Guts
Xander’s POV
I stood in front of the door for a couple more seconds before knocking again.
Had she not heard me the first time? Was I not loud enough? Or perhaps I was too loud and I had somehow disrupted her sleep? Maybe she was already
“Ugh,” I groaned. I was torn in between yelling out my frustration or just reeling it in. After a couple of seconds, I decided on the best option for me. I was going to calm down and hold it in.
Why exactly was Kieran acting this way? Call me crazy, but I could swear her reaction towards me had changed ever since our sunset date.
Did she not like it? Or had I done something wrong throughout and she only pretended to put up with me till we were back home?
But she was genuinely happy. I could feel it. The way her body relaxed as she leaned into my touch, there was no way she could have been able to take that. Right?
Right.
I hoped.
I glanced at the door one more time. More time had passed and her door was still closed. A sigh slid past my lips as I knocked again. Even if she was neck deep in her sleep, this was bound to wake her-
My thoughts trailed off as a whiff of something hit my nose. It was a scent, a very distinct scent that I had already memorized, even though I had not been accustomed to it for too long.Belonging to NôvelDrama.Org.
It wasn’t any ordinary scent, it was Kieran’s, and I smelt it right at the door.
I stood straight immediately as I waited for her to open the door. If I had caught a whiff of her scent, then it only meant one thing; she was probably on her way to open up the door or standing right behind it.
All it took me was a couple of seconds to realize that I’d been fooling myself and nothing else. Even if I wasn’t sure in the beginning, I’d gotten all the confirmation I needed. She was ignoring me, but that wasn’t even the worst part. The worst part of it all, was that I had no idea why.
If I had an inkling as to what I’d done to her, then there was no way I wouldn’t have made it up to her or at least, tried to. If she opened up her door at this moment and demanded for a public apology, she would get it, and I’d be damned if anyone in the mansion or outside had a problem with it.
When I first realized we were mates, I wanted nothing more than to spread it to the whole world. After waiting for so many years, the moon goddess had finally answered my prayers.
She was a stubborn one, but that didn’t mean I was going to let her be. If she was mad at me, then she probably needed her space.
With one last glance at Kieran’s room, I headed down the stairs.
“Xander.” Someone called behind me and I paused. If I didn’t have the sound of Kieran’s voice etched painfully into my mind, then I would have thought she was the one, with how soon the voice came.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I nodded, turning to face Sabrina. “What’s up? Do you need something?” I asked her and she hummed.
“Not exactly.” She chimed. “I was looking for Kieran.”
“She should be in her room.” I nodded again. “Do you need her help with something?”
“Not really.” Sabrina shrugged. “I just wanted to make sure she was okay. The way she left the kitchen was quite abrupt.”
“Maybe she got tired?” I was basically helping myself at this point, with trying to figure out what was wrong with her.
“I guess so.” Sabrina seemed to understand. “That would be it. Thank you.”
“Sabrina, wait.” I called out to her, just seconds after she had started walking in the opposite direction. “You’re sure nothing is wrong with her, right? Nothing happened?” I asked her. I needed to be sure.
“No.” Sabrina shook her head. “Not that I know of. If there was something, I’m sure she would have told me about it.” she said and I thanked the goddess that she did not question me.
“Alright then.” I quipped with a small smile, before heading towards the direction of my study.
A sigh slid past my lips the moment I arrived at my destination. Without giving it too much thought, I sunk into my chair.
The air around me smelled like lavender and cinnamon, thanks to the diffuser I had in my office. Even though I knew where the beautiful aroma was coming from, I couldn’t help but think about Kieran. She smelled similar to that but even better.
Her hair and her scent, literally everything about her was intoxicating and if I could, I would drown myself in her scent forever.
Three loud knocks at my door was all it took to pull me out of my daydream. I almost groaned.
“Who is it?” I sat up immediately, as a thought popped up in my mind. “Who’s there?”
Was it Kieran? Had she finally realized that she wasn’t being fair to me by ignoring me all this time? She had probably come to apologize so there was no need to keep her waiting right?
“Come in.” I called out again, without waiting for a response from the person. “Come in.”
“Alpha” Someone’s voice filtered into the study as the door creaked open. “Can I come in?”
