35 - What is my brain cooking?

THALIA ZAHARA.

“Thalia, we need to start your martial training soon,” Emmag said. “When do we start?”

Since things were happening left and right, I easily forgot about my humble request to Emmag. I should not delay my training anymore, besides, it will be a good way to distract myself from my wandering thoughts.

As my fingers caressed my wrist bandage which had to be changed soon, I replied, “Can you take me by surprise? Start the training at your discretion. I think that’s the only way I can get the motivation to start.”

“Uhm,” he lowered the child’s head so our eyes could meet, “are you sure about that?”

“Of course. At this rate, I might not get to train at all. So, do what you can to push me out there and start the training.”

“You are absolutely sure?"

My lips puckered and I narrowed my eyes in suspicion of his insistence. “I am absolutely sure, Emmag,” I said as slowly as possible. “If you are worried about my health, I will be fine.”

“Alright then. I will see you tomorrow morning.”

“That fast?”

“You said to use my discretion.”

“Oh.” See? If I hadn’t told him to take matters into his own hands, I would have backed out of the training again.

“So, am I free to continue using my discretion?”

“When it comes to my training, yes.” Despite the huge assistance I am receiving, I still have to draw a boundary, don’t I?

“See you tomorrow.”

“See you. But before tomorrow comes, where will I sleep? I am not going back to that room.”

“We even have to investigate the place. I am baffled about how Lycan Octavius managed to get to that space. How did he even know about it? The Chief Maid only met him after he came here.”

“The Chief Maid?” I never thought I would hear that name again. “The one that gave me physical pain on my first day here?” The last time I looked in the mirror, I tried not to focus on my body because the presence of the bruises from that day would have reminded me that I was still wolfless and powerless. If I had a wolf, I would have been able to resist the beatings of that day better and my injuries would have healed faster.

“Yes. I uh…”

“Don’t hold back,” I urged him. “Say it.”

“She met with the Lycan King.”

“That woman is insane.”

“And dead.”

“She is dead?”

“Super dead.”

“Whoa.” Lycan Octavius truly is a monstrous and murderous beast. I can only imagine the gruesome way he took her life.

“Also, we have to be extra careful. He now knows we planted listening devices,” Emmag added. “These days, things keep changing rapidly. It’s a little worrisome because I can’t trust Lycan Octavius to stay away for the three months he agreed upon with Alpha Ezra.”

“I don’t trust it too. If he could turn the tables on our mating ceremony so fast, he could flip the deal he made with Alpha Ezra.”

“That’s why we have to be extra careful. And I am glad we’ll be starting your training. I want you to whoop that man’s ass.”

“Oh.” I chuckled with darksome delight. “I want to do more than whooping that fool’s ass.”

“Shh. A child is here, please watch your words.”

“Dude,” I eyed him, “you said the word ass in front of the child already, there’s nothing more to hide.”

“Thalia…” He silently questioned my reasoning.

“Okay, fine. I will watch my words around the boy.” The strange thing from earlier flashed in my mind again and as I cleared my throat to hide the slight nervousness in my soul, I asked, “I won’t see a lot of him, will I?”

“That should be the case. Why?”

I shrugged. “I don’t want to be distracted by his presence.”

“Your concern is valid. His cuteness is not easy to ignore.” Emmag smiled as if he had cracked the mystery of my reasoning. “Don’t worry, he is going to be in the South wing of the palace. Before he gets to where you are, he’ll be stopped by aged people who wish to smell his hair and baby him.”

“Okay.” I went back to the only question that had not been answered. “Where is our new bedroom located?”

“Our?” His nose scrunched; one would think that someone dropped a deuce in the middle of the conversation.

I checked the boy’s behind and confirmed that he did not drop a deuce.

“Alpha Ezra and me. We can’t stay in separate rooms right now. We are meant to be newlyweds, not a forty-year-old couple that is still together because it is easier to split bills.”

“Oh, of course.” Emmag did not hide his displeasure. But since I wasn’t ready to chase his feelings, I ignored it. “Your recent walk with the Alpha on the beach made the headlines. You two looked natural.”

