43. Shae

Reyna

I stretch, the familiar lumpy bed beneath me making me groan. With the dust motes fluttering in the air and the cold chill seeping from underneath the door, it is clear that today will be a brutal one.

As I sit up in bed, my eyes slowly adjust to the dim lighting of my wine cellar, which serves as my makeshift bedroom. Every day is the goddamn same; when will my life get better than this?

As I swing my legs out of bed, I can't help but notice the softness of the garment I'm wearing; immediately, a foreign sensation prickles my skin, making me feel both curious and uneasy at the same time. I look down, realising I’m wearing the sleek, black dress Malachi bought me, not my usual comfortable sleepwear.

Wait.

If I’m wearing this dress, then—my heart speeds up as I turn to really look at my room. My eyes squint, as if trying to bring the picture into focus. My hands fly up to my temples, massaging them as if that would iron out the wrinkles in my thoughts.

“The Alphas,” I breath