SIX

Rylee felt odd having to take him to her closet of a room. When Alpha Kai came back to her room, Ash's father was gone already but Beta Christian didn't waste time in telling him what happened. Rylee was sure that she saw a flash of anger in his eyes before he hissed and said he would accompany her back to her room.

She felt some shame as they walked. The few servants they encountered were shocked to see her. 'Maybe they thought I died,' she thought to herself.

The man's aura was commanding, so much so that she felt like a mouse beside him — but a safe mouse.

"But you don't have to do this, sir. You're a guest here. I shouldn't bother you with my problems," she said, trying for the third time to dissuade him from coming with her. He didn't reply, just like the other two times.

They got to a small door and she patted around her waist. Worry mixed with her nervousness. She hadn't thought of her key the whole time she was away. Her nerves calmed when her rough hands grasped the old key and she opened the door.

Alpha Kai followed after her with a frown on his face. The shelves already showed that this room was used for storing something. There was just a tiny window that could let in only so much light.

"You sleep here?" he asked in disgust.

She kept her eyes trailed on the ground. "Yes sir, I do."

His frown deepened. "No, you won't stay here anymore," he said. The anger in his tone was evident. "Get your things and bring them to my room."

"I'm sorry sir, but I can't. Thank you for all your help but I can't do that," she protested.

"This isn't a request, it's an order."

She sighed, left with no other option. Rylee nodded and began to scan the room for a bag to put her things in. She soon found one. "But if I bring my things to your assigned room, where will you stay?" She tried for the last time to dissuade him.

Alpha Kai ignored her. He looked at his watch after a few minutes. "I have somewhere to be," he announced. "My room is two corridors away from here. Just go there, drop your bag and stay there until I come back."

She nodded. "Yes sir." He looked at her for a few seconds before leaving.

She was soon done with her sudden assignment. She peeped out of her room to make sure no one was close by before leaving, closing the door gently as she left.

Following his directions, she went on her way to the room. Given the directions, she just had to turn into the next corridor up ahead. But she was intercepted by Ashford.

'No no no,' her mind went off saying.

"You." His expression of shock was close to turning into a full-blown frown. "How come you're here? First of all, when did you get back?"

"Just a few minutes ago," she answered grudgingly.

"Did your sister give you my message?"

"Yes." Her tone was cold.

'Leave the girl be,' Kendrick urged him.

"You were to see me immediately you stepped foot in here. Why do you enjoy defying orders?" he asked her.

'Maybe because I have a life outside you and your annoying family?'

He was soon getting annoyed by her silence.

"Can you not?" Alpha Kai said as he arrived at the scene. Rylee unconsciously let out a breath.

Ashford smiled crookedly. "I hear you've become fond of playing the hero for her. Thanks but stay out of these things, please."

Kai rolled his eyes, took Rylee's hand, and went to his room, closing the door silently behind them.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, scanning her body for any new bruises.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you." She felt odd having him look at her.

She let her gaze move to the room itself. It was beautiful and she soon recognized it to be one of the rooms she cleaned regularly.

It was painted in an immaculate white, the kind one would hate to stain. The room was a very big one, almost as big as Cassandra's. There was a couch resting on the wall opposite the bed and an armchair by the window opposite the door. To her right was the bed. A king-size bed whose sheets she had changed about two or three days ago.

"Please, sit," he said, gesturing to both chairs and the bed.

She nervously sat on the armchair. The only time she found fresh air and actually felt it was when she was outside and that was dependent on if she was on an errand or not.

"Thank you."

Alpha Kai smiled. "You're welcome." There was a moment of silence. "Would you like to drink something?"

"Water, please."

He opened a mini-fridge and took out a bottle of water which he gave her. "I'm sorry that I don't have any glasses here."

"It's fine. Thank you," she replied with a smile.

Kai sat on the edge of his bed, taking in her rough but beautiful appearance. "You haven't told me much about yourself."

"Well, you know I'm Rylee," she said with a smile.

"Yes, I do. By the way, my Beta tells me there was a girl who came to see you but it wasn't the positive kind of conversation."

"Oh, yes." The water was almost out when she kept it down. "That was my sister, Esther. She's not the best at selling her point without a few skirmishes here and there."

He nodded. "And Ashford's father came to visit you. Is that normal?"

"Never mind that." Her eyes met his. "Why don't you tell me about you. You're Alpha Kai, yes?"

"Yes, I am. I'm here for Ashford's ceremony," he explained.

"Oh! I completely forgot about it."

"I don't think anyone will notice that. They've already done it. Ashford is the alpha now."