Eleven Nights to Ruin Me

″The Luna is here, Alpha.″ Lady Gina announced as they stood in front of the Alpha’s chambers hours later.

The sun had gone into the clouds, and it was dark outside.

There was not a single sound coming from inside his room as she stood outside.

Was he in?

Nina held her breath, waiting for his reply. But there was still nothing.

Lady Gina turned to her,

"You can go in now."

Nina turned to Lady Gina, her eyes wide, "Alone?"

The old lady stared at her. "Did you think we’d all go in with you?" she whispered.

Nina gulped and then reached for the door handle shakily, she opened the doors quietly, then she stepped in and then closed it shut behind her.

And then there was darkness.

No single light was in the room, neither was the rays of the moon seeping through the curtains. It was pure darkness.

Nina moved slowly through the darkness.

The room was quiet. No lights.

Was he even here?

Her hands felt the walls until she touched a switch and she turned it on and the room illuminated.

Nina gulped, walking forward through a narrow hallway that opened into a massive bedroom. A king-sized bed sat in the center, the covers smooth and untouched.

What had possessed her to sleepwalk here before?

Movement caught her eye.

She looked left and went rigid.

He was there.

The Alpha sat on a couch in the sitting area, half in shadow. Black silk with rolled sleeves, black trousers. He looked relaxed. In a dangerous way.

A bottle of wine and half-empty glass sat on the table.

When he saw her, his head tilted slightly.

Nina couldn’t move.

She just stood still, careful not to make a single sound.

He wasn’t saying anything. God, why was he eerily still, and watching her like a hawk.

Silence stretched between them as she watched him pick up the glass and sip slowly from it.

Say something, please...

Nina screamed internally. The more time passed, the more scared she became. Then, finally, she cleared her throat;

"I’m so sorry for being here," she whispered in an almost inaudible voice,

"I had no choice. I’m so sorry—"

She stopped, waiting for him to speak.

Nothing.

He just watched her.

"I know you don’t want me here," she continued, her voice shaking. "So, I’ll just leave now."

Her heart was racing.

He still said nothing.

Nina waited, then carefully turned toward the door. Maybe if she moved quietly, she could just slip out—

"Who said you could leave?"

His voice cut through the room, low and cold.

Nina froze. Slowly, she turned back around.

He was watching her, his head tilted to the other side now. His eyes moved over her slowly.

Her mouth went dry. "I... I..."

He leaned forward slightly, the dim light catching his face.

His expression was calm. Almost bored.

But his eyes weren’t.

"Get back in here," he said quietly. "And take off your clothes."

The Alpha’s command rang through the air, and Nina’s face drained of all color. Her mouth fell open.

"What?" The word came out strangled. Her ears rang so loudly she could barely hear her own voice. Was he going to—

No. No.

Her heart slammed against her ribs. She didn’t think he actually would...

Nina glanced at him, rage burning in her chest.

Why was he doing this to her?

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Rodrigo’s voice was a low rumble that vibrated through her bones and she trembled as she shut her eyes tightly.

Her hands flew to the fabric of the night dress Lady Gina had dressed her up in, fingers trembling so violently she could barely grip it. But she didn’t pull it up. She couldn’t. Her body refused to obey.

She’d thought he’d ask her to leave, not in her wildest dreams did she think he would go through with it.

Every instinct screamed at her to run, but her feet were rooted to the floor. Tears welled up in her eyes and they began to drop in torrents to the ground.

She shook her head, the movement jerky and desperate.

"Alpha, I’m sorry." Her voice cracked. "I cannot do it. You’ll have to kill me instead."

There was an utter silence as her voice rang out in the room.

Nina squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the explosion—for his rage, for the killing blow. Her breath locked in her chest.

Nothing.

She opened her eyes slowly and glanced at him, and her eyes locked in his.

He was staring at her.

Those golden eyes, usually burning with barely restrained fury, had gone eerily still. His entire body had frozen, like a predator that had just caught an unexpected scent.

Nina’s pulse thundered in her throat. What was he thinking? Why wasn’t he moving?

Then, slowly—too slowly—he rose from his chair.

Nina’s breath hitched. Every muscle in her body locked.

He moved toward her with the unhurried grace of someone who knew his prey had nowhere to run.. The distance between them shrinking with agonizing slowness.

Nina stumbled backward until her spine hit the wall with a dull thud that knocked the air from her lungs.

There was nowhere left to go.

His shadow fell over her, swallowing her whole. He braced one hand against the wall beside her head, caging her in. The heat of his body radiated against her skin, and the sheer presence of him—the raw, overwhelming power—made her knees buckle.

Slowly he lifted his index finger to her jaw and tilted her head up so she was looking at him.

"Do you think," he said, his voice soft and lethal, "that refusal is a privilege you possess?"

Nina’s hands curled into fists at her sides. Her knees shook so badly she thought they might give out, but she forced her chin up anyway. Tears spilled down her cheeks, hot and unstoppable.

"I know you don’t want this," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I don’t want it either. Please... let me go and I’ll never appear in front of you again. I’ll be dead soon anyway. I’m already giving my life to you, what more do you want from me?"

At her words, it was as though all the pain she had experienced suddenly broke through and Nina burst out in tears.

She was trembling seriously, her face red and tears streaming down in torrents.

Rodrigo was stunned. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect her to suddenly start crying.

What the hell was going on.

He just stood still staring at her trembling form.

Her face was all red now, tears and snot mixed together.

Rodrigo felt all the built up rage in him melt instantly. He couldn’t even bring himself to raise his voice at her anymore.

The moment stretched impossibly long then finally he said;

″Leave. ″ Nina lifted her eyes to look at him, her lips moved as though she wanted to confirm if she’d heard right, but, she decided against it and bolted for the door.