| CHAPTER 28 : BY THE WITCHES OR THE GODDESS |

The handle of the door rattled making me jump out of my skin. I looked up and the door burst open.

There he stood, smiling triumphally. His icy blue eyes sparkling. I was awed again by how breathtaking he looked. Huge muscles, ripped body, tall and broad. It's like my eyes couldn't get enough of him no matter how long I stared.

"You owe me big time, blondie." He smirked. "I fought hundreds of demons just to save your ass."

That's when my eyes noticed the blood on his clothes, his hair messed up more than usual, a dagger casually clutched in his hands.

That dagger.

My mind recalled the little boy with the dagger in my recent vision thingies. How he looked so dull and void and now, here stood King Alpha looking dangerous, breathtaking, an amazing creature yet so harmful.

"What are you waiting for? You want me to drag you out too?" He asked impatiently.

I didn't answer and only looked down, wrapping my hands around my knees tighter, fearing getting my butt off the ground.

"What's wron—oh the chains. Didn't notice that. Gimme a sec." He reached toward me. The warmth radiating from his skin, made me want to lean forward and get wrapped in his arms.

He broke the chains single-handedly, pulling the cuffs from my wrist.

"C'mon."

I didn't move.

He frowned and crouched in front of me, gazing at my face while I tried looking anywhere but him, "What's wrong? They put a glued-to-the-ground spell on you or what? Get up. I haven't got all the time in the world."

"I can't." I mumbled, tightening my hold around my knees.

"Why not?"

"I just...can't."

"You want me to leave you here alone then?"

"No," I said immediately, "God, no. I hate this place."

"Then?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I just-I just...you won't understand!"

He rolled his eyes, "Great observation. You aren't telling me anything to understand, stupid."

I opened my mouth but closed it. I've never been this troubled and embarrassed in my entire life.

He looked at me with furrowed eyebrows trying to figure out why I'm not telling him. What should I even say? 'I can't get up because I think my butt is stained with blood from having periods for almost three hours?'

Tears sprung to my eyes that I tried to keep down for too long. I blinked trying to keep them from falling out.

"Ez," Warm fingers brushed my arm but quickly pulled away when a spark of electricity passed from me to him, "Dang, barrier. What's wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?" King Alpha asked looking a bit stern now.

I shook my head, "No."

"Then what?" a look of annoyance crossed his face.

"I just...-argh!" I put my hands on my face, resisting a sob from my mouth. My shoulders shook a bit, already giving away how I tried to not cry.

"Why are you crying?" he asked sounding conflicted, his fingers brushed my arm again, but he hissed, pulling his hand back, "Damnit! Will you just tell me what happened?"

"Can't you get it?" I snapped, looking up through tear-filled eyes.

"No, I don't."

"I'm embarrassed!"

"Of what?" He exasperated. "If it's your clothes then don't worry. We all have a few rips through our clothes sometimes. In fact, it's a modern fashion trend now."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?" he demanded.

"Nothing."

"Ezlynn...?" His voice took on a warning tone.

"I can't."

"Just say it!"

"I'm on my period!" I burst out.

He blinked.

My cheeks turned red, and I grimaced at how ridiculous and vulnerable I sounded.

"Oh..." He said.

I put my hands back on my face. Can the ground please open up and eat me right now?

For a moment, it was dead silent, and I got more embarrassed second after second.

Then...

He laughed.

My head snapped up with a frown.

He was laughing so hard; that he could barely contain himself. His head was thrown back as his voice was so...velvety.

For a moment, I sat stunned.

This has got to be the first time I heard him laugh, right? Like actually genuinely laughing. My mouth parted open for a second before blood rushed to my face and I reached out to touch his arm.

His laugh changed to a hiss, and then he yelped, moving away from me.

"Damnit, stop that."

"Why did you laugh?" I scowled.

He rolled his eyes, rubbing the spot where I touched and electrocuted him, "I laughed because you were being such a baby only because you got your period."

"I'm not being a baby! I just don't want you to see my blood-stained butt!"

"I'm covered in blood all the time, Ez. You don't see me gluing myself to the ground because oh so sexy me is embarrassed."

"This is different!"

"How so? It's just blood."

"Yeah from my butt!"

"Hmm, point." He stroked his chin. "Eh anyways. For hell's sake, just take this." He sat up a little straighter, hands unbuttoning his white shirt.

My eyes went wide when he was halfway done. My cheeks visibly got redder, and my body froze.

He unbuttoned his shirt, sliding down it down his muscular arms, showing thick and smooth pecs and muscles. My eyes unintentionally glued to his rock-hard abs as they rippled with each arm movement. I think I might be drooling.

Damn hormones.

"Here." He stretched out his hand with his shirt.

I didn't move for a second.

"Oh-uh, yeah...erm...thanks." I awkwardly took his shirt, averting my eyes not before catching his smirk.

