Ares.
It was already past two am when I finally got home. I released the first buttons of my shirt, closing the door behind me as I went to the kitchen to get water.
The thing with Marco had drained me out as I could feel an ache in my shoulders. I froze when I finger brushed the bottle of vinegar and a small smile filled my face before I took out the bottled water. Without using a cup I gulped down its contents before slamming the fridge shut.
I sighed tiredly, throwing the now empty bottle in the bin before I headed out of the kitchen and made my way upstairs to my room.
Just at the hallway, I stopped, turning to the west wing that I had tried to avoid for years. It was like I could see my younger self running around the hallways with the paper plane Zeus made for me.
On instinct, I took a step further towards the first door and stood in front of it. My heart thumped loudly in my chest as I rested my hand on the cold wooden door.
A surge of emotions rushed through me and I could almost hear the melody of the piano from the door separating my past from me.
A particular melody filled my head and I remembered it from the one Alora had played when she intruded. And as much as I tried to fight back the memories of my past, her melody had left me longing to hear it again.
Something about her playing the piano made me feel weird, it was a feeling I couldn't explain and a part of me wanted to hear it again.
But a sudden image of Zeus flashed across my head and I snatched my hand away from the door, recoiling away from it like I had touched fire.
My heart thumped loudly in my chest and I feared I was going to get an anxiety attack like I often did. Nothing screamed weak like an Alpha who had an anxiety attack. It was a part of me that only Seth and Isabel knew about, not even Victor knew.
I tore my gaze away from the door and walked briskly towards the east wing, the sudden craving of alcohol filled my insides and I pushed my bedroom door open.
My heart felt like it was being squeezed from the inside out and I took in a deep breath of air but just as I turned, my eyes caught someone on my bed and I walked towards them.
Alora was asleep. Her hair sprayed over my pillows in long black waves, a few bangs covered some part of her face. Her eyes were closed and long eyelashes rested on soft round cheeks. Her small lips were pressed against each other gently.
She looked so beautiful. Something out of the pages of a fantasy book.
I drew closer, the heavy tightening of my chest was gone and my breathing had returned to normal. Yet, something drew me closer to Alora and I soon found myself pulling back the bang of hair that covered the side of her face.
For the first time, I could hear the steady beating of her heart. And I realized this was the first time I was actually seeing her so peaceful and calm.
Her hair felt soft against my fingers and I pulled it away. A soft sigh escaped her lips and I feared she was going to wake. But she was deeply asleep for her to realize what was going on.
I gently placed the hair behind her ear, feeling her soft skin underneath my large calloused fingers. And as I drew back I saw one of the Band-aid Isabel had plastered on her face about to completely peel off, revealing a tiny cut.
Something sparked within me upon seeing the injury and I touched it, gently plastering it on her face to avoid infections, then I pulled away and just watched her in a silent stare.
She was still wearing Camilla's clothes and I knew fully well that Camilla didn't appreciate it.
Do I buy her some?
No!
Why was I even thinking of doing something nice to her?
I thought, turning away from her as I frowned before heading to the bathroom. I peeled off my blood stained shirt and threw it in my laundry basket before stepping into the shower.
I let the hot water wash the blood from my face and body, draining away until the hole as I washed my hair with my shampoo.
When I was done, I stepped out, toweling my body as I put on a sleeping shirt and loose trousers before I turned back to my bed.
Alora was still sleeping with her back turned to me and I didn't want to sleep beside her even though my bed was big enough to contain us. I didn't want her thinking I was going to take advantage of her so I went to my desk, flopping on my chair as I rested my head against the headrest.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see my inhaler peeking out from underneath the drawers as I reached for it, pulling it out as I remembered how I had gotten the first one.
"Here, Ares. You should use this whenever you feel like you can't breathe." The pack nurse told me, pushing the inhaler in my hand as I stared at it in confusion.
"What is it?" I asked as she smiled at me.
"It should help you breathe well." She assured me and I turned to her.
"Why can't I breathe well?"
"Because you have always have an anxiety attack." She responded, taking out a jotpad and scribbling something on it.
"What causes the anxiety attacks?" I asked again, drawing closer to her to read what she wrote but she pulled the jotter away from me with a nervous look on her face.
"A lot of things can cause it. For some people it's going on the stage, stage fright. Some people it could be the nervousness of shifting for the first time or just uneasiness in general."
"And for me?" I asked as the nurse sighed, glancing at her jotter.
"Fear. For you Ares, what causes your anxiety attacks is fear."
I threw the inhaler back in the drawer shutting it close as I growled in anger.
