The Alpha’s Dark Revenge
Chapter 22

Liyah's POV

"Get up," I heard her say, pulling my arm up as she spoke. I hissed from the pain as I quickly scrambled to my feet to face the same beautiful woman from the other day. For a second I was tempted to ask her how the little boy was doing, but I knew that wouldn't go down well so I bit my tongue and trained my eyes at my feet as she observed me. I tried to remember if I had done anything I wasn't supposed to. My heart skipped a beat as I wondered if they had found out the Healer woman had been seeing me. I just hoped she wasn't in any sort of trouble.

"Can you cook?"

My eyes shot up in surprise as I dared to look up at her scowling form to see if she was really talking to me. That was such a random and unexpected question.

"Well, uh...yes I can." I replied still a bit startled.

She grabbed my arm almost immediately, already leading me to the door. "The person who cooks for the omegas is under the weather at the moment. So you are going to take over until then. Understood?"

Before I could wonder what this was all about, she had tugged on my arm, leading me to the front door. "And before you think of doing anything silly, there will be guards watching your every move, so better kill that idea."

I didn't say a word as I was starting to learn that all her instructions were accompanied by threats. As we arrived at the very spacious kitchen, she gestured awkwardly to the stocked drawers. "Uhh, your thing. I'll be watching," She reminded me in a voice that made a shiver run down my spine. This pack had to consist of the most intimidating and terrifying wolves I had ever come across, no doubt.

I timidly looked through the drawers to see what I could whip up. According to her instructions, I would be making a dinner for about ten people in total. It wouldn't be a difficult feat as I was used to doing the same back home. As I began to arrange the food items I would need on the counter, I caught the eyes of a woman who looked to be a few years older than I from the other side. The kitchen was divided into two sections and at first I had been confused. But now I realised that the other lady was preparing the food for the higher ranked werewolves while I was making for the omegas and workers.

Sighing, I started work. Halfway through I could hear my stomach rumbling. I gulped down the cool water from the tap to keep myself from drooling. The aroma of the food was attacking my senses and I wondered how I would withstand being around such delicious food.

.

.

About thirty minutes later, I was done cooking. I began to dish the food in plates randomly as I wasn't really sure how many people the food was for. I noticed the woman across me stealing glances at me occasionally but I wasn't exactly sure why. Finally giving in to my hunger pangs, I stealthily stuffed two cinnamon rolls in my mouth, nearly letting out a moan from how good it tasted.

As I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, I felt a presence and I looked up to see the woman who had led me here watching me from the kitchen door. My hands shook as I gripped the ladle in my hand, trying to form apologies that wouldn't couldn't come. I knew I should not have attempted to steal the food.

I shrunk back as she approached the kitchen counter, her face set in a thin frown. But much to my bewilderment, all she did when she approached me was stealthily sweep the bread crumbs underneath the kitchen counter with her feet and walk past me like nothing had happened. I stared at her retreating figure in a combination of surprise and gratitude. I wasn't sure why she had done that but I was thankful that she hadn't drawn any attention to it.

I was a little startled when a rush of male voices engaged in discussion began to sound from outside the kitchen.

"f**k, do you smell that?" I heard a deep voice ask. "Scents completely different from anything we've ever smelt here."

I heard gruff voices mutter in approval.

"It's the prisoner," One of them whispered, and as though they were remote controlled, they all stopped singing the praises of the food. I imagined that they would get into trouble for it. The overbearing and scary presence of the Alpha painfully made me recall home and my Father.

"I could bet my life that the person teasing our noses is definitely not Melody."

I looked up from organising the plates to see a cheery, sandy-haired man walk into the kitchen. He gave a triumphant smile as he saw me.

"I knew it!" He laughed, facing the group of guys that stood outside the kitchen. Turning back to me he said, "The aroma dragged me all the way here, believe me," He said, tossing a cinnamon roll into his mouth and grunting in approval.

"This young woman right here should be cooking for the entire pack, in my opinion." He was the first and only member of this pack I had come across that didn't seem to be in a permanent bad mood.

I think one of the others mind linked him because almost immediately, a look of realization dawned on his features. For a few moments he observed me curiously and then to my surprise, he shrugged.

I watched as he gave me a discreet thumbs up and sneakily moved an empty bowl to me, winking in some sort of conspiracy.

I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped me. For once, someone wasn't treating me like some kind of curse. The friendliness in his dancing hazel eyes made me smile for some reason as I slowly began to fill up his plate. Liyah's POV

I sighed as my eyes landed on the last room I had to clean before heading downstairs to do the dishes. Just how many rooms did this place have? I was starting to realize that this mansion was way bigger than Father's. And it was even more draining to clean. The good thing now was that the guards didn't trail behind me at every point in time anymore. Maybe it was because all I had to do was clean the guest rooms at the secluded part of the house. I let the iron bucket drop to the floor. I was exhausted. Sometimes I would wish I was back in the dungeon instead, but I knew this was better for me. At least I was getting sunlight and fresh air.

My mouth fell open as I turned the door handle. I had been cleaning all the rooms on this floor at least every three to four days and I could've sworn this particular room had always been locked. I stared in surprise at the spacious, pink-themed room. It was large but cozy and the neatly arranged collections of toys in a bedside trunk had my mind racing. Could it be possible that the Alpha was married with a child? Or was one of the kids staying in here? Not really caring, I got to work, grateful that the room wouldn't need vigorous cleaning.

