Chapter 34

Lila’s POV.

Two weeks have passed since that day happened. Smiles exchanged each moment I walked past Kyril. The first sign of snow came with the dry wind in the air, wiping away the dust and dry leaves on the ground.

I walked into the kitchen with a smile on my face. It was common knowledge I was the alpha’s whore and their stare did not hurt as much as before. Maybe it was because I was used to it or because of the joy I was feeling, knowing Kyril was always around.

“Your smiles wouldn’t prepare the alpha’s soup,” Lady Helga said as I walked past her to the station. She had plastered the recipe needed for the soup before my counter and the ingredients placed in front of it.

I said nothing as I picked up a knife, smiling as the sharp edge glinted at me, showcasing what I was feeling. I wasn’t late, neither had I done something wrong to warrant a scolding. That I knew at least as she walked next to me, humming.

I cut the ingredients in silence, humming a note along with it. “Is there a matter, Lady Helga?”

She looked at me, shaking her head. “It’s nothing. Just some few changes I’m trying to see,” she said, pushing away from me and towards other chefs in the kitchen.

Her observation wasn’t wrong, as I was different from how I used to be. I gave in to every one of the alpha’s antics, giving him everything he needed and when he needed it. I knew I had someone to fill whatever hole he dug in my heart with his every touch.

“She seems happy today,” one maid whispered over the bubbling of the cooking.

I turned towards her voice, smiling widely for them to see I was truly happy. What I did not want to happen was the alpha finding out I was happy despite the treatment he gave to me.

The gossip would spread eventually about how happy I looked, and maybe it would raise another series of discussions on the effect the alpha had on me. I shook my head to remove my thoughts.

“Lila!”

I turned to who called my name, moving with haste to her side when she handed over a familiar picture to me.

“You want to make that mushroom soup again?” I asked as I brought a basket from the storeroom.

Lady Helga turned to me with a straight face. “I don’t think it is your business on the things I want to do,” she answered as she fanned herself.

“It’s nothing like that, Lady Helga. I was only wondering if you could teach me how to make the soup,” I said, throwing a pity face at her.

“Just do as you’re told and stop disturbing me,” she said, flicking her hands towards me.

I sighed as I took my load towards the wood. The incident from the previous time was still fresh in my mind, but it did not scare me like before as I did not need to walk around the forest to search for the mushrooms. I’d walk straight to the place I found them and come back as soon as possible.

Evening was fast approaching by the time I returned to the kitchen. The kitchen was void of souls as I dropped the basket on the table, walking out of the kitchen before Lady Helga caught me and sent me on another errand. I had made sure to spend most of the day in the woods to let them work, and I needed to have my rest.

I walked around the hallway, taking paths I knew few people would take as I made my way to my room, when a hand grabbed me, pulling me into a corner.

A scream almost escaped my lips as I turned to see the face. Kyril stood there with a smile on his face, like he knew what my next action would be.

“What are you doing?” I asked as he pulled me deeper into the corner, kissing me on the forehead.

“I do not know what I am doing, but I know I want to spend some time with the one person my heart desires,” he said as he held my hand, caressing it.

I could feel the blood rush up my cheeks at his words, but I could not let my guard down as I stared around the place, hoping no one had seen what happened.

“You could have done this in the night, not when everyone’s active and watching,” I complained, but I did not want him to let go of me, feeling his heart pounding underneath that mass of flesh.

“No one’s going to know we were here,” he said as he pulled me away, placing a kiss on my lips.

I inhaled deeply, letting him work on my upper lips while I sucked on his lower lips. I missed this touch after spending a few nights with his father. My body sought his touch as I wrapped my hands around his body.

“I thought you did not want to do this.”

I smacked my fist into his chest, pushing myself away from his body. “No, I did not.”

He smiled, holding onto my wrist. “Always in a hurry. Where are you going to?”

“I have to make sure no one gets us in this position and rat us to your father,” I said, eyeing him.

He chuckled, interlocking his fingers with mine. “Spend a few moments with me. No one is going to say a word if they see you coming out of this place with me.”

“That’s the problem,” I said, rubbing my forehead with my free hand. “No one is going to say a word if they see you with me, but your father would have a lot of words to say if he sees us walking like this.”

He sighed as he let go of my hand, folding them across his chest. “If you do not want to stay. You can leave.”

“It’s not like that.”

“That’s how I want to see it,” he answered, backing me.

I walked to him, wrapping my hands around my body while I relaxed on his back with my head. “I just don’t want to take risks, losing much and gaining nothing.”

He said nothing, letting me speak my mind, and it was enough for me as no one ever listened to me. No one even let me speak to them, expecting me to listen to everything they said.

“I’ve lost everything that I’ve once called my. My mother — she died when she gave birth to me. I was already hated by my father before I set foot into this place, but yet I had a sense of belonging with him,” I said, gripping Kyril’s body now.

He pulled my hands from his body, turning to face me. “I never thought of leaving you from the moment I realized what you are to me. I will fight with him when the time comes.”

I raised my head with eyes now brimming with tears about to pour to the ground. “I just don’t want to lose you.”

He chuckled as he wiped my eyes with his hands. “Next time you cry. I’d end up killing whoever makes you cry,” he said with the both of us laughing. “As for my father. There are other ways to go about it, and I will do everything in my power to make sure you are mine.”

I smiled, wiping the remaining tears from my face. “There’s no doubt in my mind about it,” I said as I turned away from him, walking away from where we were.

He smiled as he came out, taking the opposite direction. I smiled as I made my way back to my room. They would have served the alpha his meal by now. It meant I had ample time to myself.

A smile crossed my face as I placed my palm to my nose, inhaling Kyril’s scent from his touch. It would take a while, he would never make me his. Even if it meant the both of us running away.