Dark Inner Chamber

Ava.

His pupils narrowed and he didn't answer me immediately. It must've surprised him that I would come up with such a question, and his reaction did nothing to kill my curiosity. Instead, I wanted to know more_ if she was really his mate and had his baby. 

"Why do you ask?" He replied me with a question and I pretended to roll my eyes.

Perhaps, there was really something and Olivia was right. I was just the bride he gets to fuck legally because her pack had enough of her already and couldn't tolerate her nasty behaviour, so they gave her to him freely. And Olivia on the other hand was a prestigious Beta; his mate and his original lover. Whatever happened between them to not get married did not change the fact that I was just an imposter. 

"I just wanted to know if she is one of your lovers." I said, trying my best to sound unbothered but even I could hear the concern in my tone.

I hurriedly continued so that he wouldn't mistake me for being jealous, "It seemed that she wouldn't mind making my life here a living hell so I wanted to know whose side you would be on if I decided to strike back."

Darwin chuckled amusedly and leant in to kiss my nose tip, the most sensitive part of my face after my earlobe. "I'm still waiting to properly claim you and until then, I'll constantly, with bended knees, daily worship you. If there's anyone's back I would have, it would be yours, little demon. I tell you, you have the most desirable one I've ever seen in my entire lifetime." He had his way with ambiguous words and to indirectly skirt giving me my answer.

But I would be honest that his reply was much better than the one I had expected. Perhaps, it did not much matter what Olivia had claimed as far as I had his words.

"Shower and go to bed. Turn the lights off and lock your door after I leave. I need to attend to some matters." He patted my head like a precious toy and hopped out of the bed. Seconds later, the door closed after him and I stood up, wrapped the towel ruined by my cum around me and walked to the door. I locked it, assuming that no one else could get in that way apart from himself. 

-

After breakfast, I got dressed and waited for him to come get me until noon. The clothes arranged for me were mostly revealing or tight. I chose a loose silver gown made of thin satin. It was skimpy, stopping inches below my butts and had very thin straps. Nevertheless, it was indeed very beautiful and accentuated my long legs and collarbone.

But remembering Darwin's reaction when I wore that body revealing gown to the ceremony, I decided to wear a long coat over it. I chose gray, not knowing what his favorite color was but guessing the color of his eyes should be fine. I chose silver square boots to match with my dress and even packed my hair up. 

It seemed I had prepared too much just to meet his mother but I couldn't help being super nervous about it and now, I was beginning to assume that I'm being stood up. 

I waited for another hour before giving up on waiting. I grabbed my phone and left my room, strolled down the spacely hallway and down the stairs. Interestingly enough, I was not just given a room but a real house of my own. Darwin had given me one of the two royal residences in the palace, the other being where he lived. It had two lavishly furnished living rooms; a bar room containing different kinds of expensive wine; a master room and a guest room; a study room and well, a kitchen that did not contain much. Regina, one of my maids, had told me that he did not recommend meals being prepared in the two residences and so, the palace kitchen prepared all the meals.

As I stepped outside the residence, I found the two bodyguards assigned to me waiting there and I immediately asked one of them to take me to the palace kitchen. If it meant that I had to deliver meals just to see him, then I didn't mind. I would just keep in mind to scold him for standing me up.

The palace kitchen was really a heaven of appetizing aromas and the menu was especially enticing. As we made our ways to the other room where the food was usually prepared, I heard the girls chattering around. They were deeply drawn into their discussion that they hadn't noticed when I reached the entrance. Curious about what gossip could be so interesting for them to lose consciousness of their environment, I paused to listen to their conversation. They were a couple of girls, sitting around the bar and chatting and it appeared that they were gossiping about my marriage. 

" I don't think she'll be able to cope with the Alpha. She's not his mate and they don't have any special bonding. Even Isabella, his mate couldn't stand the torture anymore and ran away." One red haired said, scratching the nape of her head with her overgrown fingers. She was short and dirty and so was her judgment_ shortsighted and very unclear. 

"Hmm. The Alpha isn't the type of person one should sign up a lifetime relationship with. I really do pity her. She was so tired yesterday that she immediately asked us to leave so she could rest. She's so young, very young." That one, Nadine, had a problem with her brain and couldn't use it to think straight, I wagered in myself. First of all, she barely knew me so how could she pity me? And I wasn't that tired yesterday, I just wasn't used to the feeling of being treated as a royal and needed some time alone. I also thought of asking them to rest because I imagined they must've been busy all day long. Next time, I would ask her to scrub the  living room with a toothbrush. Moreover, I might be young but I'm not weak. 

"Did you see the way he held her face at the ceremony? I could tell she almost felt like dying. I really saw her eyes watered." And do I have to tell them I've felt like dying a thousand times but did not die? Metaphorically speaking, I have been stabbed in the heart a thousand times but did not die. 

"You guys are all just jealous. I think the new Luna is nice and better than Isabella. I also think she's strong. I think it's adorable that she went ahead with the marriage after that. A stubborn and fierce heart like that is what the master needs to counteract his cold one." That one, Regina, should be my favorite. I must say she already is. After all, she is the only knowledgeable one amongst them all. The rest seemed to have taken coke all their years in college. 

