Sold To The Demon Alpha
Chapter 20

Aria’s POV

“How are you doing today?” Scian asked as she entered the room where I had stayed overnight.

Quickly hiding the sketch pad behind me with a blush, I sat up on the bed, glad that she hadn’t caught me drawing yet another picture of the Alpha.

This time, it was the way he had stood in the dining hall, looking every bit as handsome as he was, his entire presence filling the room like smoke, his voice low and powerful, his face in a sadistic smile.

“I’m fine, Mistress.”

Scian was probably one of the warmest people I had seen in the pack, besides Raphael and Sophia.

Her hair had streaks of gray in them but besides that, she didn’t look a day older than forty, I would guess.

Her eyes, however told a different story. They looked like she had seen a million sunrises and sunsets.

I didn’t know how I could feel it, but I could see that she was a lot older than she appeared.

“Call me Scian, child. It’s alright. Your bruises? Can I look at them?”

I nodded, shifting from the bed to put my feet on the ground and she moved a chair towards me and sat, reaching out to gently poke my ribs.

I winced softly but realized that it was no longer hurting as badly as when I was first brought here. Carried like a child by Roma. Not that I had any complains about it.

“You’ll need to get that checked at least once every day for a week and I’ll prescribe some ointment for you.”

“Does that mean I’m good to go?” I asked, a part of me excited to be out of the infirmary but the other part worried about having to return to working and facing the other servants.

It was obvious that Natalia hated me and even though I was innocent, it didn’t change the fact that I was human and everyone else that wasn’t hated humans.

“You look like you have a lot on your mind. Would you like to talk to someone about it? I’m a healer, so my lips are pretty much sealed.”

Her eyes were kind and it felt like I could trust her, which was pretty difficult to do around here, where everyone didn’t like you.

I wasn’t sure if Roma liked me most of the time.

He had all but fled after entering the room to check if I was alright and I didn’t know why it had hurt me that he didn’t stay a bit longer.

He was not my boyfriend or even in any position to treat me the way I wanted.

It didn’t stop me from being curious about him and wanting him to like me.

Like Sophia pointed out, I had a penchant for daydreaming.

“I just feel so different from everyone here. It can be suffocating at times. I’m trying really hard to not step on anyone’s toes and just do what I can to pay back my father’s debt. But I have ended up in the infirmary more times than I can count and I don’t have any friends except for Sophia who is always really busy too. I just feel alone.” I said everything in a rush, panting after I finished and looked down at my nails as my eyes watered.

My body was probably made of just fluids considering the way I was prone to crying at every turn.

I was surprised when she took my hands in hers and tilted my chin to look into my eyes.

“It’s okay to feel alone, Aria. Especially when you have had so many downs with very few things to look forward to. I am sorry that you were hurt and taken away from what you were used to.”

Her smile was so motherly, it made my chest tighten and I realized how much I had missed not having a mother around.

I hadn’t even had time to process everything that was happening in my life or talk to anyone.

Pulling me in for a hug, she patted my back as I cried, murmuring comforting words to me and when she pulled back and brought out a lollipop from her pocket, I laughed.

“When Raphael and Roma were much younger and got into so many fights, I would give them lollipop after scolding them for getting hurt, just to see them smile the way you have.”

“And it worked?” I asked, shocked that there was a time Roma could smile at receiving a lollipop. I could count on one hand how many times I had seen a genuine smile on his face.

She nodded and I opened my mouth to ask her to tell me more about Roma but stopped myself.

However, Scian did not miss the curious look on my face.

“Ask what you want to, Aria.”

“The Alpha. What was he like, as a child? Was he always so…” I trailed off, with a shy smile.

“Big? Intimidating? Dark and Dangerous?” Scian finished for me with a soft chuckle and my face turned red as I nodded.

“Big? Intimidating? Dark and Dangerous?” Scian finished for me with a soft chuckle and my face turned red as I nodded.

“No. Roma was actually the sweetest of all them, growing up. He would visit me here everyday with flowers and any other thing he found when he wasn’t being brought in here with broken bones and fractured ribs.”

It was hard to imagine Roma like that and I wondered what had happened. What had changed him?

Was it the death of his wife?

What was she like? Was she beautiful?

I had so many questions on the tip of my tongue and feared that I would come on as intrusive especially because Scian had been nothing but kind to me and I didn’t want to take advantage of that.

“I guess time changes people.” I replied and she nodded, squeezing my hand gently.

“Do you like him? The Alpha?”

My eyes widened and my face paled in shock.

“Of course not. How could I?” I stuttered and she gave me a knowing smile, her eyes falling on the sketch pad beside me.

“Whatever you say, sweetheart. You look like you know how to use that thing.”

“This?” I brought the sketch pad close to my chest and nodded.

“I just scribble a few things.”

“Would you mind scribbling something for me then? I’d like to have something that you drew in my office. To keep me company when you leave. And I do hope to not see you here as often.”

I chuckled and nodded.

“I’ll draw something and bring it at my next visit. You’ve done a lot for me. It’s the least I could do.”

Suddenly, an idea came to me and my smile widened. I could give Roma one of these too. I didn’t have any means of thanking him for saving my life more than once and this would show my sincerity.

Scian rose to her feet and gently patted my hair

“You can leave when you’re ready. I have some work to do.”

“Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She was at the door when she stopped and turned to look at me.

“When you’re done paying your father’s debts, I’m sure Roma will let you go, as promised.”

And as the door closed, I wondered if when the time came, I would really want to leave.