Dear Alpha

Ten

She got Alaric’s men rooms to sleep in. They were ten men all in all, so she had them each sleep two two in a room.

And as for Alaric, he was given a single room of his own.

All this, she did with instructions. The servants did the work, while she told them what to do.

She did not want to have to face Alaric or his men once again.

“My lady.” One of the servants came to her.

She turned around and saw who it was.

“Yes?” She rose a brow.

“Sir Alaric’s bath.” The servant said.

“What about his bath?” Deni pressed on.

“Well,” the girl bit her lip and looked down.

Deni didn’t have the patience.

“Would you please get on with it?” Deni asked trying not to sound so harsh.

“He wishes that you see to it that he gets his water to his room.” She said. “And also, he insisted that you shall be present.”

Deni became red.

“Well go tell him that I will most certainly not!” Deni said in a hump and turned to go, but the girl stopped her again.

“My lady,” The girl said calmly. “But these were your father’s instructions. He said you are to do whatever his lord Alaric says. And Lord Alaric is aware of this.”

Deni felt the rage boil in the pit of her stomach.

She cleared her throat and held her straight up.

“So be it.”

Then Deni marched down to where the girls were fetching the hot and cold buckets of water.

When they were done, she led the way to his bedchamber and opened the door.

Alaric was seated by his bed taking off his boots.

Deni gave way for the women to go in with their buckets of water.

“Ahhh so you decide to show up.” He said to her. “I knew you would not miss my undressing.”

She shivered, but decided to be silent. She was not going to let him push her to the point that she would lose her temper and say things that she wished not to.

As lady, she was not to lose her temper she remembered.

She breathed in and concentrated on the girls pouring the buckets of water into his bath tub.

When they were done, she touched the water to see if it was a reasonable temperature.

But it was very hot and she quickly withdrew her hand.

“Is it too hot my lady?” One of the girls asked.

Deni was tempted to say no. It would be so wonderful if he burnt his body with steaming hot water.

But she decided that was a fate too cruel and most likely she was going to have both him and his men at her neck.

“Yes it is still hot.” She said.

Then she motioned for one of the girls to bring a bucket of cold water and she mixed it herself.

When she was certain it was okay, she rose up to her feet.

She turned around and saw that the girls were gawking at Alaric who was taking off his shirt.

Deni was irritated at the way they were staring at him.

“I believe you works are done and it is time for you to leave.” She said to them.

The girls curtsied hurriedly left.

“Who is going to assist me in my bath if you send them all away?” He asked.

“Assist you in your bath?” She demanded. “Have you no hands for yourself?”

He walked to the tub and when she saw he was just about to bring down his plaid, she hurriedly turned away.

Then she started to retreat out of the room.

What was she even doing here in the first place? She had helped him with his water and that was it.

She did not need to listen to his unending talk.

“Where do you think you are going to?” He asked her once she reached the door.

She intended on ignoring him completely, but then he said. “Your father told you to do my bidding. Would it be not a shame for you to disobey your only father right before you leave for your husband’s home?”

She became red.

“What do you want?” She asked in sharply as she stood facing the door.

“Turn around.” He commanded.

“Send my head to the gallows before I do so.” She said.

“I am in my bath.” He shrugged. “Turn around.”

After a few seconds, she sighed and turned around.

And true enough, he was in the bath.

“Was that so hard now?” He asked her.

She said nothing.

How could she say anything when her eyes were cast heavily on his open chest?

“You are to sleep in my bed chamber tonight.” He said as he pressed his hand over his wet blonde hair.

That brought her back to her senses.

“On what grounds?” She asked him.

“On the grounds that we are wed.” He said. “This is our wedding night.”

She hated the man so much. Mainly because to her horror, it was true.

It was truly their supposed wedding night.

“I expect my wife to strip and join me in bed.” He said.

“I can not do such.” Deni said. “I will not.”

“Can or will not?” He asked her.

She grumbled and he smiled at her.

“Come here.” He said.

She stood transfixed.

“Come on.” He said. “I need you to wash my back. My body is swore from all that riding.”

She refused to move.

“Or would you rather I get one of your maids to do it for me instead?” He asked.

“You will not humiliate me in such manner.” She protested.

“I can and I will.” He said as he cleaned his body. “I am your husband and I will do whatever I want.”

“By sleeping with another?” She said in disbelief.

“Most certainly.” He stated frankly.

“And if I were to bed another man?”

“Then you would be punished.” He said. “Striped naked and beaten in front of the whole community and left to suffer until you come begging for forgiveness.”

“A man may bed another woman and gets away with it, but a woman is almost killed for it.” She said in disgust.

Alaric shrugged. “This is a man’s world.”

Then he rose up to his feet and Deni screamed when she saw him completely naked before her.

She rushed and almost hit her face on the wall as she hurried out of the room.

As she ran, she heard him laughing behind her.