Alana's POVI felt like crying and screaming at the same time.I wanted to pull out my hair!Why was I sitting and taking shit because of Ava when Alaric was rightfully mine! Why couldn't I just open my mouth and tell him of the mate bond!All of this hurt I was causing myself wasn't worth –“_Slut._”I looked up to see the individual that was standing in front of me. Her face was contorted in a sneer.But no, it wasn't the person who usually donned that expression.It was a maid.I was sure I hadn't heard her correctly.“Excuse me?” I said to her,“You damn well heard me the first time.” She scoffed.My eyebrows went up amusedly at the statement and I began to feel dangerous laughter building up within me.“I’m actually not really sure. I'd like you to say that again?”“_Slut!_ I said you're a slut.”I felt my blood begin to boil.Who was this girl that thought she could just go about insulting people anyhow?“You do know who you're talking to right?” I asked as calmly as possible, a

Ava's POVMy hand lowered slowly from my ear and came to rest in my lap, my fingers loosening from around my phone.I sat in complete silence and pondered for some seconds on what I'd just heard.I shook my head, a light chuckle emanating from my lips.It wasn't me throwing shades or anything, it was just that it was just plain _impossible_.Alana? That skinny, trembling little thing? Fighting?I laughed out loud. Nah. It couldn't be. It absolutely couldn't be.My laughter died out slowly as reality slowly began to set in…No one would dare try to play such a prank on me.Which could only mean that it was true…A breath escaped my chest slowly as my heart rate slowly increased.If Alana was truly pretending to be timid and helpless it meant she had a plan for something under her sleeves.And it would mean that she was well equipped to blindside everyone of us.What was she up to?What could she _possibly_ be up to?My heart was beating so fast now and I became very restless, I had to

Alaric’s POVI busied myself with a game of chess but the thoughts in my heart changed more than the pawns on the board. My study suddenly felt so familiar, Alana was in charge of cleaning, do the maids still have to clean up after her? The weight of these emotions made me feel like I was in a cage. Was Alana trouble?The scenes earlier were on repeat rent-free in my head, the accusations, the tears in the maid's eyes, Ava`s assurance and confidence, and Alana’s confusion.What sort of dead end is this?I scoffed and brushed the entire chessboard to the ground. I hated it when I couldn’t make a decision easily.But why couldn’t I really? The knock on the door interrupted my thought.“Who? Speak!” My voice came out a little harsh.“Alaric, it’s Ava.”“Come in.”, Ava entered and could feel her gaze on my body from the very moment she stepped in. I couldn't help but raise my head up to stare at her.She had changed from earlier. She looked much more paler and as she held the tray of c

Ava’s POVThe static silence in the room had slowly started to irritate me and if I was being sincere I had been feeling that way since Alana entered Alaric’s room it felt more like I was giving her the invitation to steal my man but it was for a good cause I just had to bear with it as long as Alana gets humiliated I am fine with bringing my high walls down.But something kept on battling me why did Alaric ask for proof? Was he trying to stall because if he thinks stalling would change the situation it most definitely won’t work! I had to swoop in and stir this in the direction I wanted it to head towards. “Alaric this woman abused my maid nearly killing her and she had escaped narrowly with her life. She threatens her can’t you see that she is a thug? So what proof are you talking about?” I yelled because it was starting to look like Alaric was about to side with Alana like he always does!“At least let her speak Ava I would prefer if I could hear from both sides what had happene

Alaric’s POVAlana’s disappointment is all I can see even when I close my eyes. She looked too broken for someone guilty. The room felt stifling as I paced back and forth finally pausing in front of the mirror. My reflection betrayed the internal wars I was losing. Lines crept up on my forehead and they deepened with each second as I kept on asking the beast in the mirror, “What did you just do to Alana?”I deep and loud sigh escaped from my lips as I pounced on a couch massaging my temples.“What did you just do Alaric?” I groaned out loud. My fingers raked my head subconsciously as stared at the ceiling trying to arrange my thoughts into the right shelf. “You just had to do it,” I muttered to myself, an attempt in an attempt to reassure myself that I made a good decision looking at the circumstances on the ground. “She crossed a line, and you had to maintain justice and order. ”I shook my head and picked up a book from the table.“Did she deserve it?” The little voice in my head