"
I shook my head quickly. "N-no. I will just get some sleep instead" I said but he said nothing.
He kept staring at me and I suspected he wanted to see me go to bed before leaving. I turned to leave but stopped. The Beta looks simple despite not talking to me for a long while, I still felt he is accommodating. I decided to ask about the Alpha from him.
"Sir?" I cooed and he stared at me.
"Is there something you will like to say?"
I nodded. "The Alpha..."
He glared at me. "You can't talk about him"
I sighed. "I was just curious. I saw him some minutes ago standing right in front of me. I can't say when he left. I only saw you instead of him"
"Go to sleep," he said.
"Can't you just tell me if he was here? Is he a..."
I heard the door close and I realized he had left. I furrowed my brows. Why did he leave without telling me?
"Like, he owes you an explanation," my subconscious mind said and I sighed.
Of course, he does not.
**
It was evening and I am yet to meet the Alpha. I wasn't allowed to leave the room either. Bella showed up once with new books for me to read. I tried to speak to her, but she did not say a word in return. Instead, she dropped the books and left. I was able to read a few pages of one of the books to kill boredom.
I soon felt sleepy and decided to take a nap. I dropped the book on the table and move to the only available window in the room. I was wondering what time it was and since there was no wall clock, checking through the window might help, I had thought.
I got closer to it and peeped out. It was dark already and I knew it was night. This was my second night here and the Alpha had not shown up. Though I was sure I saw him yesterday, I had been thinking it might be just an imagination.
"But an imagination put so much fear in me?" I had thought but there was nothing to prove me right.
"And what are you doing by the window?" I heard someone say and had to turn quickly.
Standing in front of me was a man in a mask. His voice was calm and he looked harmless. I stared at him, wondering who he was. He had his black hair packed into a man's buns. He was well built and despite being on a mask, I could not help but admire him. He flicked his finger across my face and I blinked.
"Hey?" He called.
"Sorry" I muttered.
I moved away from the window, still staring at him. There was something about him that made me want to move closer to him.
"What's your name?" He asked, sitting on the couch.
"Valerie" I replied and he nodded.
He picked the book on the table. "Reading a book?"
"Yes," I replied nodding.
He scanned through a few pages and finally kept it.
"Sit," he said and I stared at him.
Who is he? Why does his voice carry some authority despite being calm? "I don't like to repeat myself," he said. I sat down on the bed.
"You are supposed to be my mistress"
I batted my lashes. What is he talking about?
"Y-you..."
"Yes. I am the Alpha"
I widened my eyes. What does he mean about being the Alpha? Isn't the Alpha suppose to be ruthless? Why does he look so nice?
"I-i don't get you"
He stood up. "You must have met with my three Betas"
I furrowed my brows. Three Betas? "Y-you have three Betas?"
"The one who asked of you as an exchange. The one in the wood and the one who visited you yesterday"
I furrowed my brows. I can remember the first two he talked about but the third one who visited me? I can't remember. "I don't know of the third Beta"
He sighed. "The one with the red hair, a flake of fire eyes". I batted my lashes. I was right about seeing him. But is he really, a Beta and not an Alpha? "Do you remember him now?" I nodded. "You don't nod when I ask a question"
"Yes" I replied and he sighed.
I stared at him. There was something about him that looks strange. Though he sounds and looks calm, there is something about him that makes you do his bidding without argument or complaint. He also has a cold and intimidating aura but yet it looks like he doesn't. I felt he had a double personality that plays almost at the same time, which makes you confused.
"Have you met with my mate?" He suddenly asked.
I was caught off guard and did not answer right in time. He glared at me and I felt the hair in my body rising. I could feel my breath skipping a beat or two. My neck suddenly felt strangled and I thrive for air. He blinked and looked away. I felt relief and began to shiver.
What sort of a person is he?
He stared at me and I looked away immediately. I was afraid looking at him will cause me the same pain I felt some minutes ago. I heard him sigh.
"Have you met my..."
"N-no" I replied quickly.
"Now to my rules and regulations". He stared at me and I muttered a yes. I was not sure if that was what he wanted to hear from me. He sat down on the couch. "You already know two of my rules right?"
"I..." The look on his face made me stutter. "Y-yes" I replied instead.
"What are they?" He asked and I blinked.
I don't know any of his rules. I suddenly realize I might know them. "I-i am not to nod as a reply when you talk to me" he smiled. It was a genuine smile and it kept me wondering what sort of a person he is. How can he smile so genuinely and still hurt? "A-and you don't like to repeat yourself"
"Good. Now listen carefully. I have no plan to have anything to do with you so make sure you avoid me as much as you can. You are going to meet my mate soon. When you do, you had better be in her good book or you will lose your life"
He stared at me and I held my clammy hands together. "Y-yes" I muttered.
"You can't disrespect her. You don't show up in front of me except when summoned and I might never have to summon you. The rest of the rules will be passed across to you by one of my Betas. Precisely the third one". I felt shivers run down my spine. Why will he send the third one? And not the first or even the second? "Do you have any questions?"
"N-no" I muttered.
I had so many questions I wanted to ask him but I was afraid I might provoke him. He stood up and smiled at me.
"Come closer"
My leg felt heavy to move but I still dragged them closer to him for fear he might hurt me if I don't. I stood in front of him, shivering slightly. He placed his hand on my face and pushed my hair to the side. Despite being in an awkward situation, I still felt some butterflies in my stomach. His hands were soft and I could help but moan slightly. This was my first time being touched by a man and I felt hot. I bit my lower lips and mentally slapped myself for feeling this away in a situation like this. He smirked. I guess he was satisfied with the effect he had on me. He pull me closer to him and I could feel his breath fanning across my face and I froze.
"The next time you get flirty with me, you will get beaten for it. That is if you don't get killed" he whispered and pushed me away.
I fall back on the couch and did not bother to look at him. I was shivering and could not hide it. I heard the door open and then close. I knew he was gone but I still could not lift my head. Though I had imagined what my meeting with him will be like, I had never for once thought it would be like this. I could not stop myself from shivering, even though I wanted to stop it so badly. His aura suddenly filled the room up.
"He can't be him right?" I tried to tell myself, but no matter how much I tried to think that way, I couldn't.
By the time I finally felt relief, I was sweating furiously. The room atmosphere had returned to normal too. I looked around the room wondering if it was my imagination again. Despite knowing how true it was, I wanted to tell myself that It was nothing but a new imagination. That he wasn't as ruthless as he acted. His attitude towards me also made me wonder if the elders in my pack already told him I was cursed.
I was afraid of meeting him again and hoped he would never have a reason to summon me. I thought of what our next meeting will be like.
"What if he decides to come back?" I thought and the door suddenly opened.
I feared it might be the Alpha and I jumped up on my feet quickly.
- Writer
