*****CHAPTER 20

MAE'S POV

………..
 
After Miss Karen showed me to the Alpha's door, she turned and left me all alone again. With a nervous sigh, my cleaning tools in hand, and clammy palms, I knocked against the door and waited for a minute for an order to come in, but I was only rewarded by complete silence. Again, I knocked gently against the door, and the door slightly creaked open, and I saw that it had been unlocked the whole time. Figuring the Alpha was out and had left the room unlocked for me to come in and do my job, I opened the door halfway and walked through it, shutting the door behind me.
 
As I walked into the empty room, I stared in awe at the classical beauty and simplicity of the room. There were several paintings hung on the walls that depicted some kind of subtle melancholy. I walked over and stood, staring at one of the paintings. It was not a painting but a pencil drawing of a little boy, faceless and with a body covered in so many scars, his frame cowered to a small dark corner, like an attic. I squinted my eyes at a small inscription just below the drawing, and I gasped impressively at the name that crossed my vision.
 
Alcot Elord.
 
It was the Alpha. I had never in my wildest imagination thought that the Alpha of all people would be so good at painting and pencil drawing. My eyes saw a small locket hanging from a jewelry hanger on a table, and I walked to the table. I picked the locket carefully, and I stared in admiration at the unique glass locket. I had never thought of a glass locket in my life, and seeing it for the first time made me realize I knew not half of the things I thought I knew. My fingers gently caressed the locket, and in curiosity, I made to open the locket, but a deep, masculine voice came, sending cold shivers down my spine.
 
"What are you doing in my chamber, and why are you touching my stuff?"
 
Fuck.  I had plunged myself into even bigger trouble.

"What are you doing in my chamber and why are you touching my stuff?"
 
My eyes snapped wide open in shock and I pressed the locket tighter into my palms but it was a stupid mood to conceit my act as I felt the glass break in my closed hand, sending sharp piercings down my body as it cut into my flesh. But I was not bothered about the cuts. I am bothered that I just fucking ruined the Alpha's locket!
 
I swirled around to see the Alpha standing before me. He was putting on a bathrobe and his wet messy hair and the smell of soap and shampoo told me he had just stepped out of the shower. Crap! He was in the shower the whole time I had been here fangirling over his works.
 
"Uh…I.. " I stammered, hiding my hands behind me and scanning through my head for an appropriate answer to his question.
 
"You." He raised his brow at me behind the face mask that safely conceited his face, save for his mesmerizing eyes. He seemed to have recognized me. "Do we always have to cross paths like this? What are you trying to steal from me this time?"
 
"No, no, my Lord." I shook my head immediately at him. "The head servant told me you called for my services."
 
He paused for a moment, his eyes staring at me intently. I cut the gaze and looked downcast, feeling more nervous and scared. The rumors about him were no rumors. He was a dominating man whose stares are enough to weaken you to your knees. The same way he was making me feel right now.
 
"What are you hiding behind?" He asked and my hands shook at his question.
 
Fuck. The gods! Please, do not let him catch me already.
 
"It's nothing, my lord." I was almost trembling with fear now and I could feel my forehead glistening with perspiration even though the room was cool and well ventilated.
 
He pauses again for a few seconds and just when I was about to heave a sigh of relief that he was letting things go without further interrogation, he walked over to me and grabbed me by the arm. Gasping in shock and fear, I raised my eyes to look at him in the face. He was standing close to me. Too close that our bodies were almost touching.
 
Before I could fully process what he was trying to do, the Alpha forced my palm open and I could see the horror and fright that crossed his eyes for a second. I tried to pull my hand away again but he held it still and would not let me back off. I glanced at my palm too. The glass locket was shattered and its tiny splinters of glasses had stuck into my skin, coating my hand in blood. Seeing it this way caused me to feel a kind of pain I never knew was there in the first place.
 
"You…" He looked angry at me now and it seemed like he was about to curse but he hesitated for a moment and bit his tongue back. With a sigh a few seconds later, he glared at me straight into the eyes, daring me to hold onto his gaze and not look away.
 
"How could you do this to yourself?" He sounded cold and harsh and even with his frightful composure, I could not help but be a little surprised with his show of worry and concern. It was the kind you would show to a friend when he does something careless and uncalled for.
 
"Forgive me, my Lord." I went on knees immediately to apologize for what I had done. "I was nosey and foolish. I didn't mean to ruin your precious possession."
 
"Very foolish, Mae. Very foolish." He agreed with me and walked away again to his study table. I dared not raise my eyes to see what he was doing behind me. I had already committed so many foul offenses against a dangerous man like the Alpha.
 
He reappeared a short while later with a small bowl of ice and a box that he opened to reveal some first aid tools. He took my hand cautiously and examined it carefully.
 
"Hold on there a minute, Mae. This is going to hurt a little."
 
I did not reply to him. Instead, I watched him as he set to work on my wounds, cleaning it gently with the ice water and sterilizing the wound with other medicines. I was confused at this moment. Wasn't this the same devil Alpha everybody always dreaded coming across? How was it then, that he was leaning in front of me, treating my wound, not caring that it was a repercussion of touching his personal belongings? How was it that he was getting his hands stained with my own blood without seeming to mind? Why did he spare me even though I had tried to steal from him in the market and instead, brought me to serve at the castle while paying my family compensations for my service?
 
And most importantly, why was it that the devil Alpha of Black Wolf pack called my name in the manner that you would call a friend? As if he had known me before this moment.
 
"You have to be more careful, Mae. You don't appear like a careless person to me." He said as soon as he finished wrapping up my wound with a bandage before getting up again. I immediately followed after bowing my head to him in gratitude.
 
"Thank you for your mercy and kindness, my Lord." I thanked him and did not waste time reaching for my cleaning tools again. I set to begin my work immediately but the Alpha's voice came behind me again.
 
"What are you doing?"
 
"Cleaning, my Lord." I answered.
 
"Just leave." He walked to his closet and searched through an ocean of clothes for something to wear. "I'll get someone else to do it."
 
"But, my Lord…"
 
"Don't be stubborn, Mae. Go have your rest. Tell Karen it is an order from the Alpha."
 
I blinked in confusion at this new side of the Alpha I never knew existed. But nevertheless, I bowed to him again in another round of gratitude.
 
"I am forever indebted, my Lord."
 
"Whatever." He waved me off with a wave of his hand. "Leave already."
 
With a small smile planted across my lips, I casted one last look at the masked Alpha and packed my cleaning tools before walking out of the room again.
 
I bet Oliver would be in shock if I told him about how weirdly nice the Alpha had been to me.