Chapter 6

• Maliyla's POV
• 'Holy shit,' I thought, repeating his words in my head. Of all the packs I could have landed in, I landed in the pack with the Alpha, that nobody knew anything about. As I stared at him, I wondered what he was thinking, yet I couldn't help but admire his devilishly handsome looks. I found something intriguing about him, from the scars on his arms to his blue eyes. His expression was unreadable, but something about him pulled me in, and I couldn't look away. I felt my heart racing and my palms sweating as he stared back at me.
• A smirk spread across his face as he approached the bed. He sat on the bed just inches from me when Jeanie, the housemaid I'd seen earlier, appeared. I watched as Jeanie handed Hector a tray, and he asked, "Are you hungry?"
• Nodding in response, Hector placed the tray between us and lifted the silver top to reveal a selection of exotic fruits, cheeses, eggs, bacon, and a steaming cup of coffee.
• "Eat," Hector muttered, offering me some fruit.
• With a smile, I graciously accepted, and we both enjoyed a moment of awkward yet peaceful tranquility.
• As I ate, Hector sat sipping his coffee; our awkward silence was finally broken when he spoke, "Tell me, Maliyla, what exactly were you doing out in the woods alone?" he asked with curiosity in his eyes.
• I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, unsure how to answer. Since I wasn't ready to confess, all I could do was shrug and reply, "Exploring."
• Laughing, Hector cocked his brow at me. "Exploring? At night? I find your lie rather interesting," he told me.
• "You don't believe me?" I asked, my voice faltering slightly as I braced myself for his answer.
• Taking a moment to study me, he replied, "No, I don't believe you. You're running away from something, and I'd like to know what it is."
• It took me aback, and I didn't know what to say. I could feel my heart racing as I tried to come up with a response. Finally, I mumbled, "I'm not running away from anything."
• "No? Then why carry a backpack filled with books and a duffle bag with a few clothing changes?" Hector challenged.
• I gasped in surprise at his words. "You looked through my stuff?" I exclaimed, my voice shaking.
• A flush of anger began to spread across my face when Hector nodded. "You can't just go around looking through people's belongings without permission," I yelled, "Have you ever heard of privacy invasions?"
• As Hector rose from his bed, he laughed. I crossed my arms as I watched him gather the breakfast tray and place it on the dresser.
• He stared at me for a moment before he spoke, "Invasion of privacy is something you do to help someone. As for your case, since you had been unconscious for two days, I had to find out whom to call to come get you." I watched Hector go to the closet and grab the bag I knew was mine. "However, nothing here tells me anything other than that you have a very odd choice in reading material," he concluded as he placed my backpack in front of me.
• As Hector met my gaze, I could feel the tension in the air.
• "So, are you going to explain to me why you were out there?" He asked, emphasizing the last word.
• Unable to explain myself, I looked away. There was no excuse that he would understand, and lying seemed better than telling the truth. All I could do was shrug and mutter an apology, but everything in me said he deserved better than that.
• Walking toward the door, he responded, "Very well; until I know who you really are, or until you tell me the truth, I am holding you captive. Consider the Crystal Blood Pack your new home," Hector advised as he left the room, leaving me in shock with my mouth open.
• I could feel my heart racing as I tried to process what had happened. My eyes were wide in disbelief, unable to move or speak. As a result, I was still trying to figure out what to do. If I told Hector the truth, he could throw me out, and I was in no shape to fend for myself.
• Thinking about it, I was in a new pack; I could turn it into a new home, like he said. However, the last thing I wanted was to be held captive by an Alpha who clearly had no respect for others' privacy.
• As a result of my wounds, I was unable to go anywhere, so I read instead, trying to keep my mind off the conversation Hector and I had.
• I was grateful for the fact that none of my books were damaged, as they were my only escape from reality. Many times in a book, I found I fantasized about the ruthless Lycan King I had fallen in love with. A smirk spread across my face as I closed my eyes and thought about him, "Alec."
• He never failed to bring a smile to my face, and I wondered if I would find someone like him someday. Compared to my beloved book husband, Erick was nothing. A wave of sadness and anger washed over me when I thought of Erick. Even today, I still wonder why he rejected me and why my parents blamed me for everything.
• Even after being kicked out of the pack and renouncing it, it felt like my world was crumbling around me, and I was powerless to stop it. I had to learn to regain control of my life and find the strength to move forward, but I had to get out of my current situation. Laying back in bed, I grabbed another book and began reading until I felt my eyes heavy; closing my eyes for a moment, I drifted off into a deep sleep.
• Suddenly, I awoke to the feeling of someone watching me. Looking around the dark room, I saw a pair of blue eyes. The light brightened around him; he was as handsome as ever; everything in me wanted him. With a smirk, he came closer to me. He gently caressed my face as his fingers wrapped around my throat, and I gasped as he pushed me against the wall.
• "You feel so fucken good, kitten," he said. My eyes flew open as I heard my wolf howl in pain. Tears fell from my eyes as I dropped to my feet and screamed out in agony.
• I felt someone shake me and say my name: "Maliyla, wake up!" "Shhh... it's OK," Hector cooed as he knelt beside me, his hands on both sides of my face.
• As he held my face, I felt a tingling sensation run through me. The only thing running through my mind as I stared into his eyes was, could it be what I believed it to be, or was this also a dream?