Chapter 9

• Bella 's POV
• I later return home after touring around the facilities and getting to meet the players, including Melech 's best friends, Aaron and Adam. They were overly friendly and the other players said in whispers how pretty I was, they exchanged winks with Melech .
• All these played in my mind as I drove home, when thoughts about Janet wanted to come in, I brushed it off with the assurance that Melech hated him. I don't need to show insecurities when the mate she has doesn't want her, either one of them is cursed or something else. I don't believe Melech is cursed, it has to be Janet. It's a very painful thing to have your fated mate hate you, the pain is not something to relate.
• I'm delighted it's this way because I'm not ready to incur another cause for depression, my family are already doing their worst, not everyone though, max and Barlas, not part. Why am I even saying family, family wouldn't hate me and want my downfall, they are enemies. I still stand as not seeing them as a family. Max and Barlas are my family because they have distinguished themselves from this hate.
• As I finish showering, taking my dinner which was prepared by max, I climb stairs to go meet Barlas. I suspect that he is in his room waiting for me to arrive but merely stepping up, I see him approaching. He smiles at me. I smile back. I still have people who love me.
• Why am I disturbed?
• He extends his hand and pulls me into a passionate embrace. It's been a long time since I got an embrace like this from him. He has been busy with work, so he doesn't get to visit home frequently.
• "How was your date with your Alpha boyfriend?" He places more stress on the Alpha, I remember the way he spoke it while I was with Melech . "I believe he is a new boyfriend?"
• "Yeah, he is. Today was the first day I got to meet with him. We have been chatting and socializing online."
• "Woww, why did you meet him at his club base? I thought you two should have gone to an expensive restaurant to celebrate your first meeting?" This is the custom but I decided that mine would be different the first time. I didn't want him to see me as a gold digger.
• "We will go the second time, just that he is a very busy person. If I had wanted that on our first date, it would have taken a bit longer to meet with him. It might have been during the weekend. I couldn't wait till then, that's why I suggested meeting with him at Guam, the club's base."
• "Well, there's no issue with that." He dismisses the topic. "I'm just happy for you." He blushes so wide. I smirk, then chuckle.
• "Why are you so excited?"
• "I like the Alpha."
• I recall that he said this before. I put up a slight frown.
• "What's so special about him being the Alpha?" I repeat as if I don't know what he is thinking.
• "You guys really love each other?" He puts forth a question. I nod.
• "Why did you ask?"
• "Come on, don't be too serious. You know what I'm saying. He can marry you, you know." His face comes closer and he whispers into my ears as if people are around and he doesn't want them to hear. Barlas could behave funny sometimes. I laugh.
• "How will I meet someone just today and you are already talking about marriage. We just met, I'm sure you know marriage doesn't happen like that even between fated mates."
• He laughs, refusing to accept what I'm saying. He still insists on us marrying. I laugh at him.
• "You are so funny."
• "You don't want to live in this house somewhere where you will be more comfortable, where you will realize your full potential?"
• "No, I do want to leave here!" With frightened eyes, I turn around to assess if anyone is around this stairs apart from Barlas. There is no one. He turns my face back to himself.
• "You are too scared, don't be. I'm here with you!"
• "Yes, you are but you don't live here. When you are back to your resident pack, I have to live as if I'm living among scorpions, that's why I'm very cautious of when I say and do. I don't want anything from me to be used against me."
• "It's just Hazel and Layla . You can defeat them. You are stronger than them."
• "Are you saying this to please me?" I ask because deep down, I know I'm not strong as he says, I might defeat one of them, either of them but not two of them. He shakes his head, declining it but I still don't believe it.
• "Let's go up!" I gesture to him, we can't just continue standing on the stairs, someone might come along and see us, he or she might think we are plotting something evil.
• "Okay." He holds my hands and leads me up. Then he opens the door and we walk in, with him closing the door behind us. I drop on his large sized soft bed, groaning loud in pleasure.
• "You were talking of Layla and her mother being the only people that hate me, what if dad?"
• "No, you know he wouldn't try that again. I scolded him after you left, he was full of remorse and was downcast."
• I open my eyes wide, I want to laugh, but I control it. I can't believe they Barlas would scold my father, the dictator Alpha who rules the pack with an aura of respect and submission from the members of our packs. He is unconquerable.
• "How did you do that?" My eyes are filled with unbelievable amusement. "This is incredible, where was Hazel ?"
• He rolls his eyes on me, sighing with sarcasm. "Is it a new thing to you that she fears me?"
• "No, it's not." I quickly replied.
• "Then why did you ask?" I become dumbfounded, my lips making the only response.
• _An amused grin!_