45

Gasps were heard across the table.

The Alpha couldn't rescue Alexia from the fall, it was too late, she landed on the floor with a loud scream, "Argh!"

"Oh, no. Get her up, what are you guys going?!" Ava shot up her seat, practically shouting on the top of her lungs as she ran over.

The two guards around carried Alexia and rushed her into one of the rooms nearby. Kade who's behind the Alpha hurried out of the pack house when the mind-link with the pack's physician didn't get through.

"Ma'am, we are placing you down down now." The guards' arms trembled as they placed the Lycan princess on the bed. She winched as they let her down, eyes rippled close.

She seemed more like a bone has been broken. How could she have slipped when it didn't even rain talk more of a hole been in the roof.

"Get the doctor, what are you guys still doing here?" Ava ran into the room to yell at the two guards who quickly swung into action, dashing out of the room and leaving Alexia with Ava.

"They'll be here soon with him, you just have to calm down, you will be fine too." She got closer to Alexia's bed and pacified meanwhile Alexia's pain only got more worse. She kept grunting, and winching ib pain at every turn.

"Hey, come here!" Before the guard can pass him by, the Alpha commanded, his voice harsh and pulling them to a stop immediately.

"Sir?" They responded, both gazes on the floor unable to look him in the eye at such a bad time.

"Check the spot. What exactly had made her slip, I want to know." He said and the guards turned around immediately to get to work. He added, jaw ticking, "And don't time you saw nothing. Check every damn spot, failure to find the cause of the slip, we both will spend the rest of the day at that dinning spot!"

That made them put him more effort, him standing right behind them watching is a good explanation for the fear coursing through their veins.

The first guard raised a finger up and shared a look with the second, before both of them rose up, the assignment not taking them even a minute unlike the expected.

"It wasn't accidental. This must have been a mistake from the maids while bringing in the meals to the table or someone had intentional poured it at the spot." On their finger tips are oil an evidence they provided to the Alpha.

"Bring them out. And I mean everyone of them." When he nodded and pointed behind him, they knew the problem wasn't resolving anytime soon, doom was sure to occur at this point.

Things has never gone smooth for a whole intact week recently. Today's nemesis even more worse.

The maids assembled on a straight line and were all ushered outside where the Alpha is now is, face flaring red in anger as he passed before them.

"Take him in." He didn't allow Kade to stay with him when he arrived with the physician, rather he ordered him to take him in; in which was immediately done.

At that point the guard took over, the whips kept at a side, a terrible sight for the maids.

"As you all know what had recently happened. The Alpha needs a clear response and a fast one to the cause of the princess slip." As he began, each and every of the maids clasped their hands behind their backs.

"Oil was found at the dinning area, the exact chair the Lycan princess always seats. Whether it's intentional or an accident, he wants to know whose handiwork it was. Remember, a quick confession means a lessened punishment."

The atmosphere was overthrown by panic, every one of the maids frightened. None of them can mutter a word, everyone finding a chance to disappear into thin air.

"Are you all deaf?!" The guard snapped, his face comforted with anticipation. If the Alpha decide to step in and take over, then I'd be over for both them and him.

"Not me." One said, tears streaming down her face already as she drawed back.

"I… I don't know anything about it, I swear." Another man said in between stammers.

"I'm not on duty today." Cried another.

"I was the one who prepared the meal…" everyone's attention were immediately hijacked and taken by a particular maid who's at the lady stand.

"However, I don't have an hand in it. Only a little oil was needed for the cooking, no way any could have gotten on the floor. It .. it must have been accidental." She got on her knees, voice cracking as she pleaded.

Hisses filled the air for a second, same ideas in the heads thinking one of them was about to take the blame but happens none of them are out of the hole, increasing their fear.

"They are still not speaking?" Alpha Steele stepped back into the scene and the guard shifted back. At his sight, dread took control of their bodies once more, it's now a matter of no way out.

***

Ava sat on the other end of the room, a leg crossed against the other as the physician attended to Alexia.

"Where is the Alpha? I need to tell him the result of the tests…"

"I'll deliver your messages. Tell me." She didn't allow him to finish before interrupting.

"She's okay now and I have attended to her but she'll need two to three weeks to rest. She shouldn't be allowed to do any task for the meantime and…"

The rest of his statements weren't entering her ears but the other side, what he has said they only thing she needs to hear.

It's as simple as that… three weeks with Alexia on the bed, and she can do about her plans without any disturbance.

Beta Kade came over to see the physician and lead him to the Alpha. Ava on the other hand stood, and on reaching Alexia who's fast asleep, she reached a hand out.

"You'll be okay alright? Just spare me a little time." She pouted as she patted her head, and sighed heavily with fake sympathy.

****

'She will wake up soon.' Alpha Steele remembered the pack physician saying as he stared at his mate on the bed.

Kade is standing beside Ava who whispered to him, "Why are the maids roaming around? No punishments for them?" Confusion sets in.

"The judgement has been postponed for a reason unknown. For the meantime the Alpha wants to focus on his mate's healing." He told her.

Her face furrowed remarkably. "I see they are about to go unpunished."

A minute later, she was no longer beside him nor did she know when she slipped away.

One click at her phone and she's placed a call over to the Luna.

"There's a good news, where are you ma'am? I woke up to meet your room empty." She held the phone against her ear, and looked constantly at the doorway at the same time, at a time like this she has to be cautious.

"I am on my way. Kade phoned me just a while back informing me there was a small accidental fall with Alexia." The sound of a galloping carriage was sounding at the other side of the phone.

"Yes, exactly. I'll be expecting you ma'am." She sheepishly replied, and when the call got disconnected, she screamed into her palms and fell on her bed, arms spread wide.

Tomorrow when the situation within the pack has calmed down, she's free to go ahead with her plans without anyone to hinder things with her.

She's prepared to change the Alpha's view of her at the same time kick things to a start between them before it's too late.

***

Alexia stirred awake with a pounding headache and body pains.

"Oh goodness, are you okay? She's awake!" Alpha Steele called Kade's attention and both hovered over her in no time. After seven hours of panic, she's finally awake when he began to lose all hope.

"I… I'm feeling pains all over my body." She held her head right, bottling up her winch. Her fall was such a bad experience, had she expected it, she could have tried to save herself by holding onto something.

She can't even sit upright.

"You'll be fine. The food is here, you should take your medicine." Although he was lacking in the sympathy area, today was different.

Alexia can see the pain in his eyes, she had no appetite to eat but when it was brought over, for him she forced herself to eat. She just wants to sleep, anything to relieve this much pain she's dealing with.

"I've had enough…" she coughed stopping the maid from anymore feeding. The Alpha also didn't push her to eat more, so worried he can only speak a little words.

After making sure she's taken her medicine and gone back to sleep, he left for his study room, taking Kade along with him. "It's high time father comes homes."