Chapter 13: Poison
Aira’s POV
A groan escapes my lips as I slowly return to consciousness. My body feels so strange, like it isn’t mine. My eyelids peel open slowly to find a beautiful chandelier placed above me. I squint at it as I think, ‘I don’t remember there being a chandelier in the maid’s chambers.’
That is when I realized that this isn’t my room. What happened? Where am I?
The memories of me coughing up blood and Latisha’s evil grin as I passed out flood back into my mind. My heart aches as the familiar sting attacks my eyes.
I thought I was going to die. I know I do not have much to live for, but this child in my womb is more than enough. Subconsciously, my arms wrap around my belly as I think,
Are you okay, little one?
“Your child is just fine, Aira.”
My head snaps in the direction of the familiar voice. The tears I have been trying so hard to hold back begin to fall like rain when my only friend comes into view.
“Carla.”
She grins at me from the other side of the room. She closes the distance between us, and I spring out of bed to embrace her. I do not care if my grip is a bit too strong; my happiness right now cannot be contained.
“I can’t believe it; you are actually here,” I say, nuzzling my hair into her air. Her embrace fills me with a warmth I cannot quite describe. I pull away almost instantly and look at her suspiciously. “Wait, how are you here? I thought you were being detained.”
She takes my hand and gives them a light squeeze. “I didn’t stay in that cell for up to thirty minutes, honestly. The alpha had ordered my release a long time ago and moved me to another unit.”
My eyebrows shoot to the top of my head at her revelation. Alexander really did that. And he never told me anything.
“All this time, I carried this guilt because I thought you were rotting away down there,” I say as my vision blurs once again. Carla’s smile is gentle as she wipes away my tears.
“Honestly, I cannot quite explain it myself. Never in my life have I witnessed the alpha show such kindness. I think that is because, even though he would never admit it, he cares deeply about you. He knows that it would hurt you if anything bad actually happens to me,” she explains.
I still find this all hard to believe. Alexander showed mercy to someone. Because of me?
“I can’t believe I did not know you were free.”
“I suppose the alpha just wanted you to feel heavy with guilt,” she says, and I nod in agreement. Yeah, that definitely sounds like the Alexander I know. “I was the first person he called when he found you in the maid’s diner. I suppose I was the only one he trusted with you.”
My heart clenches at the thought of the maid’s diner.
“Carla, they tried to poison me; I thought I was going to die,” I say through trembling lips, and she nods.
“I know,” she says, but with the way she looks at me, I can tell that there is more she wants to say.
“There is something you are not telling me. What else happened when he found me?” I ask her, and she releases a sigh.
“Word got to me that he lost his mind when he found you in that state. He had everyone present locked up and beheaded Latisha.”
Oh, my God.
My stomach churns, and I feel this urge to throw up.
He not only killed Latisha but did so by beheading her. I know I did not know Latisha all too well, but I sincerely do not believe she deserved such a fate.
Carla squeezes my hands once again, forcing me back to the present. “Hey, do not think about it too much. Everyone here knows what the alpha is like; she had it coming. But on the bright side now, I am certain that no one else will have the guts to harm you again.”
I sincerely wish I could believe that.
The next few days have been undoubtedly calm. Carla has been moved back to the maid’s chambers, and Grace at times assigns a single task to the both of us. I have no doubt that it was on Alexander’s order.
There are very few maids now since most of them are still in the cell. There were no more mocking insults, side glares, or attempts on my life. Everyone simply minded their own business, which I appreciated very much. Everything almost seemed perfect except for one fact.
Within these past few days, I have not gotten even a glimpse of Alexander. It is almost as though he vanished. There was a time I could have sworn I felt him; he was close by, watching me. but the second that feeling came, it left.
He disappeared.
I knew I was not hallucinating or going crazy; he really was there. And that is when I came to the conclusion that he was avoiding me. But why?
Did he feel bad for killing Latisha because of me? Sincerely, that did not even sound right. I may not have known him for a long time, but I can guarantee that Alpha Alexander is not one to regret any of his actions.
There are times I find myself searching for him without knowing. I would wander the halls with no direction, but my feet moved and my eyes searched like they were on a mission. But even with that, he was still nowhere to be found.
It hurt.
I longed for him, and I hated it.
