Zadok choked on his food.

ITHRA

Azriel didn't like me.

“Here's your new room,” he said with gritted teeth. “Gatria over there will oversee your… stay here.” He cleared his throat.

“You mean I get a female guard now?” I gasped dramatically, “But I loved my guards rough and dirty, why don't I get you for a guard instead?”

I knew I was biting more than I could chew, but I didn't care. I meant it when I said I'd rather be dead than be here.

“Don’t test me, witch.” He spoke in a dangerously low tone, then turned to Gatria. “Keep in touch.”

With that, he left me in the hands of a woman I knew nothing about. Just great.

“Hello…” she said, expecting me to say my name but I feigned stupid.

“My name is Gatria and I am the head mistress of the blood moon pack,” she introduced with a smile.

I looked her up and down, wondering why on earth she was being tolerant of my existence.

When she saw I had no plans to introduce myself, she demanded it.

“May I know your name, child?”

Child?! This woman did not just call me a child… I thought angrily.

“I do not appreciate you calling me a child,” I fired immediately, “no matter the circumstance.” I added when I saw her raised brow.

“Since you don't want to tell me your name, we will stick with that, child.” She said, making sure to accentuate the word ‘child’, much to my exasperation.

“I am a witch.” I stated the obvious, half expecting her countenance to change.

If she knew what I was, she wouldn't be trying to make small talk with me. Right?

“And?” Gatria replied, walking towards me with a key.

Just then did I realize I was still in chains. She shut the door behind me before proceeding to unlock me.

“While you're in here, you are permitted to be without chains.” She explained and I felt like she grew a second head.

What?

“You will also be having breakfast, lunch and dinner in the alpha's kitchen.” noticing my frown, she added, “except you would prefer it in your room.”

Happy to be free from chains, I exercised my hands and finally took a look at my prison room. Breath seized from my lungs as I took in the beautiful, decent sized, modern themed room.

King sized bed, floor to ceiling windows, en-suite bathroom and closet. What in the world? This wasn't a prison.

I turned around in surprise, half expecting to get whipped in the face and taken back to my dungeons.

Instead, Gatria stayed put, and assessed my reaction. Something was fishy.

“Why am I here?” I finally asked, “I am a prisoner, not a guest.”

“Maybe you have been upgraded to being a guest by the alpha.”

What she said didn't make any sense. I just insulted their cursed alpha and he gives me a fancy new prison? No way.

I suddenly felt suspicious of them. What was their motive and who was this woman?

“I am the head mistress of the Blood Moon pack. I already said that, if you were paying attention.” She answered, and I realized I asked those questions aloud. “If you don't have any more questions, then listen. You are very lucky to be alive and if I were in your shoes, I'd pick my battles.”

I could hear the warning in her tone.

“Also, you will be meeting with the alpha for dinner.” Before I could protest, she cut me off, “No excuses. You have a bed, bathroom, filled closet and fridge. I expect to meet you well rested and refreshed by the time I return.”

With that, she walked out of the room, and closed the door behind her. Just when I thought to check the door, I heard a click sound.

I was locked in.

*******

I watched the maids serve dinner while throwing dirty looks at me. I couldn't be bothered by their hatred but what disturbed me was the fact that I've been seated here for a total of two minutes and Zadok was yet to show up.

I was surrounded by wolves who hated witches, and I didn't doubt their ability to kill me and make it look like an accident.

Since the alpha was somewhat hesitant to finish me off, I bet they were itching to take it upon themselves to end my miserable existence.

Sitting tight in my seat, I heard light footsteps and the guard wolves and others chorused in respect.

“Alpha.”

I didn't utter a word. My eyes fixed on the floor for some reason, and refused to meet his own.

Zadok sat at the head of the table, and I felt his gaze rest on me. He wanted me to look at him, but I refused to give him that satisfaction.

“Leave us.” He ordered and the room was emptied of servants and guards.

As soon as the door shut, he spoke, “Look at me, Ithra.”

His voice sent sweet shockwaves down my system. How did he learn to pronounce my name like that?

“Don't make me repeat myself.” He said after a second of me being lost in thought.

I let my eyes wander everywhere except his face, and my thigh snapped shut underneath the table. For some reason, this man made me nervous.

“Ithra…”

He warned and I immediately connected eyes with his red ones. An electrifying moment passes between us as I take a good look at his face.

The scar in his left eye, his chiseled face and lustrous lips. My eyes scanned through his neck down to his chest, and my tongue became dry.

Under the dark glow of the candle, I could tell that he had an impressive body hidden under those clothes, and I wondered what he looked like without them on.

Zadok cleared his throat and I am embarrassed by how blatantly I'd been checking him out.

I sat up and resumed my fighting stance, “Why am I here, Zadok?” I fired off the bat, ready to get things over with.

“Dinner.” He said and immediately dug into his food like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Irritated at his nonchalance, I said with sarcasm, “Didn't know you ate real food, Alpha. Here I was thinking I was for dinner.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized how wrong they sounded. How desperate I sounded.

Cough! Zadok choked on his food.

My face burned with embarrassment and I immediately added, “You know what I mean.”

After a long gulp of water, his eyes found me and his words made me angrier than I had ever been.

“One dinner and you are already making passes at me? Didn't peg you for the desperate kind, Ithra.”