Chapter 136: Grace
I turned on the bath, but Alana just stood in the doorway, her eyes staring unfocused at the running water. Today had clearly taken its toll on my friend, and I was grateful that for once I got to be there for her because she had been there for me in some of my lowest moments. She was struggling right now because of me, and I hated it.
I gently tugged at Alana’s shirt and pulled it over her head, but I honestly don’t even think she noticed. She just let me undress her like a doll. I left her bra and undies on for both of our comfortability. I then helped her into the bath gently, adding in my favorite bubbles that Rhys had gotten me.
“Oh.” She mumbled as the water submerged her body.
“Too hot?” I asked, gently.
“No.” She breathed.
“Good.” I answered, grabbing the soap.
I helped my friend clean-up. Slowly she started to become a little more with it, especially as I helped her scrub her hair.
“Grace?”
“Yea?”
“Thanks for being a good friend.”
I scoffed. “I’m the reason you’re in this mess.”
“No. I made my own choices. But I just care about you a lot. And I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?” I asked in surprise.
“For everything.” She whispered.
“You have no reason to be sorry,” I told her seriously.
“I’m sorry about your Luna, Grace,” She said so softly that I barely heard her.
“It was a long time ago.” I answered uneasily, my hands frozen in her hair.
“Was she kind?”
I felt a small smile tug at my lips. “Yea.” I answered. “She was. She was the only one who was ever truly kind to me.”
“What about your dad?” She asked gently.
I hesitated before saying, “He never cared for me. I was just a nuisance to him honestly. It only got worse after the Luna died. He blamed me, and I was thrown in the dungeon till his death. After his death, I don’t know if it got worse exactly because the dungeon was pretty miserable. Even once I was ‘released’ from it, I was a – uh,” I struggled to find the right word. Well, actually, I knew the right word... I just I hated the word, but I said it anyway, “Slave, I guess. I worked all the time, but I slept in the dungeon when there was time. They used me however they wanted. I spent most of my time terrified. But it was all I knew.”
“That’s terrible.”
“As I said, it was all I knew. There is nothing I can do to change the past.”
“If you didn’t kill the Luna, Grace, then who did?”
“I’ve wondered that myself for a long time.” I told her honestly. “But I don’t know. I don’t know if any part of their stories were true at all. Sometimes, I wonder if maybe I lost control somehow and did it, but I don’t remember anything of the sort, and I have no idea why I would have attacked the only woman who had ever been kind to me.”
Alana nodded before sinking down into the tub to rinse her hair. I knew that it had been nearly an hour already since I had left Rhys and promised to not be too long, but Alana needed me. And I didn’t really mind that she had questions. I didn’t talk about my past life often, but she was my friend, and it was a part of me. There was no reason I should be proud of the scars I wear now because they only prove that I am a survivor.
Alana’s head popped back up, and I got up to grab her a towel and some clean clothes. My clothes would be a little tight on her, but they would do for now.
I opened the bathroom door and jumped in surprise to see Rhys lying on the bed with a book in his hand.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, but I got worried being so far away.”
I rolled my eyes but smiled. “You we’re just one floor below me.”
“As I said, too far.” He answered with a smirk of his own as I moved to the closet to grab clothes. “How’s Alana doing?”
“Better,” I answered. “We’re just chatting right now. She seems more herself.”
“Good,” Rhys answered, coming up behind me and kissing my neck. “I’m glad to hear that.”
I pulled away from him, unable to hide my smile at all. He made me feel alive in ways I never dreamed possible. I never thought I would ever be able to feel half of what I felt now, and now that life seemed several lifetimes away instead of just months.
“I will meet you in your office, Rhys,” I stated firmly. “I promise I won’t be too much longer.”
Rhys sighed and grabbed his jacket off the bed. “Okay, okay, I get the hint, but don’t make me wait too long or I’ll be back.”
I rolled my eyes but nodded anyway. I would have never dreamed of calling an Alpha dramatic before. I would have rather died than allow that thought to have crossed my mind... But with Rhys it was different. With Rhys everything was different. And to me, he was dramatic.
I walked back into the bathroom with clean clothes for Alana. She smiled at me slightly, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she wrapped the towel around her.
“I’m sorry to cause so much trouble.” She said, taking the clean clothes from me.
I turned around to give her some privacy.
“Don’t apologize. I’m sorry I got you into this mess. I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything. I mean it’s all changing so fast; it’s like my brain can’t keep up sometimes.”
“I get that.” Alana responded gently. “It’s a lot to ask of anyone.”
“I do have something I want to ask you though,” I said hesitantly.
“Go for it,” She answered, tapping me on the shoulder to tell me I could turn around.
I grabbed the brush on my counter and began to gently comb through her long-tangled hair.
I took a deep breath, nervous that this might ruin our friendship, but I needed to know. “What is going on with you and Alpha Prince Caleb?”