The Alpha’s Slave

BRIANNA’S POV

Yesterday as one of the castle maids served me, I asked her why they didn’t come the day before and she mentioned they had a day off, thanks to Catherine. But what shocked me to the marrow was when she revealed Catherine’s attempt to kill herself by jumping off the balcony that morning. Luckily, Sebastian intervened just in time to save her.

I couldn’t believe it. Catherine had everything one could dream of: beauty, luxury, and glamour. A life any young girl dreamed of having. Why would she want to end her life? There had to be more to the story, something I didn’t know. The maid’s explanation was brief, leaving gaps in the details. I felt there was something more to the situation. I was deep in thought when the entrance door squeaked open and Amelia hastened in, carrying a tray laden with my dinner and a pack of medicine.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t visit you yesterday and the day before,” she apologized as she approached, placing the loaded tray outside the cell but close to where I sat. “I was busy babysitting Luna Catherine,” she said, rolling her eyes and groaning in frustration.

“I heard she tried to kill herself yesterday,” I stood up almost reflexively as her last words drew my attention.

Amelia’s face fell.

“Luna Catherine has been losing it lately. She tried to jump off the balcony yesterday morning. If Alpha Sebastian hadn’t come in time to rescue her, I’m afraid she would have….” She didn’t finish her sentence. She just took a deep breath, as if the words were too hard to say.

“But why?”

“Honestly,” she sighed again and her shoulders dropped. “I don’t know. But whatever it is, it is very serious. Can you also believe she cut herself on the night of their anniversary party?”

“No…” I gasped, instinctively placing my palm against my parted lips.

“Thank goodness the cut wasn’t deep.”

Perhaps, that explained the reason for the bandage on her hand the other day she came in here, kicked my meal away and spat on me.

“Alpha Sebastian thinks it’s a mental problem. He told me to book an appointment with the psychiatrist over the phone for her. She was meant to go to the psychiatrist’s this morning,” she shrugged her shoulders. “But she has refused to go. I don’t know why,” a pitiful look glazed her features. “Alpha Sebastian is really suffering because of this. I can’t even imagine what he is going through.”Material © NôvelDrama.Org.

A chill black silence enveloped us. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt as if I was somehow involved in this. Maybe they were arguing again because of me and it made Catherine want to kill herself. But the Catherine I knew was stronger than that.

“This better not be true,” I mumbled inwardly so Amelia wouldn’t hear me, looking away in despair.

Amelia wasn’t lying when she said Sebastian was suffering because of this. I saw him yesterday. He looked like hell. Could that have something to do with all this?

“Away from all that,” Amelia’s voice cut through the thick silence, causing me to look back at her. She came closer, her attention focused on me as if she had a secret to share. “Have you told him?”

“Told who what?” I swallowed a subtle gulp and bit my lower lip, acting like I didn’t know what she was talking about.

“Told Alpha Sebastian about everything we talked about,” she almost snapped at me, wide-eyed, her green eyes gleaming in the flood of the cell lights.

I sighed heavily and my gaze slumped to the ground. She sensed the truth. And I sensed how mad she was.

“Do you enjoy being in this cell? Is this what you like, being kept here like a prisoner?”

“Of course, I don’t,” I replied sharply, raising my head.

“Then tell him,” she said with the thrust of her chin.

“It’s not that easy,” my voice fell as sharply as it rose. “Don’t you think now isn’t the best time? With everything that is happening with Catherine and how he has been having a hard time. Maybe we should let that slide first before I can think of telling him.”

Her large bright green eyes lingered on me as if she was thinking hard about what to say. Then she huffed out an audible breath in defeat.

“I guess you’re right,” she finally said. “Now isn’t the best time. But do make sure you tell him once the time is right. I can’t bear seeing you like this,” those eyes of hers which were mad at me suddenly glistened with a layer of empathy. “All locked up like you’ve done something wrong, like a criminal or a hound.”

“I will tell him.”

“Promise me,” she moved closer, grabbed my fingers and pressed them firmly, almost squeezing bones out of their natural position as I winced slightly.

“I promise,” I breathed out slowly, still wincing from the impact of her tight grip. Even though I knew I wouldn’t keep to my promise. There was no use telling Sebastian. If I did, that would only worsen the misunderstanding between him and Catherine. Catherine will eventually find out and will hate me more. It’s been days since she last came here. Maybe she felt I was no longer a threat and her hate toward me was subsiding. I didn’t want to ignite it again.

“Good,” Amelia’s lips spread to a wide smile. She released her grip and did that gesture I found childish again; using her index finger to draw an X over her heart. She made me do it too.

That bubbled out a laugh I wanted to hold back on. She broke out into a friendly, wider smile, revealing her full set of white dentition.

It was amazing how she could switch expressions effortlessly, like an actor or comedian. She could have easily become one. She was sweet, kind and caring. And I felt lucky to have met her.

She crouched by the tray laden with my dinner and picked up the medicine pack beside the plate.

“You have just two tablets left to finish it,” she said, taking out the blister pack to show me. “If Luna Catherine hadn’t given us the days off and if I wasn’t so busy babysitting her, I would have come earlier and you would have finished it yesterday or the day before. So you are to take the tablets all at once after eating. Is that clear?” She looked up at me as if she was giving a child instruction.”

“Yes,” I nodded.

“Okay. I believe my duties here are finished,” she turned, taking her leave. “Eat your dinner, take your medicine, don’t think too much, don’t cry and most importantly don’t forget to tell Sebastian once the time is right. Amelia is out!” The entrance door squeaked open and slammed shut.

Her words brought back memories of my mom. She used to give me similar instructions when I was little, like when she dropped me off at school or when she went to the market and left me with my father or someone else. I chuckled, recalling how her round eyes which were a shade of amber and green would widen, waiting eagerly for my response.

I recalled how I used to giggle and nod when I was happy. But if I was angry with her, I would bite into the neckline of my dress and shake my head. She would feign an apology, and I would smile smugly and forgive her with a nod. Those moments were as fresh as morning mist in my head, and I cherished them forever. I really missed her and wished she hadn’t died in that hospital bed.