Alana
“Alana!”
I turned to the window where the voice was coming from and smiled sweetly and waved at William silently who was knocking at the glass asking me to open it. I am afraid that my instructor in proper behavior will catch me talking to him while the lessons are ongoing but she is the one who nodded at me so I immediately leaped in my feet and opened the window.
“Yes, my alpha prince?” I asked in a whisper to the man who reached for my ear and put a stem of rose on it.
He is sitting on the ladder while my head is out of his room’s window.
I blushed and giggled when he stole a glance at the teacher and kissed my head when he saw that she was not looking.
He enrolled me into different classes under excellent tutors who taught me things that were only my dream when I was in the cell of the mansion. I was more than eager to learn everything because Francine told me that mates of the royal family often go abroad to get educated about the ways of being one but William took more effort by bringing back teachers from abroad to teach me.
I will not waste his effort. I will learn everything quickly for him.
“I already told you not to call me that. Call me by my name, please.” He pouted like a child and then sulked like a kid.
I looked back at the teacher who was just pretending not to hear us.
“Okay, William.”
“There you go. Because of that, you earn yourself another silver earring.”
He took my hand and put a pair of cute earrings on it.
“Thank you!” I exclaimed and let him pinch my cheek as a form of my gratitude.
He really likes to do it because my cheeks are plump and rosy according to him.
“Why are you here? Go back to your training.”
His expression changed into something serious. “Because I want to tell you something and I will ask your consent to kidnap you from your teacher so I could explain everything to you.”
I glanced at the instructor who is still acting like we don’t exist in front of her.
“Sure!” I accepted his hand in the air ready to go down to run with him but before he can pull me down, Lucas came running from the garden and gasped in relief upon seeing the alpha prince dangling from the ladder.
“Alpha prince, my apologies for interfering but the convoy from the north already arrived. We need you to welcome them.”
He sighed in disappointment. Seeing that, I pinched his cheek and stretched his mouth to force a smile out of him.
“Go now. I can wait. Besides, I have all the time here. I will just be waiting here for you.”
His face lit up and caressed my face once again. “I will really have to talk about it with you, okay? I will come back to you.”
I waved at him and then closed the window. That’s the time when the teacher resumed teaching.
The lessons ended early because I perfected the exam and made my painter teacher gasped in pride when she saw my art. Strolling through the side of the castle, I found myself venturing deep into the entrance of the castle where people dressed in nines are gathering.
“Oh there is William,” I said dreamily while looking at my mate sporting a suit and tie while approaching a shiny car just like what we used to arrive here.
“He is so perfect,” I muttered, staring at him.
He looked so formal and elegant in his outfit. His hair is brushed to the side and he wore an expression that is as enigmatic as the first time our eyes locked up in that cell.
But my smile slowly faded when the car door opened and a sophisticated lady came out and hugged William tightly. He hugged her back and even kissed her cheeks that a small growl inside me came out.
I looked at myself and sighed in pity. I look nothing like that elegant and educated woman who just got out of the car and is now being gently assisted by William up the stairs.
“Excuse me young lady but you are not allowed here. The security is tight because of the visitors. Go back to cleaning the quarters,” the head of the cleaning department of the castle I recognized by their blue uniform spoke at my side.
I looked at my dress that was marred from the painting colors that smudged it. I know I look like a maid or a servant because that is what I am supposed to be.
“Can I ask who that lady is, together with the alpha prince?” I mustered the courage before my insecurity clouded my mind once again.
The woman smiled and stared at the pair who were happily talking to each other.
“Ah, she looks so elegant and beautiful, right? They looked so perfect! The alpha prince and her! She is the princess of the north. Her name is Belinda. Belinda Crossworth, the woman whom the alpha prince is betrothed to.”
I felt like a bucket of ice was poured all over me.
“B-Betrothed?”
“Yes. She and the alpha prince. I heard the alpha prince invited her to talk about their engagement.”
The words felt like daggers into my heart. So is this what he wanted to talk to me about earlier? Is he going to tell me that he is going to get married to the beautiful princess?
“You are right. She is so beautiful. They looked so perfect together. Thank you. I... I think I need to go back to sweeping the garden.”
I quickly turned my back and ran to the lake where I used to spend the idle days imagining my forever with the alpha prince.
I sat on the grass, my knees giving in because of utter sadness.
“I guess everything will just remain in my dreams now,” I said while tears are cascading down.
My father, stepmother, and stepsister are right. I am not lovable and no one would love me.
How dare I dream of a happily ever after? How dare me...