The Alpha’s Slave

S POV

“Come on Catherine,” I said, fed up. “You can’t keep doing this. Time is passing and the psychiatrist has been reaching out, asking if you’ll still make it. You’ve missed two sessions already. Two sessions that were fully paid for,” I stressed. “If you continue like this, then there is nothing more I can do to help.”

“You think I’m crazy, don’t you?” Sitting with her back reclined against the headboard of the bed, she crossed her arms against her chest, her furious blue eyes digging into mine.

This was the third day and yet she has refused to go see the psychiatrist. She had said she wasn’t feeling strong enough to go for the past two days and I let her be because I knew that was true. But time was passing, this was the third day and the psychiatrist had been expecting her, calling non-stop. I was worried Catherine was suffering from a mental issue. And if it is left untreated, might spiral out of control. Who knew what she might do next? Shoot herself on the head or douse herself with petrol and set herself on fire? I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t even imagine it.

“I didn’t call you crazy,” I breathed out in frustration, trying to be patient as I settled close to her on the bed. “I’m just being a caring husband. Please, for your own sake, go to the session. Even if it’s just this once. I don’t want to see you hurt yourself again.”

She pressed my fingers firmly and leaned forward, her gaze lingering and boring deeper.

“I’m not going,” she said in an almost whisper tone. “Can’t you see? You’re all I need. You’re my psychiatrist. You’re my support, my whole world, my everything. Your love is enough to help me get through this.”

I slid my hands away from her grip and turned, clutching the bridge of my nose in extreme frustration. She was impossible. So hard to convince. So hard to deal with. And I couldn’t take it anymore.

“You see,” her tone reeked of tears. “It’s obvious you don’t love me anymore. You find it hard to even look me in the eye and say it like you mean it. Am I that bad? And you haven’t slept in this bed with me for the past two days now…”

“And why should I?” I replied sharply. “Why should I sleep in the same bed that you and your lover messed up?”

“Are we still on this topic?” Her face twisted with shock and surprise. “I told you I was sorry, and I thought you had forgiven me.’

“Sorry won’t heal the pain that it caused me!”

“Oh please,” she sneered. “It’s all your fault. If you hadn’t denied me sex for a century,” she exaggerated. “Then it wouldn’t have happened. And it’s not like you aren’t sleeping with that slave girl too.”

“What?!” I was shocked. I couldn’t believe she was bringing this up again. I’ve told her multiple times I wasn’t cheating with Brianna, but she won’t listen. She never does. “You know what? I can’t do this anymore. I can’t deal with you like this. I’m just trying to help, to be a caring husband! But you’re so difficult,” I gritted my teeth and stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind me.

*****

Walking along the castle gardens, my mind was in chaos. I couldn’t believe Catherine was behaving like this. All I was doing was trying to save her from her crazy self. It was very clear she wasn’t mentally sound. But she’ll never accept that.

She can’t expect me to be sleeping in the same bed with her after what I saw her doing. She could whine like a baby and do all she wanted. But the fact remained that I had lost my love for her. Like sand, it has slipped from my grasp.

But deep down I feared something might happen now that we’ve argued. Amelia had gone to check on Brianna and administer her medication and the other maids were busy with their chores. No one was watching after her.

“Oh Goodness,” I huffed, rubbing my forehead.

I couldn’t go back to that room and face her again. I refused to. I asked a maid tending to the garden to find Amelia and make sure she kept a close eye on Catherine. If Amelia was busy, she should then watch Catherine herself just in case she tried to harm herself again. The maid will call another maid to finish up the gardening work.

After that, I went to my library. I just decided to go check it out since I haven’t been there for quite a long time. The last time I was there was after I brought Brianna to see it. The maids arranged it once in a while, so it was in order and still had that signature scent of aged paper and ink I knew it for, making me breathe in satisfaction, and distracting me from my troubled thoughts.

I strolled down the shelf pathway, my fingertips brushing against the spine of the books arranged in them. I wasn’t searching for any book in particular. I was just walking by and admiring them. But then my gaze caught on that my favourite adventure book Brianna took out that day, I suddenly remembered when she told me she couldn’t read properly and I promised to teach her. She really wanted to learn. But I was surprised when she said she was no longer interested, without a solid reason why.

I took out the book and made up my mind to go read it to her in the cell. I didn’t know if she would mind me doing that. But it’s not like she’ll stop me anyway. I had no other place or meeting to go. So this was the best time.

BRIANNA’S POV

As the day neared its end and with an early dinner already done, I thought of something to do. I decided to braid my long hair to make it more manageable. It had grown so much that it reached my waist and constantly touched the floor whenever I sat down. I hadn’t had the chance to cut or style it while being locked up in here and with limited time to visit my room and bathroom. I couldn’t even remember the last time I visited a saloon. Luckily, I could braid it myself since I’ve been doing it since I was a preteen.

As I was braiding it and watching the sun slowly dip into the horizon, the entrance door opened. On turning, I saw Sebastian carrying a small bag and his guard closely behind him carrying a cushioned armchair.

I stopped braiding, my brows drawing together in confusion. He kept the small bag in front of the cell and the guard placed the armchair beside it. After which the guard bowed and Sebastian gave him a dismissive nod as he went out.

“So Brianna,” he said as he unzipped the small bag and brought out a blanket and a weathered leather-bound book with golden embossing I recognized to be the one I had brought out from the shelf when he took me to his library in the castle. I didn’t seem to understand what he was doing. Why he had an armchair, a blanket and that book. Was he planning to sleep here tonight? “Have you made up your mind not to escape so I could let you out? I don’t like seeing you like this. It pains me.”

I didn’t respond, still staring in bafflement.

After some seconds of no response, he looked up at me, his deep-set eyes searching mine. But I looked away.

“Don’t worry. I won’t pressure you to make your decision. You have all the time you need.”

He sat down comfortably and draped the blanket over his body. Taking the book, he flipped it open and breathed out in somewhat satisfaction.RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

“What are you trying to do?” I asked in confusion, stopping him from reading.

“Well,” he said casually. Harmlessly. “I thought this was the best time to start our reading lessons.”

“What?” My brows furrowed deeply. “I thought I told you I was no longer interested.”

I made it very clear to him that I was no longer interested in learning to read. It was of no use now again. And with everything Amelia had told me was happening between him and Catherine, this wasn’t a good time. I didn’t expect it from him. Catherine will boil to a hundred degrees if she sees this. He should be with her, comforting her and not here.

“Hey, Brianna,” he said with a soft laugh. “Learning to read is really important in life. It opens up a whole world of joy hidden in words, sentences…In books, stories. I made a promise to teach you and I’m keeping to that. So whether you’re interested or not, I’m going to read. If you don’t want to listen, you can go ahead and cover your ears. I’m going to start now.” He settled back in his chair, getting ready to read.

I didn’t know what to say or how to react. I was too startled to do so. My gaze stuck on him. What was wrong with this man? Why was he doing this? Why was he like this?

He started reading, and for a moment, I squeezed my eyes shut, not knowing what to do. Eventually, I gave in and sat down, defeated, going back to braiding my hair while his smooth, deep voice filled the room.

“Long ago, in a dense forest, there existed a small village inhabited by extraordinary creatures known as the Armadonians…”