Chapter 2

ANNELISE POV

I slowly sat up on my bed, the realization of what I saw last night kicking in, my heartbeat quickened as fragmented memories flooded back with painful clarity. The blood, the lifeless body lying in the middle of the road, those unnatural golden eyes fixated on me. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping it had all been some twisted nightmare brought on by exhaustion, but the faint scent of cedar and smoke lingering in the room reminded me it had all been real.

Slowly, I forced myself to look around.

The bedroom was breathtaking. Sunlight poured through towering windows bathing polished marble floors in a warm glow, cream colored walls were adorned with expensive artworks, and every piece of furnishing looked as though it belonged in a luxury magazine. Fresh flowers sat in crystal vases, their sweet fragrance softening the room’s otherwise cold elegance.

For a moment, I almost forgot where I was. The illusion shattered the moment my eyes landed on the heavy steel lock bolted to the bedroom door from the outside.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

Beautiful or not, a prison was still a prison.

“Sweetness, you have to have your bath, you look a mess, just with a pretty face.” He said and stood from the corner of the bed he was sitting.

“What are you? Are you human or… a vam…”

“Hell no, I’m not a vampire, eww, I do not feed on blood. And, humans are too slow for me to be that.” He muttered, leaving me mute in utter disbelief.

He walked to the door and rested his back on it, his arms crossed together.

“I hate questions, but I get it. You saw something unusual last night, actually same situation that got that dumb man’s heart ripped out. You shouldn’t have seen that, you’re too young for such sight.” He sighed. “Well, I am Alpha Cassius Vale. I’m of the werewolf kind.” He introduced as I subconsciously raised my brows in disbelief.

“A… a werewolf?” I whispered to myself, but somehow he heard me.

“You know enough, now go have your bath, your food will be served before you’re out of the bathroom and new clothes will be sent to you.” His voice went dark, strict and dismissive, letting me know that the conversation was over and left the room.

I still had a lot to ask, like why he still kept me alive and why he even cared enough to send my mother a doctor, but with the dismissal in his tone, I knew better.

How do werewolves exist in the real world? All my life I believed they were just fictional characters in books, and here I was in the home of one!?

No one would ever believe me if I told them, I wouldn’t even believe myself!

No matter how much I wanted to hate him, my mind stubbornly refuses to ignore what my eyes could clearly see. This monster was a perfect looking one, a healthy towering build, he looked like he was in the 6ft5’s. I was literally tiny next to him.

His facial structures were so perfect, I have never seen such perfection before! Jaw line so sharp that I bet it could give me a cut. His eyes were a fiery shade of gold, but somehow so bright and beautiful. Jet black neatly styled undercut hair, and a smooth olive skin tone.

I hate myself for recognizing a monsters beauty, he probably just sees me as his next victim.

I gently stood up, my bare feet meeting the chill black and white marble floor, I hissed and walked through the door I assumed to be the bathroom.

I stood under the shower, letting the water rush down my skin. I had anxiety, I was scared of what next would happen, what he planned to do with me, he definitely isn’t keeping me here for no reason.

He said he wasn’t going to kill me, but do I want to be alive if it meant staying under a monster’s roof?

I shut off the shower and grabbed the clean pink towel I found, I wrapped the towel around my body, my brain still a roller coaster of thoughts and anxiety. I caught my reflection in the large bathroom mirror before leaving.

Dark circles framed my eyes, my lips had lost their color. My usual lively expression had been replaced by someone who looked as though she’d aged years overnight.

I barely recognized myself.

Less than twenty four hours ago, my biggest concern affording medicine and rent. Now I was trying to convince myself that werewolves existed.

My meal was already served, rich looking steaming hot food neatly kept and covered on the table, the aroma so mouthwatering that my stomach churned.

But I had to snap back and remind myself of where I was.

My eyes caught the colorful bags on the floor, they were four branded shopping bags.

“Is he baiting me?” I whispered as I approached them, my hair and skin still dripping wet.

“These look expensive, I can’t even afford to pay back if I had to.” I sighed and sat on the bed, my eyes drifting from the rich looking food to the branded shopping bags filled with clothes.

The clunk of the door caught my attention and on the sight of him, I jumped off the bed, covering my body with both my arms.

“Please, can I have some moments to myself… please?” I politely asked, watching my tone in order not to get on his bad side.

He stood mutely by the door, staring at me like a meal he wanted to devour, he didn’t even try to hide the fact that he was lusting over my body.

He stepped backward toward the hallway.

“I’ll give you ten minutes.” The door clicked shut behind him.

I remained exactly where I was until I heard his footsteps disappear down the hallway. Only then did I allow myself to breathe properly, my shoulders slumped with relief, I looked at my skin to see goosebumps rising, that was how he made me feel.

Would he ever let me go?

I turned to the glass partition leading to the balcony, his home looked heavily protected, it wasn’t going to be possible for me to escape this cage.

I strolled to the balcony to see how outside looked, the height of the house blew my mind, I looked up to find out that he kept me on the last floor.

There were security cameras in every corner of the house I could see, indeed there was no escape for me.

I was stuck here until he decided my fate.

I went back inside the room, dried my skin with the towel and reluctantly took a dress out of one of the bags and slipped into it, it was a white sundress. A pretty one.

I sat on the couch staring at the food kept for me, but I suddenly lost my appetite. I was worried, worried about my fate here, worried about my mom. I hadn’t heard from her, and I knew that she would be worried sick.

I couldn’t find my bag anywhere in the room nor could I find my phone.

I must have dropped them on the street, I have to find a way to speak to my mom.

“Why aren’t you eating, Annelise?” His voice sounded, startling me out of my thoughts.

How in God's green earth does he know my name!?