Chapter - 5

"What were you doing here so late at night, though, Melody? It doesn't seem safe to be out here alone, specially given how weak you are," Alpha Evan said once he'd put his shirt on and ran a hand through his hair, making it perfectly disheveled. 

I cringed at his casual comment. Sure, I knew I was weak but he did not have to throw that in my face like that. "I come here to swim at nights. It's calming to me. And I am weak, but you don't have to go around pointing it out to me," I grumbled. 

His gaze softened as he stepped closer again. "I just don't want you getting hurt, kitten. I'll make sure you're no longer weak when I take you with me. I'll train you myself."

Something warm bloomed in my chest at his words. No one other than Raymond and my nanny had shown me so much kindness. Overwhelmed with too much emotion, I felt like crying. But for pretty much the first time in my life, they would be tears of joy. 

Clearing my throat, I whispered, "Thank you, Alpha Evan," my voice cracking at the last syllable as a lone tear escaped my left eye. 

Alpha Evan was right in front of me in an instant, a shock wave coursing through my system at his touch as he wiped the tear away with his hand. "What's wrong, Melody? Why are you crying? Did I say something to upset you?" 

I shook my head vigorously. Goddess, this was so embarassing. How was I supposed to explain? That too with his heady scent invading my senses. It was hard to think when he was standing so close to me. Still, I tried, "Nothing. I'm just happy. That I will get to go away from here." 

"Does it mean so much to you to leave this place behind?" 

I nodded once. Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I began, "Life here has not been easy for me. I would like to leave and start over. I would've tried to leave before but like you said, physically, I'm too weak to do it. And I did not have any help either, at least nothing substantial. Until you," I admitted softly, looking into his moss green eyes. 

Alpha Evan nodded in understanding before grabbing my hand in his and dragging me along with him in the direction of the Alpha's house. Sparks flew from our entwined hands until they eventually settled into a deep warmth which made me feel safer than I'd ever felt before. 

I revelled in the feel of his hand in mine for a few moments before I realised where he was taking me. 

"Alpha Evan, where are we going?" 

"To talk to Alpha Adrian."

My eyes widened at his words and I tried to pull on his arm to get him to stop. "No! We can't do that! He'll never agree to sell me. Remember how he'd already denied you?" 

Alpha Evan didn't stop or slow down. "I know," he said simply. 

"Then, why....what..." I sputtered, not being able to form a coherent thought as he all but dragged me with him. 

I shook my head, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. "What are you going to do now?" I finally asked. 

"You'll see." 

I rolled my eyes. "If I wanted to wait and see it for myself, why would I have asked you?" 

"You're the one who asked, so you should know the answer to that."

This man! "Must you be such a smart ass?" 

He simply shrugged his broad shoulders in reply as we came to a stop outside the Alpha's house. 

He entered without knocking, and walked up to the first floor to where Alpha Adrian's room was without asking me or anyone else for directions. The Alpha's house was a large one. Large enough that even with a lot of council members and an even larger number of staff living in it, he still had numerous rooms to spare. I briefly wondered how Alpha Evan knew where to go, subconsciously ducking my gaze to avoid any passerby's. 

I hid myself behind Alpha Evan's hulking frame as we stopped in front of Alpha Adrian's room, waiting for him to open the door. I squeezed my eyes shut as the sound of the door opening met my ears, as if that would somehow make me disappear. 

"Alpha Evan, you here at this time of the night? Is everything alright?" Came Alpha Adrian's slightly confused voice. 

"No," Alpha Evan snapped in reply and suddenly, I was being pulled from behind him and unceremoniously thrust into Alpha Adrian's room, so much so that I lost my footing and ended up stumbling ungracefully, landing on the floor with a small scream. 

It took me a moment to realise that Alpha Evan had just pushed me into Alpha Adrian's room. 

