Chapter 21

Hope

“You’re finally awake.” The male voice spoke before I had even really thought about being awake let alone opened my eyes. But they flew open at the sound of his voice.

“Yeah.” My body ached in ways I couldn’t explain and there was a dull throbbing pain in my lower stomach. “Where am I?” Moving my hands by my side I could feel soft sheets. Actual sheets and not itchy full of holes blankets. I was laying in a full size double bed and was covered by a heavy clean quilt.

“You’re safe.” The voice said again , every word was tinged with impatience. “For now anyway. Hurry up and get up. Your filthy clothes are going to stink the whole place out. I doubt I’ll ever get the stench out of the bedclothes.”

Clothes? My fingers scratched against my pants. I was still fully dressed. But how was that possible because I was sure that… thing had been about to-

I didn’t even want to think about that.  But how had I gone from there to here?

“But where?”

He groaned and this time I followed the noise to find a brown haired man sitting on the floor by the high window. Fairly tall but slender with an almost feminine face. He was scowling at me. I shuffled upwards until my back was against the wooden headboard.

“Who are you?” I looked around wildly. I didn’t know where I was but I knew it was somewhere high. The view from the dusty windows told me that much. I was high ,high above the city.

“Deacon.” He pulled himself upwards with a groan and pointed to the end of the bed. I stared at the tray and my mouth fell open. “Eat and drink everything on that tray, Hope. Eat it all.”

I didn’t need telling twice. Grabbing the closest plate I studded the end of fresh bread into my mouth and closed my eyes with a groan as the taste of actual creamy butter hit my taste buds.

Nothing had ever tasted so good.

Deacon shook his head.. “I’ll go and run you a bath and fetch you some clean clothes. Those-“ his nose wrinkled. “Will need to be thrown away.”

My head snapped up. “A bath? Did you say bath?”

“Yes.” Deacon threw over his shoulder as he went to one of the two doors in the room. “A bath. You are vile.”

I wanted to tell him his attitude was vile but I couldn’t because I agreed with him. Surrounded by clean sheets I could smell myself and I was several steps beyond ripe.

“I don’t doubt it.” I said as I swallowed the last of the bread. “I was more surprised you have a bath. Does that mean you have running water?”

“We aren’t Neanderthals Hope. Our water is not only running but it is hot.” He paused. “Well warm anyway. The alpha is working on the temperature. He’s good like that.”

I had so much I wanted to say but I kept quiet because arguing with someone who was feeding and bathing me wasn’t going to get me far even if I thought his words were disgusting.

They might not be Neanderthals but neither were the people who lived in the city. And they didn’t have running water at all.

“Alpha?” Taking the last dried apricot from my plate I popped it into my mouth. Chewing on it before taking a long drink of water and rushing after him.

The bathroom wasn’t lavish but once upon a time it would have been nice. The shower no longer had a glass screen and the porcelain sink was cracked but there was a lavatory and my mouth fell open in another sigh.

There was an actual bath that was already filling up with water.

“That’s an actual bath.” I whispered and my heart was full of joy. It was a bath. An actual bath. Not long ago I had thought I was about to die and now I was going to have a bath.

Such a small mundane thing for old me but it meant too much to this new me.

I threw myself at the slight man,  catching him completely unawares. “Thank you, thank you so much for saving me.” I gushed. Tears fell down my face. Half was happiness and half was complete relief.

“Get off of me.” He untangled himself from me and stepped away several steps. The look on his face was one of absolute disgust.  “You are rank. I don’t know what he sees in you.”

Freezing, I stared at him. “Who?”

“The alpha.” He thrust his hand forward and nestled in his palm was a small bar of soap. “He’s the one who saved you. I would have left you to the streets. You are going to be ruin of us and the plan but his word is law and he wants you here.” His nose wrinkled. “Here, take this and wash yourself.” He made a weird sort of gagging noise in the back of his throat. “Dump your clothes outside the door. I will bring you something suitable to wear.”

He left without another word. Leaving me completely alone.

Alone and with a bath almost full. I stripped quickly. Throwing the rags I called clothes outside the door and shutting it again.

I sank into the water. Colder than I would want but still the best thing I had felt against my skin in two years. A little more heat and some bubbles and it would have been perfect.

No, I dipped down into the water. Submerging my head and washing my hair. That was unfair. In this world, in this time this was as close to perfection as anyone could hope for.

Dunking the soap I began to lather myself up. Not one inch of me went unscrubbed. I even used that ancient bat of soap to wash my hair. It didn’t matter if I now smelt like grandma , I was clean.

Actually , properly clean for the first time in years and it felt glorious.

What wasn’t clean was the water though. It looked like grey black soup swishing around my body. I would have loved to soak for a little while but I couldn’t in that filth.

Shivering, I stepped out looking around for something to cover my naked goosebumps body with and found the smallest of hand towels folded neatly by the window.

“Hello?” I called out. “Do I have -“

“Clothes are laid out on the bed.” The little man said gruffly. “Along with everything else you might need. I will wait in the hallway for you.”

I heard the exterior door shut and hurried out. Clutching the scrap of towel in front of me I peered into the bedroom. It was empty apart from a deep red dress that had been laid out on the bed where the tray had been. Next to it was a hair brush.

No underwear.

No shoes.

But beggars couldn’t be choosers and I was most definitely a beggar.

Drying my hair with the towel would leave it fluffy but I didn’t care about that either.  Better fluffy than my wet hair ruining the shoulders of the dress.

Finally I was ready. And looking better than I had done in two years.

“Hurry up.”

I couldn’t help it. I rolled my eyes. “I’m ready.” Swinging open the door I found him standing at attention right outside. He glanced at me once. His eyes swept over the dress and then he gave one curt nod. “You will have to do. Follow me, the alpha is expecting you for dinner.”