Alpha Loren novel Chapter 146

If nothing else, this ball would be a short escape from that cell which by the evening was already beginning to drive me insane. I was allowed back up to my room where a dress and a maid awaited me armed with a hairbrush and soap.

"Hey," I said after the guards had finally let go of me and gone outside of the room to stand guard.

"I'm Matilde," she said with a nervous wave. "I'm here to..."

"Make me look less like I've spent all day in a dungeon?" I asked looking at my matted hair and dirty fingernails.

"Yeah...I ran you a bath," she replied.

"Thank you," I said as I made my way to the bathroom and took the hairbrush and soap that she held out for me on the way past.

When I was clean, she filed my nails and did some fancy thing with my hair. I then had to get into the dress, which was a light blue, grossly outdated ball gown.

"Don't worry, Miss," Matilde said as she tied the back. "Everybody will be wearing stuff like this and you look beautiful."

"Thank you but it's so heavy. How am I even supposed to walk in this?" I asked as she tightened it more. "Or breathe."

"Sorry."

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and sighed.

"It also reminds me of the ball we have at the pack every year," I said thinking about the Pack Founding day. 

"Do you miss the pack?" she asked after a pause.

I nodded.

"I'm not surprised and I don't blame you. It's your home and you have your mate and children there," she said quietly.

"Do you miss it?"

"Me?" she questioned a little taken aback.

"Yeah."

"Sometimes a little, I guess. I had friends there," she said tucking in a loose strand of my hair.

"Why did you have to leave?" 

"My mate was one of the Alpha's men. Four years ago, he went against orders and was kicked out so I went with him. Nothing drastic, nothing violent and he probably deserved it too. I don't hate your mate, and deep down neither does my mate, but we had nowhere else to go but here and now we've made our life," she explained. "My opinion is that he can be a bad man and he may be too harsh on those that disobey him but I also know that he does everything he can to make the law-abiding citizens of his pack as happy as possible and as long as you treat him with respect and don't try to cross him, he is fair and kind and gentle. You just don't want to be on the wrong side of him."

"I can certainly agree with that," I muttered thinking about all the times I'd got on the wrong side of him. "But that doesn't justify what he has done. Even if it was in the name of his pack, some of the stories I've heard in this castle are shocking."

"Maybe it is wrong of me to side with him," she replied. "He has done terrible things and if the King found out what I was saying, I'd be hung as a traitor."

"I won't say a word," I promised. 

She smiled before smoothing down my dress and saying "all ready."

"Thank you, Matilde," I replied.

She smiled again before leaving the room. 

Five minutes later, Connor came in wearing a slightly smarter version of what he usually did. A white over the head shirt with a cord tie at the top and a pair of slim fit trousers and boots.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one that looks like I've just stepped out the renaissance," I commented. "What is it with the King and outdated fashion?"

"Watch your tongue, young Lady," he said to me. "It's got you in enough trouble today already."

I smirked before my Dad came into the room too.

"I sense a lecture," I groaned as they both looked at me.

"All you have to do is what the King tells you," Connor said. "He won't be happy to be disobeyed or questioned in front of so many people so I advise you don't even try. You know that you don't have the safety net of your mate with him. He cares more about getting back at him than his own life so if he wants to kill you, nothing will stop him. So don't give him a reason to."

"And we know you aren't happy to be here but at least try to make it better for yourself. If you please him, he might not put you back down there," My Dad added.

"And I'll be staying with you the whole night," Connor finished.

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, yeah I get it. You think I'm like a dog that will see a crowd of people, get excited and start misbehaving so you want to keep me on a leash. Whatever makes you happy. Now, can we go?"

"Gladly," Connor said holding out his hand. I took it and we walked together to the great hall.

When we reached the door, the guards opened to reveal the enormous room absolutely filled with people. I was used to seeing it with no more than five so the chatter and noise and business was a slight shock. There was an orchestra playing fairly quietly in the corner but not dancing- only talking and drinking of some kind of wine.