EPISODE 4

CATRIONA

He seized my hand and dragged me into his office. His grip was firm—unyielding. He didn’t even let go when he slammed the door shut behind us.

“What did you come here for?” he barked.

“I…” My voice caught.

“You what?” he snapped, cutting me off like a whip.

“If you know why you’re here, stop poking your nose into my business,” he growled.

“I’m… sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

He finally released my hand and stormed over to his desk, sitting down like a king on a throne, his eyes narrowing as he examined me.

“Listen to me, Ms. Catriona. If you ask Sandra even one more question about this house or me, she’ll be the one who suffers for it.”

“No, please—I won’t ask her anything anymore,” I said quickly, fear gripping my throat.

“Very good. Then behave yourself, woman. You didn’t come here to do research on my house or my people.”

“I promise. I won’t,” I said quietly.

I left his office and went looking for Sandra, determined to make things right. I found her just as she was heading into the laundry room with a basket full of dirty clothes.

“Hey, Sandra!” I called out.

She turned, smiling at me. “Hey to you too! Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything’s fine,” I replied, then hesitated. “Sandra, why are you so scared of him?”

Her smile faded. I immediately remembered the warning and raised my hand.

“Forget I said anything. No more questions from now on. But… will you give me a tour of the house?”

“Sure, I will,” she said softly.

She turned on the washing machine, set the timer, and motioned for me to follow her.

---

Later that evening, I changed into my workout clothes and headed to the basement. Sandra had taken me on a tour earlier, showing me the massive mansion with its six wings downstairs and three upstairs—including the servants’ quarters.

She left out four closed doors, though. When I asked her why, she simply said, “It’s inappropriate for a human like you to enter those.” Her tone said it wasn’t up for discussion.

This house was insane. It had its own hospital, a supermarket, and clothing stores for men, women, and children—every stage of life covered. Even a swimming pool. When I asked her if all of it belonged to Jayden, she nodded.

“It’s all his?”

“Well, our Alpha provides everything,” she explained. “But we buy our own clothes… except the orphans. They’re fully provided for.”

We didn’t have time for a full basement tour, but she told me the gym was down there.

I descended the stairs and stopped when I reached the last step. My breath caught.

A stunning raindrop chandelier, dripping in black and gold crystals, hung from the ceiling. The entire basement was styled in deep black and shimmering gold, elegant and fierce. I wandered around, taking it all in.

There were three extra bedrooms, each with a different design. A sleek kitchen with a built-in wine bar sat in one corner. Down the hallway, I spotted a door labelled GYM. A little dramatic, but at least you can’t get lost.

I smiled and stepped inside.

The gym was huge, well-lit, and neatly organized. Machines lined the walls, weights stacked perfectly. I started with the treadmill, jogging lightly for forty-five minutes. Then I grabbed the jump rope—my favourite.

I normally jump between 500 to 1,000 times, depending on my mood. Today… I was aiming high.

I tucked my earpieces in, set a timer, and started jumping.

---

Mid-workout, a beam of light cut through the gym that hadn’t been there before. I turned and saw him—Jayden.

I stopped at 400 and removed one earpiece.

“You need to open the windows before you start your workouts,” he said flatly.

“Sorry. I didn’t know they were hidden,” I muttered. “Next time, I’ll keep that in mind.”

He didn’t answer. Just went to the hack squat machine and began training. I watched him—because, really, how could I not? That man looked like he was carved from sin and stone.

I kept jumping. Finished my 1,000. Sat down. Watched him switch to the lat pulldown. His eyes were closed as he worked, completely lost in his own world. Gorgeous didn’t even begin to cover it.

“Is staring at people one of your hobbies?” he asked suddenly.

I nearly choked on my water. His damn eyes were still closed.

“If you’re done exercising, leave. No point in sticking around,” he said coldly. “Leave.”

I got up, grabbed my things, and muttered, “Why is he always such an arrogant jerk?”

---

Later that night, I went downstairs for dinner. As I entered the kitchen, I heard two women whispering.

“What does Alpha want with that black woman?”

My heart sank. I cleared my throat loudly.

“Are you talking about me?”

They turned red, denied it awkwardly, and quickly disappeared.

An older woman, probably in her seventies, gave me a kind smile and patted the seat beside her.

“Come here, dear. What’s your name?”

“Catriona. But you can call me Cate.”

“I’m Samantha. Most people here call me ‘Godmother,’” she said warmly.

“I’ll call you that too—if you don’t mind.”

She chuckled. “I don’t. Are you… Jayden’s woman?”

“Um… I’m just his—”

“Dinner’s ready!” someone called out.

I exhaled in relief. “Let’s eat, Godmother. We can talk later.”

---

We all sat down, waiting for His Highness. Thirty-five minutes later, he walked in.

Everyone stood up. I didn’t. He’s not *my* Alpha.

He looked worried. His usually perfect hair was messy. I glanced at him once, then kept eating.

After dinner, people left. I carried my plate into the kitchen, and then spotted him heading into the elevator. I rushed toward it and slipped in just before the doors closed—tripped over my foot, and bumped into him.

“You okay?” he asked, steadying me.

“Yes… I’m fine.”

“Watch your step next time,” he said.

We locked eyes. His arms still around me. The air shifted. I pulled away quickly.

“Are you okay?” I asked him.

“I’m fine. As you can see.”

“Stop lying. Something’s bothering you,” I said quietly, surprised by how sure I was.

He stared into my eyes. Said nothing.

When we stepped out of the elevator, I touched his hand.

“Listen, Jayden… if something—”

“Enough, human. That’s enough,” he snapped.

I flinched. “I’m sorry.”

I went back to my room, heart heavy. I sat down, picked up my phone, and called Miss Olivier. She answered on the first ring.

“Hi, child!”

“Hi, Miss Olivier. How are you all?”

“We’re fine, dear. How are you over there? Everything okay?”

“Yes, everything’s good. How’s Edrine?”

“He’s much better. You’d talk to him, but he’s asleep now.”

“It’s okay. Let him rest.”

---

I hung up and stepped onto the balcony for fresh air. Just as I was about to sit, I noticed three men standing near the gate—staring up at me.

I didn’t think much of it. Probably members of the household.

I sat down, opened my I*******m, and tried to push everything else out of my mind.