"Right, Regina? Isabella is the weak one and anyone that thinks she's better is definitely insane. What is better in not trying? I'm the fierce one that has decided to stay." I said, walking into the room and announcing my presence. Seeing it was me, they all jumped out of their positions and immediately bowed their heads. 

"Your highness!" They all chorused with a shaky voice and I sneered. Even when I was a lowlife rookie, I never spoke ill of anyone to people. Especially not someone I was not acquainted with. 

"I am not your prince or princess, gossips. I'm your queen and Luna. It is only right that you address me as Your Majesty or Sire." I reprimanded them resentfully and quickly turned to face Regina. I did not wish to waste another minute thinking about what they had said and finding words to make them feel worse. 

"Where is the head chef, Regina?" I beckoned her and she moved closer but like yesterday, still refused to look up at me.

"She is on sick leave. The acting head is Elena, she..." Knowing she must be part of those speaking bad of me, I did not wait for her to finish. 

I hurriedly asked, "Did you serve him his breakfast this morning?"

She seemed to be lost for a moment before answering me, "No. No one is allowed to go in except we're called in."

And the excuse as to why I've been stood up is that he has been busy all morning? He even skipped breakfast all morning. How unhealthy, even as alpha!

"Microwave something now. I'll take it to him on my way." I told her, brushing past the rest of them like they did not exist and I sat on the stool, taking a quick rest after walking over a long distance while I waited for Regina to carry  out the task.

"I'll take hot milk for him too; cake and a boiled egg also." 

Back in Oakley, that was what I usually had for breakfast and however cheap it seemed, it always kept me happy and strong until the next meal was available. 

"Okay, Sire." She nodded and sauntered around. I wanted to tell her to call me something informal but I brushed the idea away. Maybe it could not be any better than this way. 

Regina soon finished and she packaged the dishes into three paper bags, handling it over to my bodyguard.

"Thank you, Reggie!" I said and waved her goodbye, despite her reluctance to have me leave on my own. She had insisted that it was her and her colleagues' duty to follow me around in case I might need some help. 

Alpha Darwin's residence was just beside mine so it was easier to locate and access. Seeing it was me, his bodyguards immediately let me in and I took the paper bags from mine, asking him to wait outside. I headed into the building, expecting it to be quite similar to mine but I was wrong. The interior, designs and furniture were totally different from what I had back in my residence. They were dark and bland; no fashion and no taste. They were either gray or black, even the floorboards and the paintings on the walls. Only the light coming in through the window gave it some decency this way, with the lights out.

It appeared he wasn't home at the moment so I made to look around. I switched on the lights and took off my boots, changing to his own house slippers. I untied my hair and switched on the air conditioning before going upstairs, ready to explore all the secrets he was hiding. 

I was starting to understand why he had disapproved of cooking in the residences. It wasn't that he had a problem with meals being cooked here, it was simply because he couldn't stand having people around, especially random strangers lacking direction in their lives. Someone like him had a dark soul and his patience was undoubtedly limited. Having strangers create a nuisance around him was definitely going to put him off.

I jogged the stairs until I reached the third floor which was apparently the top one. I excitedly opened the door to the master bedroom and walked in. This_ sneaking into the alpha's bedroom_ reminded me of my lively and daring days in Oakley where I would seduce old bastards and go home with them after drugging them. They would usually fall asleep in Zayn's truck and we would sneak into their home, taking every valuables we could eye during our stay. But we never left without taking nude pictures and proof that he had brought me to his house. We used those media to blackmail them into giving us their paychecks. Really, I have done a lot of bad thing and was never a saint but everyone I'd fuck up totally deserved it.

Alpha Darwin's bedroom was even more depressing than the living rooms. They were all black walls and paintings; furniture and ceilings. It did not look like it was made for a person. If I had missed my way here, I could've speculated a demon lived in it. I wondered how he slept in here... in a room that was nothing but dark. It was intensely dark and really depressing. And the paintings on the wall, they had no signature so I figured out he had done some handwork to communicate how dark his mind was. There was a dark heart, pierced all over and splashed with different colors. Right over his bed, a wolf was held high with a rope around his neck and it looked like he was dying. By his mirror, there was a broken dark star pieced together but missed a part, and hence didn't shine. 

They were great artworks, but disturbing. Merely looking at it and one could feel the torture; the pain and the lonely heart. 

"What're you doing here?" I flinched when I heard his voice right behind me. I jumped back, turning to face him in panic. Darwin caught my hand, helping me to steady my legs and I bit my bottom lip, not sure of what to say.

Why does he have the habit of appearing out of nowhere?

"I came to find you." I replied honestly and he immediately released my hand. Darwin looked down at me, his gaze cold and unwelcoming. I could not tell if he was exactly mad at me or because of some other matter but I knew he didn't want me here and I couldn't survive it if he did not ease his temper.

"No one is allowed here." He said coldly.