Arranged To The Beast Alpha
Bitter Dinner

LEAH'S POV.

A soft knock on my door startled me. I had been sitting on the bed, staring at the wall, lost in my own thoughts. My head hurt from all the things swirling around inside it-Damien, Jason, the strange fight earlier in the garden. "Miss Leah, dinner is ready," a servant's voice called gently from the other side of the door.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "I'm not hungry," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

"But Alpha Damien requested your presence," the servant said, her tone hesitant.

Of course, he did. Damien always wanted control, didn't he? But I wasn't in the mood to play along, not tonight.

"Tell him I'm tired," I said, my voice sharper than I intended.

The servant didn't argue. I heard her footsteps retreating down the hallway. For a moment, I felt guilty for being rude to her, but it didn't last. My emotions were too raw, my mind too crowded with unanswered questions. Why was Damien acting so strange? One moment he was distant and cold, like he didn't care about me at all. The next, he was fighting tooth and nail to protect me. His actions didn't make sense, and it was driving me crazy.

I stood up and walked to the window, pushing the curtains aside. The moonlight spilled into the room, soft and silver, making everything look calm and peaceful. But I didn't feel calm. I felt trapped, confused, and so angry.

I clenched my fists, staring out at the garden below. Jason's face flashed in my mind his easy smile, the way he had spoken to me so casually. Then there was Damien's face, twisted with rage as he fought Jason as if his life depended on it. Why? Why did everything feel so wrong?

I leaned my head against the cool glass, closing my eyes. My chest felt tight like I couldn't breathe properly.

"He's so cold to me," I whispered to myself, my voice breaking. "What did I do wrong?"

My thoughts spiraled further. Was it my fault? Had I said something, done something to make Damien hate me? But if he hated me, why was he so protective? Why fight Jason like that?

Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them away. I didn't want to cry anymore. Crying wouldn't solve anything.

I turned away from the window and paced the room, my bare feet brushing against the soft rug. The room felt too big, too empty. My heart felt the same.

I was so deep in thought that I didn't hear the door open.

"Leah."  

His voice made me freeze.

I turned slowly to see Damien standing in the doorway. His expression was unreadable, his eyes shadowed with something I couldn't name.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice flat.

"I wanted to check on you," he said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Why? So you can ignore me again tomorrow?"

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, he didn't say anything. Then he took a step closer. "You didn't come to dinner."

"I wasn't hungry," I replied, avoiding his gaze.

"Leah," he said softly, and that tone made my heart ache. It was gentle, almost apologetic, but I didn't want to hear it.

"No," I said sharply, taking a step back. "Don't do this, Damien. Don't act like you care when you clearly don't."

His eyes flashed, and for a second, I thought he was going to argue. But instead, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's not that simple," he said quietly.

"Then explain it to me," I demanded, my voice rising. "Explain why you're so cold one minute and protective the next. Explain why you fight for me and then push me away."

"I can't," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Can't or won't?" I asked, my throat tightening.

He looked at me, his expression pained. "Leah, please "

"No," I cut him off, my voice trembling. "I don't want to hear it. Just leave me alone."

For a moment, he didn't move. He just stood there, staring at me like he wanted to say something but didn't know how. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out, closing the door softly behind him. The silence that followed was deafening.

I sat back down on the bed, my hands shaking. Tears welled up in my eyes again, but this time I didn't fight them. They fell freely, and I let them.

Damien was a puzzle I couldn't solve, a storm I couldn't weather. And no matter how much I tried to understand him, he always pushed me away.

I didn't know how much longer I could take it. But he could be pissed for all I cared. Reality remained the same, our marriage was convenient. I was no fool. I knew each portrait he asked me to sketch revolved around some powers he was certain I had.

That was the only reason he held me close, to begin with, he didn't care, the kiss.... Then why had he kissed me?

I raised my gaze into the sky as though waiting for a response but nothing came along, just the slow wind brushing past my skin.

It didn't matter, he didn't love me and I'd be a fool to think anything could change,

Slowly I took gentle strides towards the bed, laid flat against the mattress with my gaze pinned to the ceiling, I closed my eyes shut and blinked once...twice, but nothing came.

I tossed around in bed, I needed sleep, yet nothing again, and somehow in the disturbed dark corner of my mind, I could still picture Jason, was he hurt? Where was he? Who was he?

Unable to sleep, I jolted up from bed, and my hand found the doorknob, chloe was still away, and the corridors were dimly lit now, I needed some space maybe speak to tomorrow but now, I wanted air, to think.

I froze in place hearing the guards on duty take their turns around the corridor, seeing they had taken no notice and walked past me, I slid towards the narrow corridor, making my way past the secluded balcony, I didn't know how far I would go, but I knew tonight I wanted to break free