ARIA.
My eyes fluttered open and I immediately sat up, looking around and realizing I was in a room I did not recognise at all.
Red drapes covered the windows, shutting whatever light the world had off and the room was illuminated by the golden light from the candles lit around the room.

The bed was large. Far larger than any had been in and the sheets were a pristine ivory silk, shimmering under the light. A mantle piece stood before me, wood, crackling at the burn of fire.
Where the hell was I?
I slowly slipped out of my bed, noticing that this was more than just a room. It was a fucking house.
Large double doors stood at the eastern end of the room and a smaller one led to a bathroom on the opposite.
My fingers instinctively reached for my neck and I continued to look around. I wasn't sure about leaving through the large double doors but I had to. I fucking had to.
I swung my gown around my feet and rushed towards the door to pull it open but just as my fingers wrapped around the brass knob, the door swung open, nearly hitting me straight in the face.

I reeled backwards, a wave of panic overcoming me as I tried to stabilize my body against the ground. I looked up to see a man standing before me and I immediately recognised him.
Clearing my throat, I turned away from him, remembering he had been the one to ask me to clean the whole of the rooftop, which had been an unknown trajectory to meeting Alpha Lyall.
But one thing that bothered me was what he was doing here.
I hadn't been brought here to be punished, right? Hell, this place looked like one of the rooms from the books I had read as a little girl The Arabian Nights.

I cleared my throat softly and wrapped my arms around my body in a form to protect myself. "Good day to you...sir."
He scoffed and gave me a once-over before looking at me from head to toe. Then he spoke, his voice dripping with disdain. "Where is he?"
I shot my head up to look at him in confusion. "Who?"
He cocked his head to the side and looked at me like I was fucking out of my mind. I tried not to be affected by the way he looked at me but it was so hard to do so.
"Your new beau of course."
I knew he was talking about Alpha Lyall. He had to be. But something told me to act like I had no idea what he was talking about. Hell, I had no idea what he was talking about. I had woken up in an utterly strange room and now, I stood before this man, staring at him as he peltered me with a question I had no idea of.
"I don't know what you are talking about, I am sorry," I replied, avoiding eye contact with him.
"Of course, you do. The answer. I can see it in your eyes," He draws close to me. "Deep down, you know who I am talking about but you're pretending not to know."
"I don't know what you're talking about," I raised my head to look at him. "I woke up in a strange room and I honestly don't know what is going on. So I don't have an answer to your question."
"I see that cleaning the rooftop hasn't for once dampened your audacity. It's why he likes you, I see."
"I did nothing." I gritted out, my anger from that day returning. I had been unjustly unpunished and didn't deserve whatever had come to me. The other girls had done terrible things to me and now, I had to be the one bearing the brunt of it all. "I was unjustly punished that day. I never for once disrespected you."
"Of course, you didn't. I could see it in your eyes. The way you looked at me like you could kill me if you had the chance to. But now, I see how well-spoken you can be because Lyall—"
"Step the fuck away from her." A voice, deep and soft at the same time came from behind me.
I recognised it immediately and twirled on my feet, eyes wide in surprise and before I staggered again, he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into him before glaring at the man behind me.
While I stood wondering how he had gotten here. No. He had been in here the whole time and I had no idea. He was shirtless too and from the way his skin was wet, I could tell that he had been in the bathroom.
Blinking, I tore my eyes away from him and tried to step out of his hold but he grabbed onto me tight enough for me not to be able to walk away.
"What are you doing here, Trenton?" He asked. He was glaring at the man who slowly backed away, his hand raised in surrender.
"I came in search of you."
"And?" He questioned further. The man said nothing. He continued. "So you think you can come here and intimidate her? What the hell did I tell you to do?"
"She's not for you, Lyall. You're making a mistake m—"
In one movement, Lyall moved away from me, finally releasing me from his vice grip. I immediately backed away, watching as he advanced at the man and grabbed him by the throat.
"I fucking told you!" He growled, his eyes blazing in anger. "Do you always want me to go physical on you before you understand anything, Trenton?"
Trenton, in fact, seemed unfazed. He remained in one spot, staring at Lyall with a smile. They seemed to share a close relationship, I sensed.
"I'm just looking out for you."
"And that is what you should be doing instead of making her feel uncomfortable! You don't understand how it feels right now so you will do as I have asked you or I will have your head on a fucking platter and served to the birds of the air!"
Trenton dropped to the floor and grabbed his throat, rubbing softly before he nodded. "Of course, I will. I am sorry, Lyall."
"Get out."
As soon as Trenton left, Lyall turned to me, his eyes softening. "How are you feeling? I am sorry he did that."
"What am I doing here?!"