Chasing the rejected Luna novel Chapter 8

Sophia's POV
"Alpha Ryven requests your presence," a man I had never seen in my life said to me while I was cleaning the dining area. The other maids stopped to listen in to our conversation. It was rare enough to see Alpha Ryven send gifts to me. And now, someone acquainted with him came for me. It was a sight to behold.
"And you are?" I said while I wiped the sweat off my brows. My messy bun was coming off from their knot while little hair stuck to my face. I was so hot in there with my oversized sweater.
"I'm Ian, Alpha Ryven's Beta," the mysterious man said and I did a double take on him. He looked like someone who was from high society with his combat boots that put stains on the floor I just mopped. To his hair that was neatly pinned back with slick gel.
"I'm kind of busy right now. Can he wait a little while while I freshen up? I smell really bad," I said as I ducked my head to my armpits. The smell that came off it almost made me gag. Who could I blame? I had been working for six hours straight without as much as a five-minute break.
"I'm afraid not. I don't think he would mind your appearance and come with me," he said, getting impatient which was noticeable by the lines that appeared in between his brows. And the downfall of his lips.
"Okay," I said and dropped the dirty rag on my right hand. I glanced at the room and caught some girls working with their ears trained on us. I followed the man out of the pack house to a huge house which was meant for guests.
"Enter. He knows you're here already," the man said when we stood behind a door in the house. We had gone into the house and climbed onto the third floor. At that moment, I stood by the door breathing like I had run a marathon.
"Thank you," I said and knocked twice on the door. My heart rate spiked up when I realized what was about to happen. I was just a defenseless girl who had no status or rank in the pack going into a room that was occupied by a single sexy Alpha.
Rumors will fly and it won't be funny. The girls in the pack would make sure to drag my name through the mud until there was nothing left of it. Not like there was anything left of it. But this time, it would be brutal.
I hesitated behind the door, my legs refusing to move from its spot. It was disobedience I was displaying and I chewed on my bottom lip in fear. All the what-ifs played through my head like my favorite song. My hands began to shake and become filled with sweat.
Clutching my dress and chewing on my bottom lip more vigorously, I watched the door handle turn slowly while Alpha Ryven's scent wafted into my nose.
The door opened to reveal the man that I never thought would come across. Looking at him now that I knew who he was, I came to discover that there was something hidden beneath his eyes.
It was a mystery and it looked at me like it knew my secret. One that I had hidden in the deepest part of my heart. And it didn't help that he was an attractive male. His hair fell lazily across his eyes, hiding those deep pools that made my legs tremble and almost give out under me.
"Come in," Alpha Ryven smiled, showing off his white pearly teeth that were perfectly arranged. He was beautiful now that I saw him in broad daylight.
Men can't be considered beautiful but that was what I thought. My throat constricted slightly from the beauty before me.
"I can't," I quickly caught myself and looked to my feet, my heart hammering in my chest. Looking at my feet, I remembered how bad I smelled and stepped back without looking at Alpha Ryven.
"Why? Oh, I get it now. Why don't we go outside? Would that be okay?" He asked me which made my head come up to his face once more. He asked a lowly slave like me for my opinion. No one ever does that. I was used to taking orders from people without them asking for my opinions.
I was a little taken aback by his question as I blinked rapidly to focus my thoughts on the question and not the way he looked at me.
"Yes, that would be fine," I said and bent my head once more. There was silence after that, the only thing I could concentrate on was how he smelled so nice. And how awfully I smelled. A stark contrast to him.
Looking up, I found his eyes on me, lost in my face or neck, I couldn't tell. But he was in deep thought. My brows furrowed before he read the confusion on my face.
"Lead the way, I have no idea where the garden is located," he said and chuckled to himself. I joined in the laugh to hide how nervous I was around him.
I led him to a garden that was behind the house. It was a beautiful garden, one that was hand-planted by Alexander's mother. She had a knack for collecting beautiful flowers and planting them in any available space around the pack house.
"Why have you been avoiding me?" He asked me as soon as we were within the inner part of the garden surrounded by trees.