The nurse had been lying. I wasn't scared of anything. I was an Alpha and I could never be scared of anything, of anyone. It was impossible.
I was the most powerful person in the pack, a warrior, strong and powerful. People were scared of me, not me being scared of anything or anyone.
A rush of wind ruffled my desk and I shivered, turning to see my window open, a soft groan came from my bed and I saw Alora shiver in the cold air.
I turned off the AC, walking to her before drawing back the covers of my duvet and gently placing it on top of her. A satisfactory sigh escaped her lips and I drew my window close.
The sight of the almost full moon caught my attention and a sliver of fear shot through me. The full moon ceremony was only four days away and I hadn't mentally prepared my brain for it.
The elder would be arriving two days before the event and I could feel my uneasiness at his coming.
Sighing, I turned away from the moon. It's been a long time since I worshiped or uttered a prayer to the moon goddess and I could almost feel her judgmental stare on me.
While my people saw the moon goddess as a deity to be worshiped, someone full of love and care. To me she was an evil being who fated the most innocent of people to eternal damnation and torture.
I jerked the dark curtains closed as I realized there was no way for me to sleep so I started to leave the room, stopping briefly to steal a glance at Alora before I opened the door, closing it behind me as I walked further down the east wing to my private gym.
"Can't sleep?" I heard a voice behind me and I turned to see Seth at the end of the hallway. He had changed his outfit so he wore a black loose shirt and trousers.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, knowing fully well he was supposed to be in his home. Seth didn't live very far away from me.
"We finished cleaning the warehouse and Victor went to the club to meet Mila. I just took a shower and figured you wouldn't be able to sleep, not even you told me Alora cut herself." Seth said, walking closer to me and I frowned.
"And what makes you think I can't sleep because Alora's hurt?" I asked him and he chuckled, turning to my room door.
"Because she's asleep on your bed. You hate sharing a bed even with me." Seth said and I smirked.
"Because you snore, you dimwit." I said and Seth chuckled before he walked past me to the gym, taking off his shirt and throwing it on the floor.
"And how did you know she was asleep on my bed? Are you spying on me now?" I smirked as Seth turned to me.
"You said she stepped on broken glass and then you mentioned you had something to take care of before you ended the call. A part of me knew you wouldn't leave her on the floor not even if she was injured. Leaving your bed as the only other option for the slave." Seth said and I twitched my lips.
"Don't call her that." I said, making Seth raise his left brow.
"Why? Isn't that what she is?" He asked and I said nothing for a while, heading to drawers to take a sparing wrap as I wrapped the white cloth around my fist. Seth stood far off watching me.
"What?" I asked after the sickening silence between us.
"Nothing. You, what?" Seth asked, a goofy smile on his lips as I frowned.
"Whatever. Let's fight. I need to let out some steam." I announced, cracking my fingers as I flexed my neck too.
"I already prepared the hotel for the elder. He's coming in two days. I heard his flight has been booked. What are you planning to tell him?" Seth asked and I frowned.
"About what?"
"About her?"
I hadn't planned what I was going to tell the elder yet. And I knew for a doubt he was going to say something about it when he arrived. He would know instantly that Alora wasn't from my pack and he would wonder why I had brought in a slave for the first time.
"He knows you have never taken a slave before. And it would only arouse suspicion when you tell him that." Seth reasoned and I smiled.
"Who said anything about telling him Alora was my slave?"
"So what are you going to tell him then?" Seth asked, folding his hands around his chest, jerking his hips to his side.
"I'm going to tell him she's my lover." I announced and Seth's eyes widened, his arms falling to his side as he struggled to get words out of his mouth. But I didn't wait for him to speak and I smirked.
"The only way he would let this go is if he knows Alora to be my lover. That way he would brush it off and do his elder thing while he's here." I said, nodding my head.
"Are you crazy? That wouldn't work for so many reasons." Seth said and I glared at him.
"Why?"
"Firstly, Alora is a slave. She acts like a slave and she looks like a slave too. She can never pull off being your lover." Seth said and I shrugged.
"That shouldn't be an issue. I'll buy her things, change her look and cover her scars. Easy peasy." I said nonchalantly and Seth growled.
"That might work. But how about you?"
"What's wrong with me?"
"You can't pull off being a lover. You're too cold and merciless and apathetic to act like you like someone. You act like you don't like me half of the time and I've spent my whole life with you." Seth said and I froze.
"Then I just need to learn. For The next two days, I'll treat Alora as a lover as practice. And in no time we both would be pulling it off perfectly."
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