Word Count: 1576
~Brielle
Not long after I had left, the Alpha's started up to their rooms for the night.
The moment their doors closed, their air in the room cleared, and there wasn't so many girls running around as if their heads were cut off. Even Mabel calmed down, allowed to head to sleep since her duties didn't require her until morning. I, however, wasn't going anywhere. I'm in charge of these girls, and I can't have a single on of them slack off.
I didn't catch sight of Ren while I was wandering around, checking that not a single thing was out of place. He must have went back to his quarters also, since it's getting late. It caught us all by surprise, though, that he cut his meeting off so abruptly.
My thoughts were consumed by Ren as I turned the corner, coming across one of the girls sitting outside one of the Alpha's room. Her job is to attend to any need of the Alpha she is assigned to until morning. Her shift would swap in another hour or so.
Except, she's dead asleep.
Walking up to her, I shake her shoulders, watching her startle out of her slumber. She seems so young to be living on this island working under Alpha Ren's name. She looks up at me with frightened doe eyes. Dark circles under her eyes suggest she hasn't been getting much sleep at all recently.
I take immediate pity on her. "You should go down to the den to sleep. I'll cover your shift for tonight."
Knowing an opportunity like this only comes once, she quickly nods, hopping out of her seat, but not without thanking me first. I'm happy to let here off. Especially since we had combed through all the obsessive girls to find ones who couldn't care less about the fact that the guests are Alpha's.
This girl couldn't care less.
Taking a seat where she had been posted, I see whose name has been slotted into the door. The room I'm tending to belongs to Alpha Isaiah. I remember the wink he sent me today, and secretly hope I'm never called into his room.
Recently, I've had enough drama with Alpha's, I could do with having no more. Especially with the way Ren reacted today to the Alpha's talking to me at dinner. I need to be professional.
The next shift worker should be here in another hour, so I just have to sit it out, and hope no one is getting into trouble elsewhere.
Just my luck, I was called into the room.
I had zoned out, going over every word that was said in the dining room today, when there was a knock from the other side of Alpha Isaiah's door - the indicator that he requests my assistance with something. Despite hoping that he wouldn't call for my help, I obligingly stand up, and open his door.
He has his back to me when I peek through the door, not wanting to be too abrasive, only helpful. He's still dressed in what he wore to dinner - dark pants a grey button down. Carefully casual, but presentable.
"Can I help you with anything, Alpha?" I ask softly.
He whirls around from where he was unbuttoning the top of his shirt. Sun kissed skin upon his chest shows more and more before he pauses his movements. I know he's from the Passion Pack, which lies right on the coast. I can imagine him lounging upon perfect golden beaches framing foaming aqua water.
"Oh, you're the girl who greeted us, right?" he questions, that quirk of a smile making me uneasy. "And the one who spilt Noah's drink on his lap."
I suck in a deep breath. I knew he would mention that. "I suppose so."
A dark eyebrow raises. Whether he is mated or not, I'm not sure, but somehow, I doubt it when I consider the way he acts. He didn't seem to speak much at the dinner, but alone, I have a feeling he's much more confident about himself. All of that is irrelevant, though. I'm here to get a job done, and that will be it.
"Interesting," he says lightly, his fingers continuing to undo each button on his shirt. I cast my eyes to the floor, not wanting to be disrespectful.
"What may I help you with?" I ask gently. "Since you called me."
Isaiah clearly had something on his mind, since he seemed to come back to his realisation. "Ah yes. I would like a glass of water, if you can. I get nightmares, especially in a place I don't know so well. Water would be nice to wake up to if I can get it."
He seems gracious, so I say no more and slip out of his room, not returning until I have a chilled glass, which he requests I leave on his bedside table. My mind lingers on his mention of nightmares, though. He seems so sure of himself, I'm surprised trouble haunts him at night.
"Just knock if you-"
My voice is cut off as I turn around, noticing he's shirtless. Immediately, my eyes dart away and my cheeks flush red at the image that is burned into my mind. Such a perfectly sculpted body. I feel embarrassed to even look up at him again.
I quickly finish my sentence, hoping he didn't hear me stutter. "If you need anything..."
Without waiting for another word out of his mouth, I escape, slipping out his door to close it behind me. He could have followed me out, but he didn't, surely happy with how much he embarrassed me. However, I was faced with that issue, and then another, that is questionably more imposing.
Another shirtless male. Great.
This time, it is none other then Ren, standing in the middle of the hall. He stares me down, drinking in the sight of my blushing face, which in no way is about to get better, and my slight pant from my quick escape.
"Were you just in Isaiah's room?" he asks, the question so loaded, I'm speechless for a moment, despite being guilty of nothing.
"Oh yeah," I say casually, brushing my hair out of my face. "I was, ah, getting him a drink."
Ren looks skeptical. I am too, because there's something about him that seems different. Off. Like he just stepped out of bed another person. His hair is ruffled, clothes - that he has actually decided to put on - are completely astray. But his eyes are what seem the most different. The blue seems brighter, the tone of his gaze much more...sinister.
"A drink," he says slowly, pronouncing each word slowly, drawing it out, as if he is trying to make sense of it. Even his voice sounds different; deeper and rougher. "Are you sure that is all you were in there for?"
Does he think this is suspicious?
"A girl fell asleep that was working here, and I took over her shift. Isaiah wanted water, and I got him some. That's what happened," I tell him surely, leaving no room to question my legitimacy. I do, however, decide to keep out the part that I saw him shirtless. Not that it matters, since I'm struggling to keep my gaze off the slickness of his muscles, which seem to be covered in a slight sheen of sweat.
"What's your name?"
I frown. "Brielle."
I'm not going to scold him for forgetting my name. He's an Alpha, how has much more pertinent issues to be worrying about over the name of one of his servants. I will admit, it does hurt a bit considering how he offered me this job. Even when I tell him my name, no flicker of recognition follows. He just blankly stares.
"Well, Brielle, I'm not going to reprimand you for doing your job," he says slowly, his tone unexplainably dark. "But I will tell you something..."
I blink a few times, unsure of where he is going, waiting for him to be honest. Something is clearly different about him, and I can't tell what. Has he been drinking, maybe? Is he in some kind of dream like stance, wandering around, seeming strange and off?
He takes a few steps toward me. Initially, I keep my ground, not afraid of my Alpha at all. That is, until I realise his steps aren't going to stop, and I match them backward, walking back down the hallway. Nothing in his stance alters, as he follows me, expression blank. He's terrifying.
Suddenly, my back hits the wall, and I realise I'm trapped.
He puts his hands on either side of my head, leaning in. All speech is caught in my throat, as he comes so close, I could lean up and touch him. Ren has never acted this way, and I can't wrap my head around what is going on. I can smell his scent, feel his breath against me.
"You work for me. You're one of my girls," he breathes, my stomach turning over in response. "You're mine. And I'm a jealous man. I wouldn't step into another Alpha's room again."
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Want more of Ren!? On the site Radish, Ren is considerably ahead, so go check it out (:
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I've also just posted the second novel in the Immortal series (in no way in correlation to book one which is Fate
It's Time!
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Instagram: Sophie_Midika
~Midika 💜🐼