Chapter 11

Hazel's POV 

I couldn't go back to sleep. I thought about how Alpha Xavier almost strangled me earlier. I rubbed my neck again, still feeling the strain of his powerful grip around my neck. 

Why did he act that way?

One moment, he was kind and the next moment he was cruel. 

I remembered how he caressed my face when I woke up from the nightmare. His eyes were full with concern and his soft and tender touch caused my heart to falter.

Then his eyes went cold and he strangled me almost to death. 

Is he eccentric? Or is it something darker in play here?

Did he really plan on killing me?

I shivered at the thought, pulling up the blanket up to my chin. 

He had already pronounced me as his mate but I still don't know if he really accepts me or not. 

Does he feel the mate bond too like I do or am I the only one who felt it? 

Did he pronounce me as his mate just to save my life?

Unable to sleep, I kept thinking about him till dawn break. 

*******

In the morning, Marianna knocked the door and entering, she pulled open the curtain. I hid my face from the brightness of the light and groaned. 

"It's time to wake up dear" she said, coming to sit at the edge of my bed.

She gasped when she saw my puffy eyes.

“Did you sleep at all? Look at your swollen eyes” she said, a look of concern spreading across her face.

“What happened?” she asked, sitting beside me.

I couldn't tell her how the Alpha almost killed me last night. She might not believe me, even I still find it hard to believe. 

“It's nothing” I lied, yawning and stretching my body. 

“If there's anything bothering you, know that you can trust me” she said, her eyes warm with kindness. 

I battled with whether to tell her or not but I decided not to. 

She observed my bruises and the cuts on my knees. 

"Your wound is healing fast," she said with an approving smile on her face. 

"It's time to take a bath, Hazel,"she said, lifting my greasy hair with a grimace. 

"You really need it," she added. 

She led me down to the bathroom to get myself cleaned. The warm water feels like heaven. I've not had a chance to take a bath throughout my stay in the dungeon. I relished this moment of water dripping on my thirty skin. My body loves it except that the bruises and cuts in my body stings in protest but I didn't care. I took my time washing my greasy white mane and then washing my dirty white skin. 

I felt lighter and much more alive. After a long while, I finished taking my bath and stepped out of the bath. Marianna was waiting for me at the entrance of the bathroom.

"You look more beautiful now, who could say that your hair was actually white." she said, a teasing smile on her face. 

I smiled shyly, I haven't smiled for a long time now. 

She handed me a warm towel to cover myself and led me back to my room.

I remembered yesterday's dinner and my stomach growled. I wonder what I'll be given as breakfast, I salivated as I remembered the roasted meat and freshly baked bread.

"Let's apply medicine on your wounds. Its healing fast at this rate" Mariana interrupted my thoughts. 

I flinched as she took the balm in her hands. 

"Don't worry, it won't sting too much this time" she said and I looked at her with disbelief. 

She applied the balms on my wounds, it didn't hurt like yesterday but it hurt enough for me to shrink back at the sting.

"It's okay dear," she said soothingly. 

She cast a dissatisfied look at my torn dress at the corner of the room.

"I'll get you something to wear "she said, picking up the torn dress and leaving.

After a while, she's back with a pink cotton dress. I was already feeling cold, so I hurried into it and the warm comfort I felt was amazing. 

"You can rest for a while, I'll get you something to eat," she said, stroking my silver white hair gently. 

The breakfast was as wonderful as yesterday's dinner. 

I wanted to get out of bed but Marianna insisted that I should stay in bed and rest till I am fully recovered. 

At lunch time, she came in with another tray of food and my stomach growled in excitement. I finished everything, leaving the tray slate clean. 

At dinnertime, she brought in another tray of food. After eating the dinner, she tended to my wounds again. Then after tucking me in, she left with the balm and ointment. 

She seems so nice and motherly. There's something about her smile that made me remember my mother.  

I missed my Mom and dad. As I laid down on the soft bed, I looked for my locket which had my parent's picture but I couldn't find it. 

My heart sank. 

Oh no! It's the only thing I have left of my parents. Where could it possibly be? I have always kept it with me since I was a child. It had been what had been keeping me going when I was in the dungeon. 

I got up and searched everywhere in the room but couldn't find it. 

Where else could it be? Maybe I dropped it in the bathroom while taking my bath. I have to go and check. I made my way out of the room to go to the bathroom. 

After a few minutes of roaming around the huge mansion, I finally realized that I'm lost. The corridor stretched out before me with all the doors looking identical. I couldn't find my way to the bathroom, nor could I find my way back to my room. 

I tried to use my wolf power to retrace back my steps but my wolf is very weak right now and couldn't.

Then I heard voices behind one of the doors. Perhaps I can get someone to help me find my way back. I leaned closely on the door but I couldn't hear what they were saying.

As I strained to hear them, the door opened suddenly, my heart skipped a beat as I found myself facing the deadly Alpha again. 

It's Alpha Xavier 

"What the hell are you doing here?" he snarled.