Trapped Feelings

**\[ALICE’s Point of View\]**

I flinched from him, my whole body rigid but my brain on full alert if he ever made a wrong move. I hid my hand behind me as small red sparks formed on the palm of my hand.

He must have noticed it and leaned his head to the side with his brows raised on me. “I know what you are thinking, Alice Drakon. But I am not like what you are thinking,” he grimaced. Maverick stood to his full height as he glared down at me as if he was going to gobble me whole. “I will only mark you if you say so. But as of now, I will make you a little more comfortable here until you beg me to sleep in your bed.” and then he winked.

Goddess! My whole body shivered at what he said!

“In your dreams, Maverick Aland!” I snarled at me.

He looked at me with surprise and then grinned. “So you know my full name?”

“Everyone knows your full name.” I raised an eyebrow at him and then scowled, “You’re a criminal. Your name is all over posters in the city. Just for your information.”

Maverick growled, glaring at me with a cold look. “In his world, either you die with dignity but with an empty stomach or you fight and be on top!”

“By what? Killing and robbing innocent people?” I snarled at him. My skin was itchy from the dirt and sweat and I wanted to run so badly towards the bathroom and wash away the grime. But I couldn’t trust if Maverick was still in my room. I couldn’t trust this man wouldn’t force his way to the bathroom when I got inside. I couldn’t trust any of his words.

“You don’t know me, Alice Drakon,” he answered, despising that answer of mine. “You don’t know the real story and the nonsense things people are talking about me and my men. You don’t know anything.”

That sudden sadness in his eyes suddenly made me regret that I said such words but I just reminded myself I was not on the wrong side here. If he hadn’t kidnapped me or threatened me about my father, I wouldn’t think such terrible things about him. I wouldn’t hate him like this.

“That’s the point, Maverick. I don’t know you. And you don’t know anything about me as well. So why do you have to bring me to this place? Why risk showing me this place when I can tell Alpha Zenon about your hideout? I am totally sure he would punish you all for what you did to him!”

He scoffed. “What I did? How I wish I really saw him in that forest so we could tell who was the strongest between us. That man’s strength is just half of my strength, Alice. I don’t think you should praise him like that. Only the difference between us is that he was born into a prominent family and was raised with a silver spoon in his mouth.” he snarled at me, his anger starting to etch on his face. “I grew up in an orphanage and crawled my way up from the slums where I came from, Alice. Where we came from. He would never survive the hardships I conquered if he were in my shoes.”

I averted my eyes from him. I couldn’t take this. “Just go away, Maverick. I don’t want any of this! Why don’t you just let me go and I’ll forget this happened.”

“Now that I finally got you from Zenon? I don’t think so, princess.” Maverick said and smiled dryly at me. “Enjoy your stay here. And if you don’t want to feel bored, you can clean the whole place as much as you like. Some clothes need washing downstairs. Maybe you can attend to those. That will be a huge help to us.”

My eyes widened in both disbelief and anger. I felt like a volcano, ready to spread lava and burn this whole place. “I am not your f*cking maid!”

I threw him the bar soap, aiming his head. But Maverick was fast and had already gotten out of the room, closing the door behind him.

“I can’t believe him!” my nose was flaring in anger as I snatched the bar of soap from the floor. I wanted to cry, scared of what might happen to me in their hideout. What if Maverick changed his mind and suddenly decided to bring me to his territory, where his harem was? What would happen to me there?!

I regretted having left the resort. If only I hadn’t gone to the garden and had that argument with Bellamy, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Maybe I didn’t get stuck in a place full of wanted criminals.

As I cursed under my breath, castigating myself silently, I went straight to the bathroom and filled the tub with water. Thank the goddess they had a heater. If they didn't, I would surely die of pneumonia before Bellamy or Alpha Zenon found me in this place.

While soaking myself in the bathtub, the memories kept on repeating in my head when Bellamy and I exchanged unkind words with each other. I wish I could turn back the time and take back all of what I told him. To bring back the time and stop me from showing him how desperate I was for him to choose him because we both knew how strong our feelings were for each other. I hated that I let myself look pathetic in front of him. I hated that I had to deal with those embarrassing memories for the rest of my life.

Exhausted and sleepy, I soaked half of my face in the water and concentrated, trying to calm myself. But tears started to fall down my face as my throat tightened.

Bellamy was not for me. I convinced myself that I had to stop this nonsense and move on. Alpha Zenon did everything to make me happy. To make my life comfortable. He kept me and my father safe. 

It should be him I should choose. Not Bellamy. Not a man like him.

If I ever had the chance to get away from here and come back to the resort, I promised myself not to talk to him ever again.