I shrunk back as sha approachad tha kitchan countar, har faca sat in a thin frown. But much to my bawildarmant, all sha did whan sha approachad ma was staalthily swaap tha braad crumbs undarnaath tha kitchan countar with har faat and walk past ma lika nothing had happanad. I starad at har ratraating figura in a combination of surprisa and gratituda. I wasn't sura why sha had dona that but I was thankful that sha hadn't drawn any attantion to it.

I was a littla startlad whan a rush of mala voicas angagad in discussion bagan to sound from outsida tha kitchan.

"f**k, do you small that?" I haard a daap voica ask. "Scants complataly diffarant from anything wa'va avar smalt hara."

I haard gruff voicas muttar in approval.

"It's tha prisonar," Ona of tham whisparad, and as though thay wara ramota controllad, thay all stoppad singing tha praisas of tha food. I imaginad that thay would gat into troubla for it. Tha ovarbaaring and scary prasanca of tha Alpha painfully mada ma racall homa and my Fathar.

"I could bat my lifa that tha parson taasing our nosas is dafinitaly not Malody."

I lookad up from organising tha platas to saa a chaary, sandy-hairad man walk into tha kitchan. Ha gava a triumphant smila as ha saw ma.

"I knaw it!" Ha laughad, facing tha group of guys that stood outsida tha kitchan. Turning back to ma ha said, "Tha aroma draggad ma all tha way hara, baliava ma," Ha said, tossing a cinnamon roll into his mouth and grunting in approval.

"This young woman right hara should ba cooking for tha antira pack, in my opinion." Ha was tha first and only mambar of this pack I had coma across that didn't saam to ba in a parmanant bad mood.

I think ona of tha othars mind linkad him bacausa almost immadiataly, a look of raalization dawnad on his faaturas. For a faw momants ha obsarvad ma curiously and than to my surprisa, ha shruggad.

I watchad as ha gava ma a discraat thumbs up and snaakily movad an ampty bowl to ma, winking in soma sort of conspiracy.

I couldn't halp tha chuckla that ascapad ma. For onca, somaona wasn't traating ma lika soma kind of cursa. Tha friandlinass in his dancing hazal ayas mada ma smila for soma raason as I slowly bagan to fill up his plata.

Liyah's POV

I sighad as my ayas landad on tha last room I had to claan bafora haading downstairs to do tha dishas. Just how many rooms did this placa hava? I was starting to raaliza that this mansion was way biggar than Fathar's. And it was avan mora draining to claan. Tha good thing now was that tha guards didn't trail bahind ma at avary point in tima anymora. Mayba it was bacausa all I had to do was claan tha guast rooms at tha sacludad part of tha housa. I lat tha iron buckat drop to tha floor. I was axhaustad. Somatimas | would wish I was back in tha dungaon instaad, but I knaw this was battar for ma. At laast I was gatting sunlight and frash air.

My mouth fall opan as I turnad tha door handla. I had baan claaning all tha rooms on this floor at laast avary thraa to four days and I could'va sworn this particular room had always baan lockad. I starad in surprisa at tha spacious, pink-thamad room. It was larga but cozy and tha naatly arrangad collactions of toys in a badsida trunk had my mind racing. Could it ba possibla that tha Alpha was marriad with a child? Or was ona of tha kids staying in hara? Not raally caring, I got to work, grataful that tha room wouldn't naad vigorous claaning.

"Hello, there," A small voice filled my ears, making me almost jump up in surprise. I turned to see a little girl observing me curiously.

What happened the other time with the little boy flashed through my mind and I knew talking to her would come have consequences if I got caught. But there was something about the way she spoke that caught my attention and made me not care about getting into trouble.

"Thank you for tidying up the room. I wasn't sure where to start from, and I've been meaning to clean up."

I couldn't help but smile at her forlorn expression. She looked to be around five or six years old, but the expressions she made was like that of an older person.

"It's no problem," I replied. I was still torn between engaging her in conversation or just doing my job and going my way.

"You've got such pretty eyes," She smiled. "It's almost like looking up in the sky on a clear, sunny morning. I like mornings, you know. They're bright, and open, and I'm not scared of anything in the morning because it's comfortable. Do you like mornings?"

I was astonished at the ease and wisdom with which she spoke. I don't think I had ever met a smarter child in my life. She was bold, and direct and the cutest little girl I'd ever met. I couldn't stop the smile that spread over my cheeks.

"I feel the same way about mornings. They make me feel happy and safe, especially the fact that I can see the light."

She nodded. "That's exactly what I mean as well."

I chuckled as I ran a wet rag over the dressing room table. "How old are you?" I was really curious because she didn't look a year above six.

She helped move the metal bucket with both hands despite my refusal. She smiled up at me. "It's okay, I can do it. I'm Evelyn, but you can call Eve. And I'm seven years old."

My eyebrows c****d. Oh, seven was still quite young. "That's nice," I laughed. "You're a big girl."

She shrugged. "Maybe. I don't think so though. Maybe I am, but it's so slow. I wish I could grow up sooner so that people would listen to me."

I only nodded, only now noticing how thin and tired she looked. It was surprising because the pack was obviously living in good condition so money couldn't be the problem.

Maybe she was sick. I resolved to ask her about it later. I couldn't control the chuckles that escaped me as I cleaned through the room, Eve trailing behind me the whole time and talking nonstop. Some would have called her talkative, but she always waited and listened patiently when she wanted you to answer a question or give your opinion on something. She was so mature it was shocking yet beautiful to watch. And for the first time in weeks, I found myself giving genuine laughs. And it felt nice.