Aira’s POV


    Slowly, my eyelids parted, and I was graced with one of the most beautiful views I have evere across. Alexander sleeping.


    No, I mean it. I have never seen someone sleep so soundly and beautifully. It is hard to believe that this is the very same man who has caused so much torment and misery. Right now, he looks so innocent.


    His rather long eyshes fall over his face so softly, and his pink lips are so plump and pink. Just looking at them makes me want to kiss them again. Damn it. I need to get out of here before I do something stupid.


    As handsome as Alexander is, I cannot afford to give into him so easily. My eyes fall on our bodies, and I curse myself internally. My limbs are sprawled all over him. Thank goodness we still have our clothes on. How did I even get here? I have no idea, but I sure as hell am not sticking around to find out.


    Slowly, I lift myself off him and hop off the bed as quietly as I can. I tiptoe to the door, and before leaving, I shoot him onest nce. As much as I would love to give him a chance, I know what happened thest time I gave my whole heart to a man.


    I got stabbed. Severally.


    I refuse to be that stupid again. So with that resignation, I step out of his room and shut the door as quietly as I can. I return to the maid’s chambers, and as soon as I step in, Ie face-to-face with Ca.


    Her eyes are as wide as saucers and filled with disbelief. She has her hands ced on her hips as she begins to interrogate me. “And where the hell have you been all night?”


    “I am sorry.” I do not get to finish my statement because she cuts me off instantly.


    “Sorry?” She takes a step towards me, and I take one back. Damn, she really does look pissed. “Sorry does not cut it! Do you know I could not sleep at allst night? I searched every inch of this pce for you. I was starting to think that you had run away again.”


    My heart pangs with guilt, and my countenance falls. She thought I ran away again. She was scared of what the alpha would have done to her. I am too, to be honest.


    She continues. “I almost had a panic attack! As I was looking for you, I was also doing my best to avoid the alpha because what if he asks me where you are? How do I answer him? If I even dare say I do not know, he will have my head!”


    “Ca I-” I attempt to exin myself once again, but she holds a hand up to silence me.


    “And not another word from you! Honestly, I thought we had spoken about this?! You can’t just go disappearing whenever you like! People are actually out to see you dead, and as much as I love you, if you die, I die too, and I sure as hell do not want that!” She rants, and at this point, I am more worried about whether she is breathing or not. She shuts her eyes and sucks in a rush of air. “Now, young woman, answer me. Where were youst night?”


    My cheeks heat up, and I avoid her gaze. “With the alpha,” I mutter.


    “You were what?” She asks, and I wonder if she actually did not hear me or if she refused to hear me.


    “I was with the alpha,” I say a bit louder, and she grows silent. For about thirty seconds, she does not say or do anything. She just stands there, blinking at me.


    And then, out of nowhere, she breaks out into a wolfish grin. “You sly girl. I spent the entire night scared out of my mind while you and your mate were having lovey-dovey time.”


    At this point, I am certain that my face is on fire. Why do I like this? I mean, I can’t possibly be shy about this. I am not a high school teenager, and it is not wrong if I spend some time with my mate. Yet why do I feel so embarrassed talking about it?


    “It was not exactly love-dovey time. I mean, I found him drunk, and he needed someone to talk to.”


    “Alpha Alexander needed someone to talk to. Are you sure we are talking about the same person?” Ca asks, and I shake my head in wonder.


    “Trust me, I am just as surprised as you are. He was just so differentst night. He was so vulnerable,” I admit, and she tilts her head to the side.


    “I don’t think I can imagine the alpha and the world vulnerable in one sentence. But then again, you are his mate. You are meant to see parts of him no one else can.” She pauses and smiles at me in a way that makes me feel almost shy. “I think you are softening him up. And that is something we all need.”


    We will see about that.


    The rest of the day went awfully quiet. Ca and I waited around for Grace to assign our chores for the day, but she never did. Thete afternoon came, and we decided to go look for her. As we walk through the halls, I say, “Perhaps she is sick.”