But I suppose that things were better off this way. Things have been very peaceful, and I would like to keep it that way. But sadly, the peace does not last as long as I hoped.
I feel my blood freeze within my veins as I read the note taped above my bed.
The writing is red, and the metallic scent that fills my nose tells me that it isn’t red ink that was used to write it.
Your days are short, little bitch, but your child’s are much shorter.
I tear the note off my bed and jump out of it.
“Carla? Carla, where are you?” I call out, only to find out that I am the only one in the room. Where did she go? It is so unlike her to leave without telling me. And where did everyone else go?
Panic courses through my veins as only a single thought comes into my head.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.
I need to find Alexander.
Bolting out of the room, I run down the hall to Goddess knows where. My feet just move on their own accord, like they already know where he is.
When I take a sharp turn, my body collides with a hard one. As soon as the arm that wraps around me makes contact with my skin, I instantly know who it is.
“Careful now.” Alexander’s voice fills my ears in a way that sends shivers down my spine. I dare to look up at him, and my heart skips a beat as his dark eyes stare down at me intensively.
“Alpha Alexander,” his name, rolls off my tongue almost naturally. His arm around my waist disappears, and he takes a step back.
“What is it? You look pale.”
I reared my head back with surprise. I cannot believe he noticed that, or is that evident?
I hold out the letter to him; he takes it from my hands and reads it, his eyes darkening as he does.
“I found this taped above my bed this morning. I sincerely think someone is out to kill me and my child. I really need your help.”
My words only appear to infuriate him even more. He looks at me with a blazing fire in his eyes when he says, “You don’t need my help with anything. No one is going to hurt you.”
He turns his back to leave, but I do not let him. I walk around him and block his path, pinning him down with my gaze. “I am sorry, but I do not believe that. I am not the only one involved in this; my child is as well, and I cannot let anything happen to them.”
The alpha lifts his brow slowly and says, “You are being a dramatic baby right now. You need to stop being so scared. I am telling you that no one has the guts to hurt you; you are my mate, and no one will dare do anything to upset me.”
He tries to walk past me, but I do not let him. I have no idea what has gotten into me; usually I would be cowering in fear from the way he is glaring down at me. but instead I stand my ground; I have to for the sake of my child.
“I have been your mate since the second I stepped into this hell you call a palace. And I have been cut, tortured, starved, and nearly killed ever since then. So me being your mate is not enough! I need protection, and if you cannot offer that, I will be forced to take matters into my own hands. Do you under-”
I do not get to finish my sentence because the next thing I know, my back is being slammed against the wall.
“What are y-”
I am interrupted once again, or, should I say, silenced.
Alexander seals his lips with mine and my God. I have never felt something so exhilarating before in my entire existence. His lips send electric waves through my body; they bring it to life. It fills me with an energy and power I have never felt before.
He pulls away for a moment. His eyes are pitch black now; they are filled with so much hunger and lust that it makes my knees weak. His voice is far deeper than usual, more arousing too.
“I hate when people tell me what to do, but surprisingly, I have never been more turned on in my entire life when you do it.”
My cheeks feel as though they have been set ablaze. I want to say something, but he kisses me once again. His lips move hungrily against mine. I am not as stunned as I was the first time. I gain control of myself and kiss him back with the same intensity.
A growl rumbles off his chest as he pins me against the wall. His hands find their way to the back of my thighs, and I do not need to be told before knowing what to do. I jump and wrap my legs around his waist.
The moan that leaves my lips when I feel something hard poke against my middle was unintentional, but it only drives him more. I feel a harsh squeeze on my ass before his hands find their way to my breast.
“Oh my God.”
Alexander and I pull away as Carla’s voice infiltrates our ears. She stands with wide eyes, taking in the scene before her, but what worries me is that she isn’t alone. There is another maid with her who is equally shocked.
“I am so sorry, your majesty,” she says quickly before taking her leave.
As though Carla could sense my worry, she says, “I will make sure she does not say anything.”
I wish I could believe that too. But I don’t.
If the others find out about this, I am as good as dead. It’s bad enough that Alexander does not believe me. They nearly succeeded in killing me, and I fear their next attempt would be fatal for me.
No, I can’t do this. I have to get out of here.
Tonight.