ALANA

66

ALANA

It is now 7 in the evening. I haven't seen Ares all day, not after our short exchange when I woke up in his arms.

I feel like no matter how hard I try, I can't stay away from him. I have always tried so hard to please people who want nothing to do with me, just so I could have a sliver of their respect and love. But I can't anymore, especially not when it's him.

What my heart is capable of feeling for Ares is scary. It's terrifying that you could feel so deeply for someone and they could be completely detached from you. It scares me that he's so easy to give into, but so hard to stay away from.

I cannot be hurt by him anymore. I refuse to let myself be treated like an option anymore.

I have just changed and come back down after having spent most of the day in the kitchen, cooking for our guests' welcome dinner.

I am wearing a short black dress, that shows a little more of my breasts than I would like but it is okay, along with some black strappy heels.

I walk carefully down the stairs, just as the sound of chatter comes from the foyer.

They're here I think. I walk over to the sitting room to find everyone sitting there and smile, greeting them. Isla comes jumping up to me, giving me a hug.

"How are you Isla?" I ask her.

"Im greatt, when E said he had some work here I begged papa to come so I could see you again," she continues talking excitedly, as we sit on the couches.

Soon after, we all sit down for dinner, everyone enjoying the food.

"Well Alana made everything this time, I had nothing to do with it." Mama comments, smiling at me.

"Oh delicious, tesoro." Mr. Salvatore says and thank him.

"Yes it is very yummy." Isla says from next to me.

"Oui, merci Alana." Ethan says from across the table, I smile at him.
(Yes, thankyou Alana)

"Je t'en prie." I say back, making him shake his head with a grin. He reminds be of a more serious version of Damon.
(You're welcome)

I feel Ares tense beside me, inhaling audibly. I look at him, questioning him with my eyes but he just flares his nose, jaw clenched as he looks away.

~

We all enjoy dinner then dessert, talking amongst ourselves. I spend alot of the time talking to Isla or participating in Ethan and Aaron's conversation.

Ethan and Isla are both very nice. She even said I am like a sister she never had. A statement that offended Ethan greatly.

As nighttime fell, I helped all our guests settle into their rooms, making sure they had everything they needed, then I walked to Ares' room.

He was already in there, angrily stomping around, smacking things onto surfaces. Someone's clearly angry.

I go into the closet, taking out my earrings when he comes in, roughly throwing his shirt onto the floor.

"Is something wrong?" I ask him. I can't help but feel like the anger is directed at me.

"Oh are you suddenly speaking to me again?" he asks sarcastically. My eyebrows furrow at his childish behavior. What?

"What?" he just breathes hard. "Xander what's wrong?" I ask. He looks like he might be hyperventilating.

"Stop calling me that!" He shouts making me jump. "You call me Ares, why change it?" he asks, his anger evident as he steps towards me, not to mention shirtless.

"Stop shouting please." I frown. "You said you don't let people call you that." I tell him.

"But you were calling me it and now you're not. Are you trying to make me loose my mind?" he says, teeth clenched as if he were in pain.

"Xander stop." my voice wavers, as I back away from him, carefully watching his approaching steps.

"You can't do this, I can't take it." He slurs, shaking his head, closing in on me. A soft gasp leaves me.

"Are you drunk?" I whisper. His eyes darken even more, the green almost disappearing from his dilated pupils.

"You are mine." he growls. I whimper as my back collides with the shelves behind me. "You will not talk to other men, you are my wife. Mine." he growls.

"Stop you're scaring me." I say in a shaky voice, my hearts pounding can be heard in my own ears.

He's drunk. Like father. He's drunk and he's going to hurt me.

I scream a probably unnecessary scream when his hand reaches out to me, it startles him enough that I am able to run towards the door of the closet.

"Alana!" He calls out behind me but in my irrational fear of him being angry and drunk, I run towards the bedroom door running outside.

I can't think straight, I feel myself hyperventilating as I run, but I crash into someones body, I grip the arm that wraps around me, looking up to see Ethan's confused face.

"Alana? What's wrong? Are you okay?" I can't do anything but breathe heavily, whimpering as I turn around to see if Ares had followed me here. He appears around the corner making me scream.

"No!" I scramble to hide behind Ethan's body, grabbing his arm as tight as I can.

"Alana. Step the fuck away from him." Ares seethes making me cry out.

"Noo." I cry, resting my my forehead against Ethans back tiredly, shaking my head against him.

"Xander, what the fuck is going on here?" Ethan asks, confusion and anger swirling in his voice.

"Ethan, this is between me and my wife, you should go to bed." My husband says, I hear him step forward. "Alana let's go." I hear him growl angrily.

I gasp trying to gulp in as much air as I can. I cry, hiccups leaving me. I do not know what's come over me, but the thought of him angry at me and drunk scares me so much.

"I don't think I can do that when you're clearly drunk brother. And your wife is clearly scared." Ethan says, now sounding angered.

"Go to bed, Alana, you can sleep with Isla." he says over his shoulder.

"Ethan don't get in between us right now, let me talk to my wife-"

"Xander." Ethan stops him. "Listen," he walks over to him, taking him away from the hallway.

I wipe my eyes, gulping in air, walking down stairs to a guest room.

I lay down in the guest bedroom bed, covering myself up with the blanket, shivering and sniffing.

I am so alone.