Chapter 38: You Never Told Me You Had A Crush
Iris’s POV
I finished scrubbing, the mop still in my hands. My knees ached slightly from kneeling, and my arms too from the effort of wiping away the mess Liora had so pointedly directed me to clean. The sticky substance was gone now. I stood as I gathered my cleaning supplies, eager to leave.
Just as I turned to leave, Liora’s voice came through. "You’ve done a good job there.
Though this room will be waiting for you to clean again later, love. Don’t think you’re done for the day." She lounged on the velvet couch now, the half-empty glass of orange juice still in her hand as she dropped it. She tilted her head, her lips curling into a mocking smile, as if daring me to respond.
I bit the inside of my cheek, swallowing the retort that burned on my tongue. And without a word, I left the room, the door clicking shut behind me.
As I stepped into the corridor, the faint sound of voices reached my ears as I recognized that was Alpha Darius’s voice and just immediately, another familiar voice, intertwined with his. That’s Alpha Trent’s voice. I realized, my heart giving a small lurch. Why is he here? The memory of how he had thrown me out from war born only made my heart pound in fear. I paused, my grip tightening on the bucket’s handle as I glanced out the tall window to my left. There they were, standing outside as they exchanged pleasantries. Darius’s hand clapped Trent’s shoulder while Trent’s lips curved into a polite smile. Beside Trent stood his son, Lucas, his posture stiff, hands clasped behind his back. It looked like they had just arrived and would be spending some time here. Their luggage was being carried down the horse by two servants.
Just as Trent turned towards my direction, I tore my gaze away immediately, my heart beating even faster. They hadn’t noticed me, and I liked it that way. The less attention I drew, the better. I turned, intending to slip away toward the servants’ quarters for a much-needed shower when Darius’s voice cut through and I halted. "Over here, slave."
My muscles are locked in place. Slowly, I turned, my eyes dropping to the ground as I approached the two alphas. I stopped a few feet away, keeping my head bowed, my messy hair falling over my face.
Through the corner view of my eyes, Darius’s nostrils flared as I drew closer, his face twisting in disgust. "Oh my, what’s that smell" he said as he gestured toward Alpha Trent, who stood with his arms crossed, his expression neutral but his eyes devoid of any emotions as they flicked over me. "Our guest is here, and they’ll be staying for a while. For the planning of the mating ceremony for my sons and Liora. You’ll make yourself useful."
I nodded. The mating ceremony. Of course. I kept my eyes on the ground, not daring to meet Darius’s gaze. It was too early to start my day with his cruelty.