“That’s the goal.” Our strides which seemed to be never-ending eventually halted. And I continued, “You haven’t replied to my question.”

“For now, Alpha Ezra’s former room is the only place you can stay. I will ask the helpers to arrange a new and conducive space as fast as possible.”

“By his former room, do you mean the place where you guys told me that my parents were killed by the Lycan? The place where you sort of forced me to join hands with you guys?”

“It isn’t as bad as…” I glared at him before he could complete that statement. “Yes. It is that room.”

My mind recalled the details of the room. “It isn’t a terrible space. You don’t have to arrange a new place, I am fine with staying in Alpha Ezra’s former room.”

“Aren’t you against sharing the same bed with Alpha Ezra?”

“Uh… Alpha Ezra is barely around, I am happy to get a huge bed to myself.”

“Okay. Let me walk you to the door of your new room. I will send your clothes over later so that you can get well settled.”

“Emmag, should we not inform Alpha Ezra about this? You can give him a call,” I said.

“I will do that later. He is busy now and will have my head if I call him without prior notice.”

“Prior notice?” The man can’t even read his text, so how does he want to get prior notice before receiving a call?

“We should get you a phone,” Emmag continued.

“Nah, I am good for now. I don’t want to burden myself with that.”

“Phones are not a burden, Thalia. They are very useful.”

“Useful things can also be a burden.”

We were now climbing up a staircase I was new to. I truly have to find a way to tour this palace.

“Give me an example of useful things that could become a burden.”

“A car.”

“A car?”

“It drives you around just fine, but when it develops problems, it burdens you by wasting your time and money.”

“You have a point.”

And nothing else was said about the matter. In fact, nothing else was said. I got to the entrance of my new room with a mind that was a little refreshed thanks to our little conversation and without wasting time, I went in and jumped into the bed- the bed that embraced me when I was in pain.

****

EZRA THIAGO.

Working with a severed finger was harder than I thought it would be. My reading rate was reduced and I could not complete my work within minutes.

A little regretful of the time I lost, I stood up, turned off the music that made the last couple hours bearable and proceeded to walk out of the space. I had no desire to catch up on the dirt we were gathering on Lycan Octavius. So, leaving that space was easy.

The mess the child made was not gone and while that would have angered me a little on a good day, I was very sleepy.

No matter what, I always make sure to sleep. That way, when my wolf wakes up in the early hours of the morning to quickly survey the area and stretch his limbs, my soul won’t be too tired.

So, I made it to the main building and headed for my former room where taking a quick nap was easier. I would have loved to go to the room I am sharing with Miss Thalia, but I don’t want my wolf to disturb her when he comes out.

The familiar cravings on the door leading to my former room settled against my palm and with heavier eyes, I opened the door, closed it and walked to the bed.

I recklessly abandoned my soul, closed my eyes and relaxed into the bed. Sleep was already crawling in when I recalled that Miss Thalia said she wouldn’t be sleeping in the new room anymore.

I wonder if she found a temporary room to stay.

Oh well, I trust Emmag has taken good care of that. He seems to take giving her comfort very seriously.

I settled more into my approaching sleep by pulling a pillow closer. The pillow will make a good weapon in case someone tries to ruin my short sleep.

‘Uh… Alpha Ezra?’

Oh great. Now I am hearing Miss Thalia’s voice.

What is wrong with me? I have spent all day drowning in work to avoid wondering about her. Even when she came around to inform me about the explosion, I tried my best to keep her away so that I could stop my mind from wandering to earlier when I held her close to my chest and confessed silly things.

I need to get my act together.

‘Alpha Ezra?’

Is this the point where I slap the back of my head to reset it? I don’t want to be stirred by her voice!

‘Your hand is on my breast, Alpha Ezra.’

Huh? What on earth is my brain cooking?

I have to check if I am in the right space or if I am just hallucinating.

My eyes opened, I looked to my right and realized that I was not holding a pillow, I was hugging Miss Thalia whose scent was now dangerously closer to my senses.