Chapter 48 Chapter 48
ADRIANA'S POV
"The name's Candace sweetheart," the woman's voice pulled me from my disturbing thoughts of Xander. I was grateful for that, because the last thing I wanted to look into was why I was anything but terrified, or even disgusted at what he said. I also needed to figure out why that wolf attacked me. All in due time.
The woman's unwavering gaze reminded me of my manners and I sputtered a silent apology. My voice came out raspy, my throat feeling a lot drier and even more worse than the voice.
"I'm Adriana," I introduced myself. Not getting over my head and thinking she would know my name. She shot me another warm smile and then turned after that, she was picking up the pillows that have been kept around me. Almost like the person-Xander, if my memories weren't actually hallucinations or a bad dream-didn't want me to fall off. I wasn't a baby, though I was grateful for the thoughtfulness.
"Oh sweetheart, I know." She said, her tone suggesting how hilarious the thought of her not knowing me was. I was always insignificant in my father's pack and I didn't expect it to be any better here. Most of the people I've met have pretty much been giving me the cold shoulder so I didn't expect it to be different.
"You're the alpha's soon to be bride and probably the next luna." My brows furrowed in confusion as she said that. I that was the rumors going around then a lot of people are going to like me a lot less now. I didn't want to be a luna, I didn't even know how to be one. I've lived all my life as an omega, a very weak one at that. The most Xander will do to me is keep me in a different room from his harem, but I wasn't delirious as to think he would make me his luna. I was too weak for that.
I don't correct the maid-I mean, Candace, though. This wasn't the type of thing I wanted the pack to hear coming from my mouth. I didn't know her well enough to start divulging my deepest darkest secrets with her. Even Daciana, whom I could say is my only real friend, hasn't heard of the grimy parts of my life before her brother brought me here.
"I'm to be one of your ladies in waiting. Freya, the other maid, has to finish up other responsibilities before joining in permanently. She is a bit of a chatterbox so it would do you good to be careful around her." she said the last part in a low voice. My eyes almost detached from their sockets when she said that. She has pretty much been running her mouth since she entered. She wasn't necessarily talking to me but I found her muttering to herself once in a while as she tried to put the room back together.
I couldn't remember throwing half of the things she was picking up, down. So it must have Xander before he left the room. Again, she confirmed my suspicion when she picked a tattered piece of clothing and held it up. It was Xander's from a glance and when she turned to me, with a suggestive brow raised, I couldn't stop my cheeks from heating, which sent the wrong message if the glint in eyes meant anything.
"Well, the alpha really isn't the gentle type is he?" she asked, having no sense of privacy too. I've never had a maid but I doubted they were supposed to ask things like that. The few that I've been around back at my old pack made it their life's mission to stay away from me, and when we were forced to be in the same place, they always made sure to remind me I was nothing. It used to hurt but soon stopped. When you hear the same thing from different people every day of your life, it kind of loses its charm.
Not that I was able to turn a deaf ear to all of their taunts but I ignored quite a few. It's one of the reasons I never bothered trying to go out or even asking my father to let me go to school. I would have just been forced to spend more than half of my day, almost every day with people who hated me. No one was as cruel as teenagers. Whoever thought it a good idea to put a lot of adolescents one building, then they really weren't the smartest people out there. That, or they've never experienced even an ounce of bullying in the course of their life.
They would have realized how that would be torture for others. People like me, that our voices had been taken from us long before we even knew how to use it.
"How is your back? The alpha mentioned an injury." She was examining my feet as she asked. She nodded satisfied with whatever she found and stood back up. Although I doubted she had any medical background to actually tell what was wrong. I keep my thoughts to myself. It is what I do best.
"A little sore," I rasped out again. My voice is only slightly better than it had been when I first woke up. Her head dipped in a nod and her eyes glazed for a split second. She was receiving a mind link. She rolled her eyes at whatever the person must have said and then looked up at me. "It's the alpha." She informed me, like I'd asked.
"Oh." Again, that is all I can manage. She must not have gotten the memo because she smiled widely and more or less hopped on her feet to stand beside me, moving the side I was closer to.
"So, how's it like being with the hottest man in the entire universe?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with light. The kind you saw in someone's eyes when they were either talking about what they loved or who they loved. I tried to ignore the pang I felt in my chest at that thought.
"I've heard so many stories about what he is like. What is he like?" I almost choked on my saliva when she asked that so casually. Heart rose from my neck to my cheeks, making me look like a tomato no doubt. Her eyes gleamed more if that was even possible when she saw that reaction. I didn't know how to start explaining to her that if anything like that happened between me and Xander, then one of us would surely be forced or threatened. That person would most likely be me.
I doubted it would happen, despite all that had happened last night. If Xander was interested in doing that with me, then I doubted he would have taken his time. He wasn't exactly known for his patience.
"Oh I get it, you're the shy type. That's so cute," she picked the pillows on that side too and rounded the bed before arranging them as best as she could without disrupting me and my back. "Do you need something to prop your leg up? It might feel better." I stared down at both my bandaged feet and nodded. This position was a little low and I could feel how cramped they were even without trying to walk.
"Thank you," I whispered when she did that and she waved her hand as though telling me it was nothing. "I'll check on the back then to see if the bandages need to be changed or removed." She doesn't question why I didn't heal. It made me a little nervous, I was glad I didn't have to answer the question but my anxiety was already trying to convince me it was because she knew.
"Should I get the bath ready? It may help with the fatigue, then I'll bring your breakfast in. Her grace said you two would have to go out so you can get clothes. She didn't say what time but I'm guessing between before and after lunch." She ratted off. Like keeping shut for more than five seconds was physically going to hurt her. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case, at least it would explain why she wasn't even taking a break between all her talking.
"I need to pee." I muttered out of the blue. It wasn't even a lie and that made me feel good. I didn't want to think of all the lies I would have to tell if I was going to successfully run.
"Uh, let me come help you off the bed. Do you think you can walk or should I get the wheelchair?" she was already walking toward the other side of the room without waiting for my response. She was heading for one of the two large windows where the wheelchair sat almost lonely. She'd taken it there when she was moving things around the room.
"Come now," she parked it beside the bed, close enough that it wouldn't take much for her to help me into it. She comes up beside me, one arm thrown over shoulder why the other went to support her. She wasn't much smaller than me but she definitely had more strength than I did.
Without much effort, she helped me get off the bed and settled into the chair. All my weight seemed to have gone to my leg when the split second I stood before getting into the chair, because they felt that heavy. Candace didn't give me room to think of, or even try to stretch my cramped muscles. I was careful not to let my back touch the seat after I mistakenly rested against it. The sharp sting I felt immediately after assured me I wasn't going to make that mistake again.
"Your breakfast will be brought by the time you're done. Can you manage?" she pointed to the toilet bowl when she wheeled me to the bathroom. I didn't want to stand on my feet for even a second but I nodded. I promised myself I was going to be strong, more resilient to pain. It's the only way I would survive if I wanted to run.
I've learnt my lesson from the last time. Also, this time, it wouldn't be my father or his guards that I would be running. It would be Xander's. Escaping them was going to be the hardest challenge of my life yet.
I didn't need anyone to tell me that.