    Ca snorts. “Trust me, Grace is never sick. Something must be off. Maybe there are not many chores left, or she just forgot about us.”


    I remain silent. Three maids walk up to us, and I prepare myself for their res and side talks. But they do none of that.


    Instead, they do something that has my jaw dropping, if not frightened.


    They greet me.


    “Good afternoon,dy Aira.” The three of them say it simultaneously.


    Gwen and I freeze in our steps. We watch the three of them walk away, waiting for them to burst outughing because there was no way they were actually serious. But they were.


    Ca and I share a disbelieving nce. “What was all that about?” I ask, and she shrugs.


    We continue our walk down to the kitchen, and once we arrive, all the maids present greet me as well. “Good morning,dy Aira.”


    It is safe to say that I am terrified at this point.


    Mariaes up to us with a grin, touching her ears. “You have got to be the most badass girl I have ever met.”


    “What are you talking about? Why is everyone being so nice to me this morning? And why are they calling me Lady Aira?” I ask her, and she chuckles a bit.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    “I guess you would not know seeing as you and Ca have been locked up in the room all morning, but… Grace got fired today,” Maria says, and my jaw is practically on the floor.


    “What? Why?” I demand, and Maria shrugs.


    “I really do not know. The alpha just stormed in here this morning and fired her. and he put you in her ce. What were his exact words again?” She pauses and ces a hand on her chin. “Ah yes.” She clears her throat and attempts to mimic Alexander’s voice. Which is awfully hrious, by the way.


    “From today onwards, you all will report to Aira; she will be your head, and you will respect her. If I ever find out that you so much as even thought of disrespecting her, you will have me to deal with.”


    Ca turns to look at me with eyes full of amazement. “What the hell did you do to our alphast night?”


    “Nothing, I swear!” I say, raising my hands in surrender. “I am going to get to the bottom of this.” I say this before leaving. I make my way up to Alexander’s office while trying toprehend what Maria just told me.


    It just doesn’t make any sense. Why the sudden change? I thought things would go back to how they werest night, but clearly I was wrong.


    Without knocking, I push open the door, and Ie face-to-face with Alexander, sitting behind his desk. He does not bother to look up at me as he busies himself with the papers on his desk.


    “Why?” is the first thing I ask as I storm in.


    “I should be asking the same thing. I mean, whatever happened to knocking?” He asks, still not looking at me.


    I roll my eyes and ask, “You fired Grace? Why?”


    He shrugs, flipping over a page, then saying, “She was bing old and sloppy. She needed to go.”


    “And you thought I would be the best recement?”


    “Well, no one else in particr came to mind considering I hardly remember the faces of my servants,” he says coldly, and I hated whenever he did that. I hated it whenever he would act like he did not care.


    “And all that talk about dealing with anyone that disrespects me?” I ask, and finally he meets my eyes.


    “For order. If they do not respect you, then it would bring chaos and disorganization, which obviously I cannot have in my pce,” he finishes, and at this point I am left speechless. Slowly, he lifts a brow and asks, “What? Don’t tell me you actually thought I did that because I care about you.”


    Ouch.


    Dropping my gaze, I try to ease the pain his words have just inflicted on my heart. My voice is small when I say, “I almost thought you did.”


    “Well, I don’t,” he says firmly. But something about the way he said it makes me genuinely feel like that is a lie.


    “Very well then,” I say, squaring my shoulders. “I shall carry out my duties; thank you for your time.”


    Spinning on my heel, I begin to march out of the office when he says, “Wait.”


    My feete to a halt, and I look at him over my shoulder. For a moment, he appears almost conflicted.


    “There is this ball I will be attending tomorrow night. The annual alpha’s ball, and I need a date. I want that to be you.” I part my lips to decline when he adds, “And don’t think you have a choice.”


    Damn it.