Free Web NovelChapter 88: Desolate Hope
She was alone in the room. The smell of the scented candles was comforting, but nothing could possibly calm the unease she felt.
After Keenan had let the maid in, he continued to ignore her. Then servants arrived to help him prepare for dinner, and soon after, he left the room.
After she washed up, she was brought her dinner but she could barely eat; anxiety made it hard to taste the meal. The maid had looked at her with concern when she arrived to clear the dishes but didn’t ask about her appetite.
That was a while ago, and now she was alone on the chair. Waiting. Futile, she knew, but what else was she to do? There was no way she would be able to sleep in this condition.
Dinner should be long over by now, but there was still no sign of Keenan. Was his plan to leave her in the room again? Was that why he had been quick to let her stay, despite his disapproval?
She yelped as the doors cracked open and put her hands over her mouth to stop the sound from escaping.
Keenan’s footsteps sounded a little sluggish as he stepped into the room. She turned her head in his direction and nearly bolted out of her seat as he nearly lost his footing.
He shut the doors behind him and leaned on them for a moment to right himself. He pushed away from the doors and sluggishly made his way to the bed.
In his dazed state, he still took off his shirt and pants before he got into bed. He seemed completely oblivious to her presence.
She wondered if he had been drinking. He wasn’t close enough for her to smell the wine on him, but the drowsy way he acted gave her reason to believe so.
She had a good enough view from the chairs and could see him get into bed. As soon as he lay down, he started to softly snore. free𝑤ebnovel.com
Maya almost stood up so she could watch him better. She fought against the idea and tried to look away, but her gaze kept drifting back to him.
The relief she had felt as he walked to the bed without glancing in her direction was enormous. She had spent the entire time wondering what he would do when he returned and if he would even return.
She was glad he did, even if he had returned drunk. She didn’t want to think about it, but it was hard not to consider that he may have done this on purpose. She was so unbearable that he had to get drunk to tolerate sharing the same room with her.
It was still better than chasing her off, wasn’t it?
Maya nearly smacked herself as she lay on the long chair, but she had to hold on to the little hope, right? It was desolate here, and if she didn’t grab the nonexistent light, she would sink into hopelessness.
She stirred awake, not realizing when she had fallen asleep. The candles were still burning and they filled the room with a soft golden glow.
It didn’t take her long to discover why she had woken up, as distressed sounds reached her ears.
It sounded like a groan, but it was closer to a closed-mouthed scream. Maya sat up immediately and looked toward the bed. Keenan tossed under the covers.
Her first thought was to wake him up. It was better than him screaming in his sleep. As soon as she had the thought, her body was moving.
This was a bad idea, but she couldn’t exactly sit still and listen to him groan so loudly. She didn’t know what he could be dreaming about, but it was easy to tell that it was a terrifying dream.
He was going to be angry when he saw it was her, wasn’t he? Maybe she could find a way to hide after waking him. Or perhaps she should stop entirely?
His head turned from side to side, and sweat broke out on his forehead. He grabbed the sheets as he squirmed. Her hesitation dissipated as she got a closer look at him. His discomfort made her walk faster.
Just as she got to the side of the bed, the most unexpected thing happened. Keenan shifted. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as his huge wolf form covered most of the bed.
She panicked, but in the midst of her panic, several thoughts ran through her head.
Why did he shift? His coat is beautiful. He is even bigger than Theo. Is his fur soft? How is he bigger than the bed? I want to touch him.
Another painful groan snapped her out of her thoughts, and she walked closer. In his wolf form, he didn’t stir as much, but his discomfort was obvious.
She slowly stretched out her hand, but fear almost made her stop. She hardened her resolve and pushed her hand forward. She was just going to wake him—a slight tap should be enough.
Maya lightly touched his shoulder, wincing at how hot he was. She could feel it through his fur. His fur was as soft as she imagined and she had to stop herself from running her fingers through it.
She forced herself to pay attention to the task at hand and she slightly shook him. She was just going to wake him; she had no way of knowing what was about to happen next.
As she moved her hands back and forth, trying to force him awake, he shifted back into his human form. She almost screamed as she took her hand away.
He was still asleep, his forehead still furrowed and sweaty, but all she could see was the large scar across his chest. Maya still remembered the day as clearly as though it had happened yesterday.
She had refused to partake in Maelle’s game, and Maelle had made her regret it. The guards had whipped Keenan, ripping his body. She had wanted to help—a little ointment to ease the pain—but little did she know that it was mixed with wolfsbane.
She shook her head and forced herself to concentrate. She touched him again, avoiding his chest. He stirred but didn’t wake up. His groans were less now that he had shifted back, but he was still not waking up.
"Alpha Keenan," she whispered as she used both hands.
His eyes flew open and locked on her face. Maya tried to jump back, but his grip on her wrist stopped her. She didn’t even realize he was holding onto her. Fear seeped out of her pores as she stared at his bloodshot green eyes.
