Let's Play A Game, Alpha

6 - Sticks & Stones

"Victoria." Lucian warned as I slammed the door with as much force as I could. I rolled my eyes and began walking to the prison cage in front of me, whilst carrying Flora in my arms. She refused to sleep but refused to walk with her own two feet. Thus, I was left to carry my 6-year-old sister to Lucian's house by foot.

I entered through the set of double front doors and immediately went down the hallway and up a set of stairs. Granted, I didn't know where I was going, but at least it would be away from Lucian. I couldn't look him in the eyes without blushing.

"Is this our house now, Victoria?'' Flora asked softly. I could tell she was speaking with her thumb in her mouth. I reached over and pulled it out.

"Just for a little while."

She raised her head and looked me in the eye. "What about Mommy?"

"Um..." I balked at the question. Truth be told, I hadn't thought much of our Mother until Flora had pointed it out. I suppose she would fare well with her drugs. She could sell the whole damned apartment if she wanted to. I was planning on leaving Lucian tonight, but going back to Draycottwas out of the question. 

Lucian would burn the whole city down.

"She'll be okay. We can go visit her from time to time, okay? In fact, we can go see her tonight." I suddenly came up with the idea. The more I thought about it, the better it sounded. At least in my head it did. "Yeah. We'll go see her tonight, just you and me, okay? But you can't tell anyone, Flora. It has to be a surprise." I figured I could see Mother one last time before Lucian lost his temper and locked me up in the cellar.

"Okay!" she agreed happily. I took her to the room I first woke up in. Flora gasped at the sight of the balcony and eagerly jumped off me to press her nose against the glass doors. I walked over to the bed. It was as messy as I had left it this morning. Taking hold of all the black silk sheets, I threw them off until only the mattress remained. Then I climbed up and untethered the black canopy from above. Strings of loose diamonds and pearls rained down and tinkered to the floor. I took all the sheets and shoved them under the bed. The color black was unnecessary. We had enough darkness in our lives.

There was a knock on the door. Flora ran to me and jumped on the naked bad gleefully, laughing to her own self. Lucian entered the room. His sapphire eyes trailed to me first, and then to the empty mattress, and then to Flora.

"Victoria, I love you." he suddenly muttered. "I know this is happening very quick and all, but I want you to know that you are my mate and I will protect you with my life. You are quite literally the only thing that matters to me now. I know I come off as some possessive creep now, but it can't be helped. I am not human. Being cold and heartless and powerful was all I had known, it is what I have to do to be an Alpha. It does not and will not have to be how I am with you."

Speechless? Yes.

Surprised? Yes.

Turned on? Hell yeah.

"He likes you." Flora giggled softly from behind me. She quickly gave an innocent shrug when I turned and glared at her. Unfortunately for me, Lucian's heightened sense of hearing heard that as well. I could only manage a heated glare when he chuckled softly. He walked over to us, my stomach doing small tumbles.

"Hello, Flora." Lucian said softly. He took a seat next to me on the bed, making my face heat up. Flora giggled softly and bounced into Lucian's arms. Her innocent sense of trust surprised me. She had clearly seen Lucian turn into one of those monstrous dogs, but didn't question him at all. In fact, her reaction had been more mature than mine. I had tried to give Flora as good as a life I could make it; unfortunately, it had been too sheltered. She settled down contentedly into Lucian's strong arms.