Rivals

Chapter 8

Happy new year! :)

Recap: Whilst Mia was settling in, rogues attacked but were caught. Mia convinced Alex to bring her down to the dungeons too when he goes to interrogate them. However, she finally saw the dark and scary part of him and couldn't take it. She snuck away back to his room and went to sleep in his clothes.

Despite the heaviness I felt as I fell asleep yesterday, this morning I feel great as I wake up. Until my eyes fall on my mate sitting in a chair on the other side of the room with an empty bottle of Whiskey by his feet. I'm too scared to look at his eyes. 

"Have you been awake since last night?" I gently ask. My eyes stop flickering around the room and settle on his forehead. 

"Yes, I was too angry to sleep." Alex replies quietly in a husky voice, like he'd been shouting too much.

"Oh." I don't know what to say. Should I ask like nothing happened? No, it's too late for that. Should I be a little angry? Definitely not, he'd be heart-broken. Maybe I should lighten the mood with a joke. 

Before thinking my stupid idea through, I blurted out, "Knock knock."

After a minute of agonising silence, Alex replies, "Who's there?"

"Al."

"Al who?"

"Al give you a kiss if you open the door!" I let out an awkward laugh and finally peer into his eyes. Although emotionless to others who'd look, I can spot the confused but amused expression he's trying to hide. 

After him not saying anything to my stupidity and a few more minutes of the thick tension trying to tear me to shreds, I sigh. Actions speak louder than words, and so I move over to my side of the bed and pat the space where I've previously been lying. I look up at him with my most innocent look and pout. 

Not being able to resist me, Alex finally emerges from that stupid chair (remind me to throw that out) and settles down next to me. He tries to stay on the other side of the bed, thinking I'd be scared of him but I grab his arm and pull him to me, before resting my head on his chest and hugging his body. I smile up at him when I feel his muscles immediately relaxing and he returns the smile reluctantly.

After making sure my sleep-deprived mate had fallen asleep, I feel myself drifting off and I happily let myself go.

 My eyes peel open and glance around the room before tensing. I was in that dungeon. What was going on? I tried to call out Alex's name but I couldn't speak. My whole body was shivering and chained to the wall but when I looked down, I noticed I wasn't myself. Literally, I was in somebody else's body. The rogue from earlier. 

Suddenly, the door slammed open and Alex appeared. I wanted to smile and be relieved that he'd save me now but his facial expression immediately halted my movements. He looked at me as if I was a traitor, a rogue. 

I tried to scream but nothing happened. I was frozen.

"Why did you attack my pack last night?"

I wanted to tell him that I didn't, that I could never do that.

"Speak or I'll break every single finger of yours."

My mouth moves involuntarily.

"M-my friend wanted to. He thought we could get in unnoticed and kill everyone."

Alex then laughs that horrible laugh that I'll never forget.

"And how many were there of you?"

"Ten."

How could I stop this? I can't watch this.

"You really thought ten little rogues could get past my well-trained men?"

I look at the ground. No.

"Answer me!" Alex roars.

No!

"Y-yes."

"Mia! Mia! Wake up!" He glowers at me with a ferocious glint in his eye, whilst his voice sounded scared, worried and.. regretful?

My body jolts upwards and meet Alex's hard head, sending a painful sensation to my head. I barely even notice it, too absorbed with the memory of my nightmare. I glance over at Alex but regret it straight away. He looks so guilty and my heart breaks.

Not wanting to talk about it, I turn on my side with my back facing him and pretend to go back to sleep. Not that I can even hope for a wink of sleep for the next few nights. 

Alex rests his arm over my waist and pulls me into him, nuzzling his face into my neck and speeding my heart rate up. I ignore it and just stare ahead, keeping my thoughts blank. It's gonna be a long day and night.