He knew.

Damn him.

I finally stood up with shaky legs and winced when I felt it. Wet and- yuck, just gross. I quickly tied the arms of his shirt around my waist, the rest of it long enough to hide my behind till the back of my knees.

"See." King Alpha smirked with a shrug. "You just had to tell me."

I grumbled under my breath, still keeping my eyes away from me.

"Now can you walk or not?" He asked. "You know? Because you girls have those awful cramps."

"Let's just get out of here," I murmured.

"After you," He gestured towards the doors.

"Na-uh. You first. Your shirt is still white. I don't want you to see the blood if it spreads onto it."

He rolled his eyes, "I'm seven hundred years old. I've seen enough of that not to be disgusted or judge you women."

"Still," I said, "After you."

"I don't know if you're stubborn because of your period or because you're a girl." He muttered before walking out the door.

I followed him out.

The uncomfortable feeling down there made me wince or grimace with every step King Alpha led me up the stairs. I could literally feel the blood spreading to my thighs and everywhere.

Gosh, how much cleaning up will be there once we get home?

Home?

I inwardly gave a bitter look.

Guess I'm going back there, huh?

"Thanks for the wonderful hosting of my mate." King Alpha hollered once we were upstairs.

I looked around, bewildered at the huge black crowd, rushing around. There were a few injured ones. Scratch that, a lot of injured ones. Some without arms, some without heads. It looked like there was a war going up here.

I shuddered, moving slightly closer to King Alpha.

A few stopped and stared at him, some glared.

"What happened here?" I asked.

"These people wanted to play a game." King Alpha answered.

"What game?"

"Le qui est fabuleux head ripping."

I frowned in confusion.

"Get her and yourself out of my moat." An angry voice demanded. I looked up to see Arsenio standing, seething in anger on a dais, "Now."

"No need to get your panties in a twist," King Alpha responded, "Arse-nio."

Arsenio glowered while I put my hand on my mouth to muffle a sudden laugh.

"Come on," King Alpha tapped my arm and yelped clutching his fingers, "Damnit! Why do I always forget?"

He shook his head with a frown, gesturing for me to walk ahead first.

I did without a word, wrapping my arms around myself as I walked between the demons who moved away to make a path for us. They all gazed at us from the shadows making the hair on my skin stand up. I was getting more and more conscious of whether the blood was seen or not.

King Alpha followed me close behind. I could feel his heat emanating from his body to mine.

We were finally out the door and I gasped at the environment.

"We're in a cemetery?" I asked, stunned, looking at all the gravestones and vines curling around them. The atmosphere smelled of earth and mist and it was cold here.

"Yup," King Alpha answered, "I'm pretty sure I killed half of them."

"That's not funny," I stated, slowly gazing at the various gravestones.

"Your poor sense of humour," King Alpha reached out with his fingers as if to flick my forehead but quickly pulled back with wide eyes, "Nope. Not gonna be electrocuted again. Come on, the car is outside."

I followed him as he led us out of the cemetery where a black Mercedes parked at the side of the street.

He reached to the backseat and pulled open the door, gesturing for me to go in. He looked...playful today. And it frightened me. Whenever he's playful, he's throwing knives at me, making fun of me, seducing me and then blaming me that I had him under a spell. I got in with a small shudder.

When I sat, I winced at the more uncomfortable feeling.

"Hey."

My head snapped up, startled.

Levi and Drew sat in the front seat. Levi in the driver's and Drew in the passenger's.

"Hey...?" I replied.

The door beside mine opened and King Alpha sat in beside me with his huge body taking more space than usual, making me more aware of my surroundings.

Am I seriously in a car with three hot guys?

"What happened to your shirt?" Drew asked King Alpha.

"I sacrificed it for something good for the first time." King Alpha responded.

"And how many promises did you break?" Drew questioned, tilting his head to the side to look at King Alpha.

He grinned, "All of them."

"Promises?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Drew made me take some lame-ass promises like 'promise me you won't kill anyone tonight' 'promise me you won't make arse jokes with Arsenio' 'promise me you won't bring up that he's gay'," King Alpha shrugged after done speaking.

Drew shook his head, his lips tugging up from the corners, "As always, expected. Drive, Levi."

"Driving, Drew," Levi responded before the car started to move.

I scooted as far away as possible from King Alpha in the car, trying not to feel the warmth of his half-naked body that pulled me towards him. I was literally glued to the door now.

My stomach cramped and an unexpected groan came out of my lips with my hands going over my stomach.

"Something wrong?" Levi glanced at me then back at the road.

"Yeah, she got her monthly holy curse." King Alpha responded.

My eyes snapped towards him, wide, "You don't tell other people when a girl is on her periods!"

He furrowed his eyebrows, "Why not?"

"It's embarrassing!"