“Alice.” The disappointment in my tone was evident and if I was being honest, I didn’t care if she heard it or not. “What do you want, Alice? What are you doing here?” I asked as she curtsied slightly.
“I came to check on you.” She smiled, but I wasn’t having it. At all. Check on me? The audacity she had.
Who the fuck did she think she was? Why did she even come here in the first place?
“Okay.” I drawled. I was feeling impatient with her here and for the life of me, I really wish she could take the hint and leave immediately. “So, how can I help you?”
“I just wanted to know if you needed anything.” Alice said and I watched as she smoothed her hands over the surface of her skirt, a small smile on her lips. “Maybe lunch, or a drink? Anything at all. Just tell me and I’ll get it for you. You can-” she started to suggest but I cut her off.
“I’m fine, Alice.” I smiled as politely as I could. “I don’t need anything. You don’t need to worry about me. Thank you.” I said, before looking at the stack of papers on my table and shuffling through them.
“Alright.” She nodded. “If you say so.” she added.
I watched as she took slow steps towards the door. I could tell that wasn’t exactly all that she wanted, but I wasn’t going to push it, if she didn’t say anything first. I wanted her out anyways.
She was this close to the door when she suddenly turned towards me.
Ugh.
“Um, Alpha Xander?” She called sheepishly and I looked at her with a brow raised.
“Can I ask you something?” she asked and I sighed before dropping the papers in my hand.
“Sure.” I said as I intertwined my fingers together.
“What do you want to ask?” I asked, urging her to go on.
“Um, okay. Erm, what did, what did Kieran do to get you?” She blurted out immediately and a frown slowly made its way to my face.
Silence settled between both of us as I paused, trying my possible best to understand what she was talking about.
“What?” A solid minute had passed and I still couldn’t wrap my head around it. It didn’t make any sense. “I don’t quite get you.”
“I mean…” Alice took a couple of steps closer. “Kieran is well, just Kieran. She’s just a normal girl, pretty boring and basic. So I don’t understand how she was able to bag someone like you.” she said again and I froze.
For a moment, it was more than hard to collect my thoughts. A million and one emotions swarm all around me, but if there was one that persisted, it was anger. Pure and undiluted rage.
Red spots clouded my vision as I allowed Alice’s words to sink in. What the hell did she mean by that? Kieran was basic? Who the hell did she think she was to talk about Kieran like that? Who in the actual hell gave her that right?
The mere thought of it was infuriating. I was stumped on which was more annoying, the fact that she saw Kieran in the light, or the fact that she had the audacity to walk into my study to spew all of this trash.
“Is it her looks?” she scoffed as she went on, completely ignorant and oblivious to the war she had just started in my head.
“If I’m being honest, Kieran isn’t what we would call pretty, she’s just there. For example, she clearly wouldn’t be able to stand next to me. Was it her body? She does have a pretty decent shape if I’m being honest, so I was guessing that was what she enticed you with but then I started to wonder if it was witchcraft, because that would make perfect sense and-” She kept rambling on and on and I had finally had enough, so uncut her off.
“Alice!” I roared. She flinched as my fist came in contact with the top of my desk. The sound of my skin kissing the desk reverberated around the room so loudly, I wouldn’t be surprised if it snuck outside too. If I was being honest, it was a miracle how this table was still standing by now.
“How. Dare. You?” I said, placing emphasis on every single word.
“AlphaI… I’m… I just-” Alice’s eyes widened in fear as she continued to stutter. “I… I’m-”
“How dare you speak about Kieran that way?” I asked, cutting her off sharply. Red was all I saw as I spoke. “And to my face too?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” her lips quivered.
“I was just looking out for you, Alpha” she finally said and I narrowed my eyes at her.
Looking out for me?
“Do you cherish your job?” I asked and her eyes widened in fear as she nodded.
“Then, let this be the last time you’ll spill such nonsense.” I roared and she nodded frantically, almost like a confused mouse. “Do you understand me?” I asked, my voice dangerously low.
“Yes, Alpha” she answered, her entire body vibrating.
“Now, get the hell out!” Alice scurried out of my office immediately. Even minutes after she was gone, I still couldn’t stop fuming.
How dare she!?!