Shining Through Shadows

Memories

Lydia

“Oh my, oh my,” I whispered to myself as I rested my back against the door. I was currently hiding in a utility closet on the Alpha’s floor, as if he couldn’t find me if he really wanted to.

My heart was still beating erratically fast and my breathing was labored. Like the one time, years ago, where Cameron and I ran for our dear lives when we stumbled across a family of wild boars in the forest.

The memory brought a smile to my face and my breathing slowly returned to normal. I wondered how he was and if he was living up to his promise about taking care of my mother.

Did she miss me? Or was she too engrossed in her grief that she hadn’t realized I was no longer there to take care of her? I would probably never find out.

A sigh escaped my lips as I tried to keep my emotions at bay. It wouldn’t help me to live in the past. I belong here now, with the other servants, and with our service came the protection of our homes and families from bloodthirsty wolves that tormented every small village in the north. That was all the encouragement I needed to stay in Duragh.

***

The Alpha wasn’t in the house to get his lunch, so Louisa told me to rest since I was to be working the entire evening.

I decided to take a nap before the other girls were back from their own duties, and then we went to the library together. Suni was still working on her socks, chatting our ears off while Harper and I were trying to read. While I was still struggling a bit with the words, I already found myself to be more confident when reading. Reyna was searching the library, with help from Jena, for a book about gardening that had been misplaced.

“So, how is it working on the forbidden floor?” Suni suddenly asked. Her sudden interest in my new duties made me look up from the page I was reading.

“It’s quite boring, actually. All I do is serve him his food and fetch the plate when he’s done.” I told her with a bored look on my face. I didn’t plan to share how he was stalking closer to me with a predatory look in his eyes…

“Lydia?” Suni’s voice made me snap out of my thoughts and I realized I hadn’t heard what she was saying.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” I asked her, hoping she wouldn’t probe too much.

“I was just wondering… Is he as handsome as the rumors say he is? We've barely gotten a glimpse of him.” I frowned at her, but then remembered her obsession with the handsome guests. She spoke of them quite often, actually.

“I haven’t actually seen him.” I lied and hoped my face wouldn’t flush. I was not ready to share how I envisioned the Alpha.

“Huh,” she scoffed and held up the sock she was currently knitting to inspect it closely. “But you saw his beast, right? What did it look like?”

Images from the night on the stairs flashed through my mind. The dark fur sprouting from his skin. The chilling sound of his bones breaking. How he had growled and snarled at me. And the teeth… His long, sharp canines promising nothing but pain and death…

“Like death himself.” I whispered, feeling a shiver travel down my spine. Harper and Suni gasped and stopped whatever they were doing to stare at me with wide eyes.

I closed the book I was reading and rose to my feet, the book cradled safely against my chest.

“I have to prepare for dinner now, I’ll see you tonight.” I said with a soft smile and went to place the book back on the shelf before I left the library to prepare for dinner.