Wide eyed, I looked up to see Alpha Adrian looking down at me with his usual disgusted expression. I wasn't surprised, no. What surprised me was the way Alpha Evan was looking down at me. Like I was worse than the dirt on his shoe. And boy, did it hurt because I had never expected him to treat me like that. Specially not after the conversation we'd just had. Had that all been a joke to him? Was I a joke to him? 

Hurt and confused, I looked up at him, waiting for him to speak. And my world seemed to shatter around me when he did. 

"I'd thought that I was doing right earlier by trying to help her. But this girl was trying to spy on me when I went out for a walk to clear my head. And she belongs to your pack, Alpha Adrian. Did you send her after me?" Alpha Evan asked, his furious gaze fixed on Alpha Adrian.

Alpha Adrian glared at me, making me avert my gaze. I was too stunned to even try to defend myself. Besides, in my shocked state, I realised that no matter what I said, Alpha Adrian would obviously listen to Alpha Evan over me for he was an Alpha and I was Melody, the girl he hated more than anything in this world. I also belatedly realised that even if I tried to tell Alpha Adrian what I'd seen Alpha Evan do, he would never believe me. Heck, he'd probably sock me in the gut before I'd even finished my explanation.

I looked at Alpha Evan then. Had he known all along that no one was going to believe me? Was that why he'd been so impossibly calm when I'd tried to blackmail him into taking me away from here? But then, why had he given me false hope like that? Why had he given me false hope, only to crush it like it was nothing at the end? 

A myriad of emotions swirled inside me, making my head ache. I was shocked, confused, and most of all, I was hurt. His betrayal felt like a physical blow. 

I tried to ignore the pounding in my head and focus on what Alpha Adrian was saying. "Of course not, Alpha Evan. She's a nobody in our pack. If I'd wanted someone to spy on you, I'd at least have sent someone who wouldn't get caught so easily." 

I flinched at the verbal blow. Of course. The man didn't even think me capable of washing the dishes, why would he think me capable of something as difficult as spying? 

"Then what was she doing following me, huh? Trying to see what I was doing?" 

"I have absolutely no idea, Alpha Evan. But rest assured, I will see to it that she doesn't repeat the same thing ever again. She'll be lucky if she can walk after I'm done with her," Alpha Adrian spat out, clearly agitated.

Dread filled me as his words registered. A trip to the dungeon downstairs was what he meant. The last time I'd been down there, I hadn't been able to get up from the bed for months. Tears sprang to my eyes at the thought of what would happen now. But I refused to give Alpha Evan the satisfaction of seeing me cry because of him. 

Maybe this was my punishment for being so naíve as to trust a complete stranger like that. 

"No," Alpha Evan's one word, spoken with finality, pulled me out of my thoughts and back to reality. "It was me she was following around. I want to be the one to punish her," Alpha Evan said, his lips curling into a sinister smirk as he raked his eyes over my body, making goosebumps break out all over my skin. 

Alpha Adrian let out a laugh. "Very well, Alpha. If that's what would please you. You may have her for the night." 

My eyes widened. "No!" I shouted on instict. "Please don't do this to me Alpha Adrian, please," I all but begged, on the verge of tears now. 

Alpha Adrian ignored me. So I turned to look at Alpha Evan, only to see him looking at me already. With his moss green eyes boring into my blue ones, he said, "Not just tonight. I want her every night that I'm here."

I looked away from him, closing my eyes. This couldn't be happening. No, no, no. 

I heard Alpha Adrian laugh some more. "Of course. Serves her right for acting like a bitch in heat. Teach her some manners while you're at it, too."

I heard another short laugh. This time, it was Alpha Evan who had laughed. "Oh, I will," he muttered before I felt a grip on my arm, pulling me to my feet. 

It was Alpha Adrian holding me. On instinct, I struggled against his grip but he simply laughed, shoving me towards Alpha Evan who caught me easily. 

And even though his arms and scent made me feel safe, I knew I was the farthest thing from safe right then.