"Every girl gets periods, blondie." He stated.

"Yeah but it's embarrassing because I'm not wearing any pads or tampons!"

"You what?" Levi twirled around in his seat, wide-eyed.

"Eyes on the road, kid!" King Alpha snapped.

"This is a new car," Levi mumbled under his breath turning back to the road.

"This is what you get by the way for choosing my rainbow of a sister." King Alpha stated, looking at me.

"Better her than you talking gibberish about starting over," I responded.

King Alpha shot a pointed look towards Drew who rolled his lips in his mouth.

"And it was your fault," I started, "I told you not to kill that demon on the street."

"He broke a rule. The punishment is death."

"What rule?" I scoffed.

"No creature can mess with Royals or the family of Royals. The punishment is death."

"But I'm not a Royal or a family of Royal." I pointed.

"You're my mate, by the witches or by the goddess, it doesn't matter."

"But that doesn't mean I'm your family."

He turned his eyes on me, a frown on his face. For a moment, he stayed like that before turning away and looking out the window.

I stayed with my hands around my waist, stopping myself from groaning out or shifting every single time when my cramps hurt. When we reached the mansion-or Saludom-I got out and the first thing I did was try to look behind me if there was any blood on King Alpha's shirt or not.

Drew got out and smiled, standing in front of me, closing the door.

"I guess the poison plan didn't work." He whispered.

I rolled my eyes, "Don't want to recall it."

He shrugged, "At least he won't be able to kill you now."

"Yeah."

We all got into the mansion and the familiar sight of the big hall, the stairs which lead to a number of confusing hallways, the royal red and white and interior made me comfortable in the slightest way.

"Levi take Ezlynn up to my room and tell Griselda to take care of her," King Alpha commanded.

Levi gave a nod.

I couldn't get a word in as King Alpha turned the other direction and disappeared into another hall.

"I'm gonna head to bed." Drew yawned, "It's 3 in the morning. Bonne Nuit."

Levi and I just nodded in his direction.

"After you Lady Ezlynn," Levi said after Drew went, gesturing towards the stairs.

"Don't call me that." I said starting to climb the stairs and groaning, "Ugh these cramps are a bitch."

"I heard period cramps are equal to someone stabbing you in the gut."

"Yeah...kind of."

He left after taking me to King Alpha's room.

The two glasses on the bedside, a pillow stranded near the wardrobe, and his messy bed, reminded me of what happened here almost eight hours ago.

What was I thinking? I sighed.

If I hadn't tried escaping, I never would have met Ace, I never would have been kidnapped by demons. But I also wouldn't have gotten a barrier that protected me from werewolves or got to know that Katia and King Alpha are siblings, or that Collin was kidnapped by Ace and his warlocks and that King Alpha had two brothers.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

"Uh yeah?" I replied.

The door opened just a bit and I recognized a maid. She came in holding clothes and a few more things in a bag. She looked in her thirties, short and round with brown hair and eyes.

"Royal Beta asked to me aid you in cleaning up and for food." She spoke.

I nodded my head not sure what else to do.

"Do you want to take a bath or a shower?"

"Uh I think I'll take a quick shower," I said moving towards the bathroom.

She followed.

"No," I said immediately then cleared my throat, "I can shower alone."

She looked at me with wide eyes.

I sighed, "Don't worry. You don't really have to listen to every single word King Alpha tells you to."

"But yes I do."

"Not here with me, nope, you don't. I'm gonna shower alone."

She looked anxious but said nothing as I walked inside the bathroom and closed the door.

I didn't bother looking into the mirror because I knew I looked like a total mess. I peeled off my dirty, clothes, gagged at the blood and stepped into the shower turning the knob till boiling hot water.

I spend much longer time than I needed to, wiping, scrubbing and cleaning my body. When I was done, I wrapped a towel around myself and poked my head out the bathroom door. The maid, whom I think her name was Griselda, was waiting anxiously in the room. Her head snapped in my direction, and she rushed toward me.

This time I let her dry and dress me. I didn't want to feel bad for making her look so troubled in literally the middle of the night. She let me wear a fresh new pair of underwear with a pad already ready. I now wore a cream silk camisole and cotton pyjama pants. While she dried my hair, exhaustion washed over me making my eyes droopy.

"What do you want to eat?"

I shook my head, "I just want to go to sleep."

She nodded, "Good night Lady Ezlynn."

"It's just Ezlynn." I corrected.

She didn't respond and picked up my discarded clothes, walking out the bedroom door and softly shutting it behind her.

My feet automatically carried themselves to King Alpha's bed. Right now the only thing which looked most appealing was the thick cozy duvet and the fluffy pillows.

A sigh came out of my lips when I was immediately engulfed in the warmth of the bed and my mind wasted no time in shutting off.

◃───────────▹

Date: 2 August 2021