redith.
How dare he say he would stop pampering ?
He is monts away from consuming with his controlling arrogance and wounded pride and he says it’s pampering?
I stord into my quarters, fists clenched, my heart still pounding from the argunt.
I hated him. I hated Draven.
The way he pulled back like I was nothing. Like he had the right to touch in anger. My wrist still throbbed from the weight of his fingers.
But all of that rage dissolved the mont I opened the door to find Azul, Kira, Deidra, Arya, and Cora standing in the sitting room.
Their eyes flew to .
"My lady!" Azul cried first and rushed forward.
"Where have you been?" Kira asked, her voice trembling.
"We’ve been searching for you everywhere," Deidra added. Her eyes were red, rimd with unshed tears.
I froze, blinking, trying to process the situation.
Azul held my arm gently as Kira stood beside , eyes wide. Arya and Cora hovered near the corner, their faces pale with fear.
"I—I... Um..." My voice faltered. "I went to Duskmoor’s town. With Dennis."
Azul sniffed, visibly relieved. "You are safe. That’s all that matters."
"She must be tired," Kira said quickly, motioning toward the couch. "Let’s take her lady to sit."
They didn’t wait for my reply. They guided to the sofa and helped ease down like I might shatter.
I looked at each of them—the panic in their expressions, the way they clustered around like anxious birds. It struck then. I hadn’t told them. I hadn’t inford anyone about my whereabouts.
It made realize why Draven was so mad at earlier, but that wasn’t enough reason to justify his actions.
"I’m sorry," I whispered. "For making you all worry. I wasn’t thinking clearly, and I should have told soone before leaving. I will do better next ti."
Their eyes softened, but they didn’t say much.
Just then, Azul took my hand, and I felt her pause.
She turned it over gently, and her eyes widened at the angry red ring blooming around my wrist.
"My lady," she breathed. "What happened?"
The others looked. Kira gasped. Deidra covered her mouth. Cora took a step closer.
I pulled my hand back.
"It’s nothing."
I almost told them. Almost said it aloud: Your Alpha did this to . But sothing in clamped the words down. Sha? Rage? Confusion? I didn’t know.
I forced a smile and looked at them instead. "You’ve all really been looking for ?"
They nodded solemnly.
"The whole house was worried," Kira said. "The Alpha deployed all the warriors to search the estate. Everyone thought sothing terrible had happened."
"Oh..." I said quietly. That part I hadn’t expected. He was that worried?
Then why confront like I was the criminal?
I shook the thought away. I didn’t want to think about Draven. Not tonight. Not anymore.
Cora and Arya went to prepare my bath. Kira and Deidra stayed and helped undress.
The mont I sank into the tub, the peppermint bath oil wrapped around in a warm haze, seeping into my muscles, tugging at my exhaustion. My eyelids drifted closed.
But Kira tapped my shoulder softly. "My lady, please don’t sleep off. You still need to eat."
I opened my eyes with a sigh.
The thought of sitting at the dining table—with him—made my stomach twist.
"I’m not hungry," I said. "Just let rest tonight."
Deidra and Kira exchanged a look, but neither argued.
Deidra smiled gently. "At least have so bananas. It’s not good to sleep on an empty stomach."
I nodded slowly. "Alright."
After the bath, Azul dried and dressed in one of the soft night robes. Then she pulled out the balm.
She rubbed it carefully around my bruised wrist, her fingers gentle. The cooling touch stung and soothed at once.
When she reached for my cheek, I leaned away.
"I don’t want it there, Azul."
She froze. But to her credit, she didn’t ask questions. She simply nodded and closed the jar.
I sat quietly on the bed as Deidra brought three peeled bananas and a glass of water. I ate them one by one, the bland sweetness sitting gently in my stomach.
When I finished the last bite, I yawned.
Azul and Kira tucked in with quiet care. One by one, the maids excused themselves and left alone in the dark.
---
The next morning, the peace didn’t last.
I had barely stepped out of my bedroom and into my sitting room when the door opened again—without knocking.
Wanda.
She walked in like she owned the place, her smirk already in place.
"I must say," she drawled, arms crossed, "you were very immature yesterday. Running off and turning this whole house upside down looking for you?"
I stiffened. "I didn’t ask you to look for ."
"No," Wanda said, eyes gleaming. "But now, you must pay for it."
I frowned. "What do you an by that?"
Wanda tilted her head, almost mockingly. "You will see in a mont." Then, she raised her voice. "Boys, co in."
The door opened again—and this ti, three warriors stepped in.
My stomach dropped.
The atmosphere shifted imdiately. Cora and Arya were behind . Kira, Azul, and Deidra turned, frozen in place.
Wanda’s voice hardened. "Seize them."
"No—!" I started, but the guards were already moving.
Azul cried out. Kira was dragged back. Cora whimpered. Arya tried to resist, but one of the warriors caught her arm.
"What do you think you are doing?!" I shouted, stepping forward.
Wanda turned to , expression smug. "Punishing your servants for letting you out of their sight. You went missing. This is their punishnt."
"I wasn’t missing!" I hissed.
Wanda shrugged. "Well, we thought you were. That was enough for all of us to spend nearly an hour searching for you. The entire estate was on alert. So yes, you were ’missing’ enough."
I looked to my maids. Their faces were pale with fear. Fury coiled in my gut, rising fast, sharp and bright.
"You think you can just walk in here and take them from ?" I growled. "How dare you?"
Wanda leaned closer, her smile sharp. "Oh, I dare. You are guilty one, redith. Your recklessness caused this. Maybe when your servants suffer for you, you will think twice next ti before acting."
My nails dug into my palms.
Wanda wasn’t punishing them. She was punishing —because I had embarrassed her, and because she couldn’t touch directly.
This was her way of getting back at for speaking her words back to her at the mall.
"You are nothing but an entitled outsider," she added coldly. "And not even worth the Alpha’s headache."
Wanda was deliberately provoking , knowing that it would hurt to se my maidservants being maltreated.
I wanted to slap her.
I wanted to tear into her.
Instead, I forced the words out through my teeth. "Does the Alpha know about this? Did Draven give this order?"
Wanda chuckled. Her voice grated like gravel.
"The Alpha doesn’t need to micromanage every rule enforcent. And trust , he and I both care about order. Sothing soone like you wouldn’t understand."
Her arrogance burned hotter than the bath water from last night.
She was proud. Gleeful. Drunk on the little power she was allowed to wield.
Then she raised her hand. "What are you waiting for? Take them away."
And just like that, my maidservants were dragged from my quarters under the weight of helplessness.
Reviews
All reviews (0)