"I haven't been avoiding you, Alpha," I spoke, defending myself. I had been avoiding him. Whenever I knew he would be in a particular place, I made sure to follow another route. I didn't know why. Maybe it was because I was physically attracted to him. I was trying to protect my heart from being broken the second time.
The fact that he had shown me kindness and given me a bracelet of his does not mean anything. Although I hoped it would. Someone would finally see me for who I am and my pure heart. I believe in love. Even if love was rare among the werewolves, I didn't care. Everyone deserves a chance at love. No matter how small it may be.
Thinking about it, I mentally scolded myself for talking that way to Alexander. And the part that scared me was seeing his friend, Orion coming to me to get some information from me. I might act like a hard girl but that was all a farce to protect the wall I had built around myself.
"You have. I can tell you are not a good liar with the way your hands are trembling," he said and I quickly hid my hands behind my back. We were the only ones in the garden which made the moment intimate for me. He chuckled at my action. A rich, masculine laugh that made butterflies pool in my belly.
"I'm sorry," that was all I could say as I had been caught. What more could I say to get out of the situation?
"It's fine. At least that would make me always catch you whenever you tell a lie. But you don't have to avoid me. I don't bite unless you want of course," he said and I could detect the hidden meaning in his words.
I wasn't a saint like I had made others believe. I had never had my first kiss but I often snuck into the library to read some romantic books to make up for the ones that are absent in my miserable life.
"So tell me about yourself," he suggested and took my face up, my eyes meeting with his. His touch was warm and soft, melting my stone-cold heart. "Look at me while I talk to you," he said to me and I blushed furiously.
"Since you don't want to talk about yourself. How about I tell you mine?" He asked me when he found me biting my lips again out of habit and nervousness. I nodded my head at him and he smiled. So far, a smile had always been plastered to his alluring face.
"I grew up without the love of my parents. They were always so busy with their lives, leaving me in the care of my nanny, Mrs Mandy. My childhood was boring. While other pups played, I was indoors learning the laws of the pack and the traditions. It was so I would become a better Alpha than my father," he spoke in a faraway voice. He was looking at me but I felt he was back in his pack when he was a child.
"Did you have friends?" I heard myself asking him. Even if I had no idea why he was telling me so, I was enjoying the conversation. Not only do I have a sad past growing up. Even the rich and happy people have some form of scars they wish to shield from the eyes of the public.
"Oh, yes I did. But we grew apart with time," the smile that ran across his moist pink lips turned sad. I wanted to wipe it off. The man before me was nothing like I had heard about.
"So right now, it means you have no friends?" I asked him while he moved away from me to one of the flowers. I watched him pluck it off and come over to me.
We stood a few metres apart, the world frozen with just us in it lost in each other's eyes. I was mesmerized by him. How could girls not fawn over him? I will not blame them. I found myself becoming like one of them.
He removed a strand of hair from my face and placed a flower behind my ear. And my heart lurched to my throat from the gesture. Little but impactful.
"Why don't we take a walk while I tell you?" He asked me again and I was taken aback. I'll never get used to people asking for my opinion.
We walked out of the building while I racked my brain on where to take him. I decided at last to take him to the woods where pack runs usually take place.
"So right now, I have a friend. But from what I noticed, you have none in the pack, why don't we become friends? We could have each other's backs right?" He nudged me playfully with his shoulders while I laughed at him.
We were in front of the pack house, going towards the woods.
"That would be nice. I've never had a friend before. And having an Alpha asking me to be his friend is such a privilege," I said and smiled up at him, my eyes twinkling with mirth.
"She's my friend already and needs no more friends!" Alexander's enraged voice reached my ears before I felt his hands grab me to his side.
My mouth was left agape at his behavior. Looking up at him with his hands still on my upper arm, I realized he was more than enraged. His canines were out of his gums and his breathing was heavy.
The tingles that ran up my spine could not hide the pain his grip on my hand caused. I let out a whimper of pain and Alexander's black orbs snapped to me. I flinched from the maniacal look on his face. What was wrong with him again? I internally grumbled.
"Don't you think it's high time you go to your pack?!" Alexander said and Alpha Ryven's eyes glowed, his wolf responding to the challenge.