AMORA'S POV;
I've been through enough darkness and pain in my life to know one thing—I don't want to make things worse by pushing my luck. He told me how much he hates lateness, and I took that as a silent warning. I wasn't about to cross that line. So, with the urgency of someone who knows what's at stake, I rushed into the shower, the warm water washing away the remnants of my restless night.
The moment I got out, I saw them—the clothes he had laid out for me, just like the other day. Without thinking too much, I slipped into them. I knew I shouldn't, but I couldn't help myself; I was becoming addicted to the sensation of wearing his clothes. They were soft, comfortable, and carried his scent—a scent that was slowly weaving itself into the fabric of my world, even though I wished it wouldn't. I shouldn't be craving it, this closeness to him, but I was. And that terrified me.
There was a strange comfort in his scent, a mixture of sandalwood and something else—something wild and untamed that I couldn't quite place. I breathed it in, feeling both calmed and rattled at the same time. How could I feel so safe in something that belonged to the very person who held the keys to my cage? It was wrong. I knew it was wrong, and yet, I couldn't stop myself from wanting more.
As I dressed, a thousand thoughts raced through my mind. The last time I was here, I was focused on finding a way out, desperate to get away from this place and the unknown dangers it held. Now, though, things were different. He said someone would come for me, but I couldn't shake the question that kept echoing in my head: Is he finally going to let me go?
My heart knew the answer even before my mind caught up to it. No. This place, this life, this reality—there was no easy escape. But still, a small, stubborn part of me dared to hope. Hope was dangerous, I knew that much, but it was also the only thing that kept me going.
"Miss, please, the Alpha wants you to come now," the maid's voice cut through my thoughts like a blade. My pulse quickened, the thumping so loud in my chest that I was sure everyone in the room could hear it. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my nerves. This was it—the moment I would have to face him again, the one person whose presence made my world tilt off its axis.
I stepped outside my room, and to my surprise, the maid and two guards who stood there bowed to me. Their respect felt like a weight on my shoulders, not a privilege. I wasn't used to this kind of attention—it made my skin crawl with discomfort. I wasn't someone they should bow to; I was just Amora, the girl who barely knew her own place in the world.
As we walked through the house, I couldn't help but take in my surroundings. This place was the very definition of royalty—elegant and intimidating. It had an air of calm that felt like a carefully crafted illusion, hiding something far more dangerous beneath its polished surface. The walls seemed to whisper secrets I wasn't privy to, and every corner looked like it could hold shadows of something I wasn't ready to face.
When we entered what appeared to be a grand dining room—more like a conference room for royalty—I couldn't help but mumble to myself, "Is he really that rich?" The room itself was almost overwhelming, with its long table set with fine china and silverware that gleamed under the chandelier's light. Everything about this place screamed power and wealth, and it left me wondering just how deep his influence ran.
As soon as the maid dismissed herself, he turned to face me. I avoided his gaze, my eyes glued to the floor, wishing I could vanish on the spot. The silence between us was thick, heavy with unspoken words and tension that made it hard to breathe. He was a storm waiting to unleash, and I was just standing in its path, helpless.
"Amora, sit down," he commanded, his voice low and calm, yet it carried a force that left no room for argument. Without hesitation, I took a seat, my movements almost mechanical, driven by the sheer weight of his presence. It was like being trapped in a game where every move I made was under his watchful eye.
Then he said something that shattered my thoughts, catching me completely off guard. "From today onwards, you will have breakfast here," he stated plainly, as if it was a given.
My mouth fell open slightly, and I blinked, trying to process his words. "What... what do you mean?" I managed to ask, my voice shaky and barely above a whisper.
He didn't even flinch. "You will be having all your meals here from now on," he repeated, his gaze steady on me as though daring me to question him.
I stared at him, utterly bewildered. Was he serious? Was this some kind of twisted joke? I'd been locked away in that room for so long, only let out under strict conditions, and now he was telling me I could eat here? Out in the open?
"Are you saying I... I don't have to stay locked in my room all day?" I asked, my voice filled with disbelief, almost afraid that I had misheard him.
He let out a breath that sounded almost like a sigh of impatience. "Amora, have I ever joked with you?" he asked, raising one eyebrow in a way that made it clear that he didn't do humor.
"...No," I answered, shaking my head slightly. He never joked, not about anything. Especially not about me.
"So then, you heard me right," he said, his tone softer now but still firm. "But that doesn't mean I'm not keeping a close eye on you. Don't think for a second that you're free to do as you please."
The words hit me like a cold slap to the face. Of course, there had to be conditions. There was always a catch with him. Freedom was just another illusion he dangled in front of me, only to snatch it away whenever he saw fit.
Just then, the servants began to serve our breakfast, interrupting the moment. I noticed how they treated him with such reverence, like he was royalty, like he was something more than just a man. I couldn't understand why. Was it just his money, his power, that commanded such respect? Or was there something else—something darker and more fearsome—that they all feared?
After the meal was served, he dismissed the servants with a casual wave of his hand, like they were nothing more than shadows passing by. "I'll show you around the place this evening," he said, his voice drawing my attention back to him. "There are certain areas you're not allowed to enter—at least, not yet."
His words sent a shiver down my spine. What was he hiding in this mansion of his? What places was I not supposed to see? The more he spoke, the more this house felt like a labyrinth filled with secrets, with hidden dangers lurking around every corner. And me? I was just a pawn trapped in the center of it all.
As I sat there, staring at my half-eaten breakfast, the realization hit me hard. Even though he was loosening the chains that held me, they were still there, binding me tighter than ever. His world was closing in on me, pulling me deeper into a life I never asked for and a destiny I couldn't escape.
In that moment, I knew one thing for sure—I was still trapped in his gilded cage, a prisoner dressed in borrowed finery, caught between his rules and my own shattered hopes. And the worst part was, I wasn't sure if I'd ever truly break free.