Eight

ARIADNE

I'd thought he was joking, but Alpha Magnus never joked. "I'm not sleeping with you."

The words were already out before I could think. But I meant it. I tried to step back but the wall pushed me back, holding me hostage.

He only smiled. It was a slow, dangerous smile. "Yeah? You don't have a choice, and what are you going to do about it? Are you going to stop me? You're mine to do whatever I like. A toy. I can place you anywhere."

I could see the outline of his face partially illuminated by the moon beam, and the smile remained. It was as cruel as it was taunting. Then he reached and took my arm. Instinctively, I yanked it back but his grip held, like a vice clamp.

The desperation kicked in.

"I'm not a toy, I am not your toy. I am a boy. And maybe you should stop for a moment and think about what your people will say if they see you dragging a boy to your bed. They will know their Alpha is a fucking fag."

I put more emphasis on the last word, hoping it would seep through the crevices of his heart, but I doubted he had a heart. For a second, just a brief second, it seemed to have worked. But then came the amused look. It flickered in his eyes, and I realised that he had been enjoying my resistance the whole time. But then, the amusement suddenly vanished and his face darkened with his full lips curling in irritation. Whatever he was thinking at that moment, I couldn't tell. He was an enigma with his expressions and intentions, considering that I always failed whenever I tried to predict his next move. Then the voice replied, chillingly close now.

"My people? I am the Alpha, and do you think I care what they say?" His voice had a dangerous edge to it now, making me swallow.

He must have sensed my unease because a slight scoff left his lips. Then he continued, stepping closer until his breath was warm against my cheeks. "Whatever I want,  I do. Whatever I want, I take. And that includes you."

Just when I thought it was over, his grip tightened slightly in my arm, and our faces were so close I thought he would kiss me to prove the things he'd just said. His presence was overwhelming and I had no idea how to escape him.

"I don't care. But I am not sleeping with you. I'd rather be anywhere than with you." I growled back in annoyance, tearing my eyes away from him.

But it only made him come closer.

"Well, you have two choices." His voice cut through the silence like a blade. "You will walk with me now and take the honour of sleeping in my bed..."

Right. Honour. Honour of being called a fag.

He wasn't done.

"Or I will see to it that you tell me where exactly you came from. And if it turns out that you have gotten into trouble once again like I have always warned you against, I will have the guards drag you around while you're tied to a horse, and after that you will be stripped, and sleep in a custom-made cage. You will be everyone's pet, including mine."

I stiffened when he mentioned being stripped. A cage. Like an animal. And he always kept to his word. There was only one option then now, and it infuriated me so much because there was nothing I could do about it. The conflict must have been so visible that when I finally snapped out of my reverie and looked at him, there was a pleased look on his face.

"You're a monster." I whispered under my breath, shaking with anger and not caring if he'd heard me. He didn't seem to care because he only chuckled and replied.

"Then it's fitting, isn't it?"

I was breathing heavily now, and couldn't stop thinking about what to do to save myself from the situation. But nothing was going to save me. I knew it. Hell, I couldn't even escape from him here. He had pinned up against a wall, and every attempt I'd made to escape was thwarted. Almost as if he could read my mind and predict my next move. I couldn't let myself be stripped. I couldn't risk being exposed. I took another deep breath in an attempt to calm my churning insides, and then kept a blank face.

"Okay, fine." I muttered. Then the grin on his face widened. "But first I'll need a change of clothes." I said.

He shook his head. "No, you don't have to."

Then he grabbed my arm and pushed me forward. This option also had its own risks, because what if he found out I was a woman. Every carefully constructed plan I'd been making would all fall apart. I couldn't let him find out about me. Walking with him towards the room, I was so stiff and cold, and my mind couldn't stop going over the dangers I was facing. His fingers retained their hardness against my skin no matter how far we went, like he thought I would bolt at any second. Given the options he'd presented, I didn't even think about running.

Things would only get worse for me if that happened. And I had a sister to protect. As we walked towards his chambers now, he kept humming with a light and mocking tone. At some point, he asked.

"Why are you so quiet? Are you not in the mood to argue anymore?"

The words hurt. He was insulting my strength, telling me I couldn't do anything, couldn't protect myself or fight back when he was there. But it wasn't true. He was just too strong. I didn't answer. He laughed to himself and we continued to trudge along the path, momentarily past some guards who stood so still and tall you thought they were sculptures. Then he asked.

"You were quite fiery a moment ago. You know I like that. Makes it more fun when you eventually break. The feisty ones, I like them."

The way he said the words made me shiver with disgust, but I clenched my jaw and kept staring ahead. His breath was fanning my neck now, amplifying that helpless feeling. He sighed dramatically all of a sudden and asked yet again, probing and poking.

"Nothing to say? Aren't you going to insult me? Or have you gone mute?"

I kept my lips pressed tight but eventually I knew I was going to fail, and I did fail not long after. The walls around me broke, I couldn't help his taunts any longer. But before I could reply, he said.

"Tch. You're no fun."

I ignored him, hoping that would be the last time he would say something to annoy me and challenge me. But when we turned around the corner and we got to his door, my steps faltered. There was a woman wearing only a long coat by the door. But beneath the long coat was nothing. She was naked, which told me instantly that that was one of his entourages. I stiffened, wondering why this beast of man would want me sleeping beside him, just to miss a night with one of his concubines.

Perhaps he'd gotten tired of them, I thought, and there was a chance he would dismiss her. I stiffened but he only pushed me forward towards her. The moment she saw him, the woman straightened and then her eyes flickered towards me. She was confused. The expression on Magnus’s face immediately went dark.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

The woman let out an uneasy smile before she stepped forward, falling on her knees like she was praying to whatever god she worshipped, revealing a good part of her full breasts.

"My name is Myria, Alpha. And I'm supposed to spend the night with you today."

A tense silence followed, before he replied with an "Oh."

Imagine having so many concubines you didn't know who was who. I muttered a silent prayer to the moon goddess, hoping one day he would fall into a trap and meet a woman that would kill him. Even though the prospect of that was very bleak considering how powerful he was, I prayed for it. A World without Magnus would be paradise.

"You're not needed tonight." Magnus cut her off.

The look of surprise followed before her eyes trailed towards me. For a moment, I saw a brief flicker of anger cross her eyes.

"But-" She tried to speak but he interrupted almost immediately.

"Ariadme will keep me company."

I tore my eyes away from her, feeling so embarrassed. I could picture him laughing behind me. Now they would think I was a whore, a male whore.

The woman gasped, but turned and walked away right after, knowing better than to argue with her Aloha. The heat crawled up my neck, burning my skin. I wanted to just vanish.