Chapter 26 Malibu
The next day came softly, like a reluctant dawn that didn’t want to intrude on my unrest. I hadn’t slept much. Every time I closed my eyes, memories pressed against the edges of my mind, the weight of Darius’s gaze, the heat that had consumed me, the confusing mixture of hate and desire that left me breathless and ashamed.
Now, I sat out on the balcony wrapped in a light robe, watching the waves roll endlessly beneath the sun. The sea was a shade of blue I’d never seen before, deep, boundless, alive. It should have brought me peace, but instead, it reminded me how trapped I truly was.
Behind me, I heard the faint sound of approaching footsteps. A gentle knock followed.
“Come in,” I said softly, not turning.
The butler, Mr. Bernard, entered with his usual quiet grace. His silver hair was neatly combed back and his posture spoke of years in disciplined service. Behind him, two younger servants wheeled in a cart laden with food.
“Good afternoon, miss,” he greeted, his voice calm and soothing, like a lullaby. “I’ve brought you lunch. The chef made something light for you today, grilled fish, fresh greens, and some fruit.”
I nodded faintly, not really hungry. “Thank you.”
He motioned for the servants to set the dishes on the small table near the balcony doors, and they left quietly, closing the doors behind them. Mr. Bernard lingered, as though he sensed I wasn’t ready to be alone just yet.
“I am delighted to see you eating,” he said gently after a pause. “The doctor said your body is still recovering. Proper nourishment will help.”
“I’ll try,” I murmured, though the sight of food only made the knot in my chest tighten.
The silence stretched between us. The ocean roared softly below, and a gull cried somewhere above the cliffs. Finally, I looked at him. “Bernard … can I ask you something?”
He inclined his head. “Of course, miss.”
“Where… exactly are we?”
His faint smile reached his eyes. “We’re in Malibu, ma’am. The Alpha’s private estate. It’s one of the most secluded properties along this coast. You can see the shoreline for miles.”
Malibu. I’d heard of it, of course. A place of wealth and privilege. A far cry from the cold, concrete city where my life had been torn apart. I looked back toward the ocean, the waves crashing endlessly against the rocks. “It’s beautiful,” I admitted quietly.
“It is,” he agreed. Then, after a small pause, he added, “The Alpha finds peace here when nowhere else can give it to him.”
I turned to him slowly, studying his face. “You’ve known him for a long time, haven’t you?”
He nodded. “Since he was a boy. I served his father before him, and when Darius took over as the Alpha King, I stayed by his side. I’ve seen him at his best… and at his worst.”
There was something in his tone, an affection that went beyond duty.
“Then tell me,” I said softly, “why does he keep me here? Why won't he just let me go?”.I let out a bitter laugh. “Why would I even ask you, when you're so loyal to him?”
The butler’s gaze dropped for a moment, as though he were choosing his words carefully. “He cares deeply for you.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. "He sure knows how to show that he cares by keeping me locked up like a prisoner?" I mocked. By killing my father? By forcing me to stay here against my will?
The old man’s eyes met mine, filled with a mix of sadness and understanding. "He’s keeping you locked up because he thinks you’ll try to escape again. He’s afraid of losing you. It’s his way of protecting you, even if it seems misguided. He has waited many years for his mate, for you”,
I turned back to the sea forest, the waves crashing "Protecting me," I muttered bitterly.
He must have sensed my silence for what it was, conflicted, fragile, because he gave a small bow and stepped back toward the door. He then turned back one last time. He smiled faintly, sadness flickering across his face. “Maybe not now. But perhaps someday, you will grow to see his majesty as the rest of us.”
Then he bowed once more and left, the door closing quietly behind him.
The silence that followed felt heavier than before.
I turned my eyes back to the sea, the endless horizon stretching out before me like a promise of escape. Malibu. That meant there were cities nearby. Roads. People.
Freedom wasn’t impossible.
“You’re not his prisoner,” he had said. “He’s only keeping you locked up because he thinks you’ll run.”
I laughed under my breath. “He’s right.”
Every instinct in me screamed for freedom. I had spent too long being someone else’s possession, first fate’s, then Darius’s. The bond between us pulsed like a brand under my skin, invisible yet unbreakable.
Maybe Bernard had given me the answer without realizing it.
If Darius believed I was compliant, if he thought I accepted my place, maybe he’d lower his guard. Maybe he’d stop watching me every moment, stop stationing guards at every door.
And then…
Then I’d leave.
I’d run until I was nothing more than a shadow on the wind.
The plan formed slowly, carefully, like a whispering voice in the back of my mind. Pretend to accept him. Let him think you’ve surrendered. I could do that. I had acted before, survived before. If that was what it took to be free, I could play the part.
But a part of me hesitated.
Because pretending meant getting close.
Pretending meant letting him in.
And the memory of his touch, the warmth of his breath, the way his voice could unravel me, was something that terrified me more than any cage.
Still, I clenched my fists and drew in a deep breath, forcing resolve into my bones.
I would do whatever it took.
If I had to lie, I would.
If I had to play the role of the willing mate, I would.
If I had to smile and let him think I’d forgiven him… I would.
And maybe, just maybe, once he trusted me enough, I’d finally get the answers I needed.
Maybe then I could ask him what really happened to Fred.
The name alone sent a sharp ache through my chest. Fred, the only person who had ever looked at me without seeing nothing but a hybrid that is looked down upon. Was he even alive?
The sea kept its rhythm, a constant hush of waves that seemed to echo my thoughts.
I looked out toward the horizon, where the sky met the water in a shimmer of gold.
“I’ll find a way,” I whispered, gripping the edge of the railing. “I’ll survive this. And I’ll find out what you did to him, Darius.”
A gust of salty wind swept through the balcony, carrying the scent of the ocean and something else, something faintly familiar.
For a moment, I thought I could almost feel Darius’s presence again, the phantom warmth of his aura brushing against my senses.
I straightened, spine stiffening. “You can keep me here,” I murmured under my breath, “but you’ll never own me.”
The waves roared back like an answer.
And for the first time since being brought to this gilded prison, I smiled, not out of joy, but out of defiance.
If I were going to escape, I’d do it my way.
Not as his captive.
But as his greatest mistake.