Chapter 16

Desiree. I slowly sat up to a full ache in my neck and the feeling of someone pushing me slightly. My blurry eyes widened at the sight in front of me. There was a mansion standing tall before my eyes, it was grand and surrounded with well-maintained gardens and a big fountain at its center. It looked like something out of the pages of a fantasy novel with its bright lights reflecting in various directions and golden framed windows and doors. “Welcome to my estate,” Maddox said from beside me. “We’re in the heart of the territory so don’t think you can run away.” He finished and I turned to him with flashing eyes. “What did you do to me?” I asked, looking at the seatbelt locked in front of me to keep me safe in a car that I didn’t recognize. Maddox gave me a small smile before pushing his hair back to stare at me. “Nothing, I was pulling you along with me out of the woods and you passed out. I took you in my car and brought you here. To my home.” He said and I narrowed my eyes on him. I reached for the left side of my neck which felt like I had hit it probably during the fall. I said nothing for a while looking at the house in front of me before I turned to Maddox who had been watching me. “Why did you bring me here?” I asked as he looked at me like I had grown two heads. “Do you want to go back to the cells?” he asked. “If it would be away from you then yes.” I saw something flash in his eyes before he sighed and reached closer to me. On instinct, I drew back in my seat, my heart racing in my chest as my blood ran cold and fear gripped me. Maddox’s eyes widened at my sudden reaction and stared at me for a second, his green eyes staring deep into me as if to find answers to the questions that I knew were burning at the back of his mind. And I kept my gaze on him too, mindful of his hand and his mouth as I glanced briefly at his lips that were just a few inches away from me. Maddox leaned closer and I felt the mark tingle just a bit at the tension. But my heart sank to my chest and I clenched my fists in fear and prepared my mind for the worst before closing my eyes tightly. It was only a matter of seconds before I felt the seatbelt loosen around me in a soft click and I felt Maddox move away from me as I slowly opened my eyes to see him getting out of the car. I sighed in relief, placing my hand over my chest to calm my beating heart as I watched him come over to my side. Something about his whole demeanor had changed and his eyes were a bit cold when he came to my side of the door and grabbed it open a bit too roughly. “Get out,” he said coldly as I nodded quickly and placed my bare feet on the floor; the cold air ruffled my hair, immediately pinching my almost naked body safe for the torn dress that covered vital parts of my body. I reached for my torso wrapping my hand around it as Maddox slammed the door after me in a loud thud before heading towards the door of the house. I looked away from him at the gates behind me to find two guards at the entrance. CCTV cameras were at every corner of the house I noticed as I looked at the high fences at bat ran around the house. I bit down my lip. It was going to be hard to escape from here to meet the stranger. “Don’t even think about it. Those wires in the fences are electrical, not that you’ll get past the CCTV cameras or the guards. This is going to be your new prison,” he said without looking back at me as I fisted my hand and punched the air as if hitting him. He turned to me suddenly with my hand in the air and I blushed in embarrassment before dropping my hands sharply as he said nothing for a while. “Tomorrow you’ll meet with the elders and some of the pack members and we’ll decide what to do with you.” “What? You’re not Alpha enough that your words aren’t final? You need Mommy and Daddy's approval?” I mocked, folding my arms around my chest as Maddox glared at me but said nothing but ignored me as he turned away. I glared at the back of his head, feeling the cold sting my cheeks before I hurried after him as he pushed the heavy doors open. My jaws dropped at the interior of the place. The architecture was some blend of modern and traditional elements giving it some sort of timeless feel. It reminded me of a museum. A sweeping staircase sat at the entrance of the hall we had entered. The floors were made of polished hardwood that looked like oak or mahogany and it shone under the golden lights. The entrance room has bright ornate rugs. A huge chandelier glowed from above us and there was a small fireplace that crackled in the silence. The place was beautiful and I couldn’t stop but stare at every detail that I hadn’t noticed a woman walk into the room. “Miss,” she called out and I turned to her, my cheeks flushed as I looked to see Maddox had left and was no more in sight. “Where’s Maddox?” I didn’t miss the way the woman’s eyes widened before she stammered out. “The Alpha?” she asked and I gave her a blank stare. She was an older woman with black hair that had gray roots as she had pulled it into a bun. She wore a long maid skirt and a white blouse and her gray eyes were kind but I didn’t trust her. “Yeah, whatever you call it around here,” I said cautiously as she looked at me warily. “The Alpha just stepped out for a serious matter.” “Yeah, like biting into the necks of young girls?” I asked as her eyes widened in displeasure before she looked away from me, bowing her head slightly at me and I frowned at the gesture. “The Alpha had told me in advance to prepare a room for you,” she started and I actually burst out laughing. “What sort of bipolar disorder does this dude have? One minute he’s locking me up in a cell and the next he’s preparing a mansion for me?” I asked as the woman said nothing at first before she spoke again this time through gritted teeth. “If you would come with me. I’ll show you to your room.” She said as she started to lead me up the stairs. I sighed and rolled my eyes as I followed her up the stairs. “Who are you?” I asked casually as I hated only the sound of footsteps on the hard floor. “You may call me Gertrude. I’m the head housekeeper in the Alpha’s household and his personal chef.” She said and I nodded even though she couldn’t see me. “And you must be..” she started to say as she turned to me to look me up and down. “Desiree? The Alpha’s marked mate?” “Mate? You mean him claiming me as an object. That’s what it means right? I swear you people make it sound like a good thing,” I said angrily as I shook my head and Gertrude looked at me quizzically before she turned away. “Here’s your room.” She said as she stopped at a door and bowed slightly. “You may freshen up as there are new clothes set out for you. Then you may come down for dinner.” She bowed again and started to leave when I stopped her. “Am I really safe here?” I didn’t know what compelled me to ask but I suddenly felt tired and she was the first older lady I was talking to and I hoped she was kind like her eyes said. She offered me a small smile. “You’re in the safest place you can ever be. The fact that the Alpha brought you here himself means he cares a lot about you. You’re the first female he’s bringing home. Ever.” She bowed and left, leaving me in front of the door. Care about me? Maddox? That was a joke. I pushed the door open, prepared to bathe and finally eat to distract my mind from just wanting to jump out of the big windows.