Page 29 of Cruel Alpha: Season Two
“Why can’t you see that this is the problem? You just said it yourself. Youtoldme this is how it would be, but I neverchosethis, Cas. I… I never choseyou.”
Complete silence.
If not for the rapid rise and fall of his chest, I might think he’s stopped breathing altogether. Then, I’m so focused on his eyes, the darkness that fills them, I’ve nearly missed how he’s become so rattled by my outburst that his hand has begun to twitch. He had a tremor like this the night of the accident. Then, he’d blamed it on Jezebel’s spell, which has me wondering if there’s been some sort of lasting effect. But I’m too mad to ask, too mad to care.
“We’re fucking done here,” he growls, already walking away as he clutches his hand to his chest.
When the door slams, and it’s just me again, the dread and emptiness that fill me reaffirm what I already know.
That I’m stuck here, playing his fucking game, trapped in this luxurious prison atop a hill.
16
Rise and Shine
Annalise
“Is she awake?”
“How shouldIknow? She hasn’t moved an inch.”
“Should we call for someone?”
“Perhaps.”
“Do not!” I shout in protest, still having yet to open my eyes for the day. Despite Tabitha and Guinevere disturbing my peace, I’m not annoyed.
Not withthem,anyway.
“Oh! Well… good morning,” Guinevere says, and I’m guessing she means to mask the worry in her voice, but she’s doing a piss-poor job of it. “Actually, it’s a little after noon, so…”
I don’t budge, letting my body settle deeper into the mattress.
“Are you well?” she forces out, and my only response is a deep groan.
I can’t help but to consider all that happened last night—running out of the ball, the argument between Cas and I that followed.
“With how you rushed off during the celebration, we wondered if…”
“Um, we weren’t wondering a single thing,” Tabitha interjects. When I open one eye to spy on them, I catch her nudging Guinevere with her elbow, likely stifling her before she can wedge her entire foot in her mouth.
“It’s fine,” I grumble. “Let her speak her mind. We all know everyoneelseis certainly talking about me this morning.”
“Since you mentioned it, you should probably know, thereisa rather lengthy article in the paper.” Guinevere stops abruptly, and my guess is that Tabitha’s shut her up again.
“Perfect.” I roll over onto my back, bringing the pillow with me, covering my face to keep the light out of my eyes.
“It’s not so bad,” Tabitha says, dropping down onto the side of my bed. Her hand warms my shoulder when she lightly pets me there, like one might do to calm a high-strung housecat.
My head’s throbbing and the day has just begun. I can only imagine the gossip that’s circulating about me, the scandalous rumors being touted as truth.
“Just… put me out of my misery,” I sigh, tossing my pillow to the floor. “Tell me how the rest of the evening went. Every single detail.”
I don’t miss how Tabitha and Guinevere share a loaded glance, but it’s Tabitha who shifts on the edge of my bed, preparing to speak.
“Well, after you fled the ballroom, the alpha wasn’t far behind you. We assumeyoursudden exit was the reason forhisexit, but that’s purely speculation, of course,” Tabitha explains, but I neither deny nor confirm. “After some time, he returned, but he seemed troubled.”
“Pensive might be a better word,” Guinevere chimes in.
