Chapter 5 Be My Maid

• The sound of his voice, deeper and rougher than I remembered, washed over me like a flood. I struggled to find my words, my heart racing in my chest. The memories of what we once had clashed violently with the reality of the man standing before me.
• "W..what..how…what are you doing here?" The question tumbled from my lips, my voice betraying my surprise. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, and I averted my gaze, unable to meet his piercing stare.
• His response was nonchalant, his words like a casual breeze in an intense storm. "Well, I am the alpha of the werewolf pack, and we defeated your coven, so I have come to take control." His tone was devoid of emotion, as if the weight of his statement held no significance.
• My initial blush faded as swiftly as it had come, replaced by a lingering shock. The man in front of me was a mystery, not the gentle, calm guy I had once admired. It was as though his very essence had been altered, his soul drifting on a darker path.
• The realization hit me hard – I had been naive to expect the past to determine him. People change, circumstances mold them into something different, often unrecognizable. But this transformation, this transformation into someone almost ruthless, was beyond what I could have foreseen.
• His presence in my home, the place that I had built as a refuge away from painful memories, was a reminder of the past I had hoped to escape. He was a living example of the nightmare that had haunted me for years, a constant source of torment.
• As he stood there, his figure dominating the space, I felt a whirlwind of emotions surge within me. Anger, betrayal, longing, and a deep-seated desire to distance myself from the pain he represented. His presence threatened to unravel the progress I had made in moving forward, in putting my life back together.
• Yet, despite all the turmoil, there was a stubborn determination that surged forth. The scars he had inflicted, the suffering he had caused – I had overcome them, risen above them. I had fought my way through darkness, and I was not about to let his reappearance undo all that I had achieved.
• As I met his gaze once again, a defiant fire ignited within me. He may have changed, evolved into something unrecognizable, but so had I. The young woman who had once been ensnared by his spell was gone. In her place stood a woman who had fought battles, who had forged her own path.
• With a newfound strength, I looked at him squarely. "Oh, so what are you doing in my house?" My words were laced with a cold edge, a shield against vulnerability that threatened to break through.
• His presence may have rekindled old memories and painful scars, but I was no longer the same Alicia he had left behind. I would not let him dictate my emotions, my actions, or my life any longer.
• His words cut through the air like a chilling breeze, leaving me stunned. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Recruiters for maids in the palace? My mind raced to grasp the meaning behind his statement. Could it be true? Could he possibly want me to work for him, to serve him after all these years?
• My heart pounded in my chest as a mixture of emotions welled up within me. Was this his idea of a sick joke? Did he think he could just walk back into my life and command me to serve him? The audacity of his request sent a wave of anger through my veins.
• His lack of remorse was evident, his motives determined by his own desires. He had not come here to make amends or to apologize for the past.
• No, he had returned for his own selfish reasons, uncaring for the pain he had caused me.
• I stared at him, disbelief and anger boiling within me. This man was not the one I had once loved – he was a stranger, a symbol of betrayal and heartache. He stood before me, in sharp comparison to the image I had held onto for so long. The gentle, kind-hearted Lucian I had known had been replaced by someone I couldn't even recognize.
• The shock in my eyes must have been evident. My thoughts were racing as I tried to process the situation. His words echoed in my mind, repeating like a broken record. Recruiters for maids. He wanted to replace the old maids with something new – with people he could manipulate and control to his liking.
• My chest tightened with a mix of indignation and hurt. Was that all he saw in me? A potential pawn in his palace, a mere tool to satisfy his needs? The nerves he had to even consider such a proposition left me speechless.
• The anger within me surged to the forefront as I stood my ground, my hands involuntarily crossing over my chest. I stared at him, my eyes locked on his. A whirlwind of emotions churned within me – anger, hurt, resentment, and a renewed sense of self-preservation.
• "So?" I finally managed to speak, my voice laced with a cold edge that I hoped would shield me from the vulnerability that threatened to break through. "You come back after all this time, and your first request is for my help? You have some nerves."
• My words were a reflection of my inner turmoil, a rebellion against the power he still seemed to hold over me. He may have been a royal figure in the past, but I had grown stronger too, forged by the trials he had put me through.
• The thought of working in the palace under his command was a nightmare I couldn't fathom enduring. It was a direct path to reliving the agony of the past, to subjecting myself to his authority once more. I had fought so hard to regain my sense of self, my independence. I couldn't let him take that away from me again.
• "I am not interested," I declared, my voice firm and unwavering. "Please leave and do not return, ever." The weight of my words hung in the air, a boundary drawn in the sand, a declaration of my refusal to bend to his will any longer.
• As I held his gaze, a flicker of defiance burned within me. He might have changed, become something different, but I was no longer the same person he had walked away from. I had found strength in my vulnerability, resilience in my pain. And I would not let him break me again.
• I couldn't believe the audacity of his actions. As if his mere presence wasn't enough, he had to barge in and force his way into my space. My attempt to shut the door in his face was met with a force that caught me off guard. The door swung open, and before I could react, I stumbled and collided with the wall. A hiss of pain escaped my lips as the impact sent a jolt through me.
• Before I could even gather my thoughts, he was on me. His hand gripped my jaw with an intensity that sent a surge of pain through my face. I winced, my heart racing. A mix of fear and confusion was welling up within me. His eyes bore into mine with an anger that was as bewildering as it was terrifying.
• "Listen and listen, good baby girl," his voice was laced with a harshness that cut through the air. The words were like a slap in the face, a reminder of the power he held over me. "This will be the last time I'll tell you this. Learn to obey me and control your mouth. I do not repeat, I do not tolerate disobedience."
• The words echoed in my ears, his grip on my jaw relentless. The contrast between the man I had once known and the person standing before me was jarring. He was unrecognizable, a stranger who seemed to revel in exerting control, in asserting dominance over me. The familiarity that had once existed between us was now replaced by an unsettling tension.
• I wanted to respond, to fight back against his demands, but his grip on my jaw made it nearly impossible. His anger radiated from him in waves, leaving me feeling small and powerless. His words painted a bleak picture – one in which I was expected to submit to his authority without question.
• The bitterness of the situation tasted bitter on my tongue. He acted as though he had no knowledge of our past, of the pain he had caused me. It frustrated me beyond measure, the way he looked at me as if I were an object to be controlled, a possession he owned.
• "Please just leave," I managed to push the words through my gritted teeth, my voice carrying a firmness that betrayed none of the turmoil inside me. I refused to let him see how much his presence affected me. I refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing that his actions still had the power to hurt me.