AlishaI struggled to finish up the dinner I had eaten. It had been over a few days or maybe even up to a week now and still the memory of Derek’s callous, cruel words to me were stinging. Simon was silent as he ate and I pushed my food around with a glum expression.“You know, you need to feed yourself. For the baby, dear, if not for too itself,” Simon was gentle as he said that, as usual. But his words packed a punch. “So I guess what I’m asking is, do you want to talk about what’s been bothering you recently?”He had asked me this before but I didn’t respond. Or maybe, I didn’t know how to. I didn’t want to tell Simon that the Alpha, the son of the woman he was close to… had fully made it clear to me that he could never have me as his mate.And I couldn’t tell him of how much my hopes had crashed and how I had somehow fallen in love with him in such a short time. I was going to end up putting my burden on him and that wasn’t what I wanted. He deserved to not always be my emotional

AlishaDerek was angry; that much I could definitely tell. And I just knew there was a whole world of trouble waiting for me.I saw Simon off as he gave the maid and i instructions on taking care of Melissa.“I’ll see you tomorrow, dear,” Simon made me goodbye and I wanted to beg him to take me with him. But I had no choice. Melissa was suffering from fatigue and needed someone to monitor her to ensure she wouldn’t fall unconscious anytime soon due to overwork and stress.I felt like I was being forced into a role I did not want. It felt like the fates were working against my control and it was not my choice to move or not. I just had to obey.And Derek.The way he had looked at me, bored holes into me with his eyes in his mother’s room was one I couldn’t forget.It felt like I was back with Sebastian, in the Silver Moon Pack, and enduring years of abuse.A shiver ran down my spine as I walked back in.Maybe I should just stay out of his way, I thought, entering the hallway to return

Derek I led the object of my ire and frustration to the guest bedroom not far from my mother’s room. She was here to take care of her after all - therefore she shouldn’t be staying too far. “Clean up the room for her,”I ordered the maid which was nearby, and the maid bowed. Then I turned around and walked off, not wanting to say any more words to Alisha. Just having her near me caused me a strange sort of feeli mg that I didn’t like. I hated it; hated being near her. With a sigh I entered my study and shut the door firmly behind me.I had work to do - work I had been avoiding since I barely stayed at home yesterday. Not as well get it done now. I worked through the paperwork all through the rest of the morning.And in each second I tried to focus through the work, there would be the image of her face, of her eyes and beautiful figure.It was only when a knock came on the door that I raised my head, my thoughts full of conflicting and turbulent emotions. “Enter,” I ordered, and

AlishaI shifted, keeping my eyes closed and trying to fall asleep.Yet…I grunted, shifting again. It was uncomfortable sleeping in so many positions these days. The book that Simon had given me from his library had mentioned something like that, but I didn’t expect it to come so soon.I sat up finally, frustrated and tired.I was thirsty.Just when I was close to sleeping.The ground was cold as my feet padded down from the bedside to the door of the room.I’d just go to the kitchen and take a sip of water, I reasoned.The nightgown I wore was a pastel blue cotton one which I assumed belonged previously to Simon’s mate. He had been kind enough to drop off some things for me this afternoon, but I’d have to return to the clinic tomorrow. Work awaited, and I still didn’t feel as comfortable here as much as I did at the clinic.Derek being the main reason why I wasn’t comfortable in the first place. I sighed to myself; I had to try and forget about him. Giving him space would make thing

DerekThe doctor arrived about an hour later, to find that his ward was nowhere to be seen. I didn’t care, though, and stayed silent as Melissa and Simon talked about her.She looked much better, I thought, seeing how she looked happier and full of life in the past two days than the previous week. Perhaps this rest had done her some good.“Alisha must be very tired,” my mother remarked to the doctor who nodded. “The maid only saw her later this morning and she looked exhausted. So I think we should let her rest.”“I’ll check on her later,” Doctor Simon commented but I cut in.“Actually she is on an errand,” I stated. “And it will be long before she returns.”The doctor and my mother looked aghast at my statement, much like I expected. They treated her like she was made of glass, I thought angrily.“But she needs some rest! Derek, why did you do that? The poor girl must be so tired,” my mother declared.“There was work that needed to be done and she was available,” I shrugged, not in t