Chapter 2 Torn between Duty and Desire

CHAPTER 2: Torn Between Duty and Desire

SOPHIA POV

"Miss Emily. No. You can't make me his personal maid. You don't know what is going on. Please," I said to her, both my hands joined together, pleading with her, but she did not even listen. I was about to push past her when she stopped.

"I know you are his mate, but does it really matter now? He rejected you, which means that there is no bond between the both of you anymore. And besides, I had no choice. You had already been assigned as his personal maid even before the banquet began. I just told you now so you would know in case tomorrow when the Beta calls you and gives you that assignment, to stay by the Alpha's side all the time," she said to me as I felt so depressed. I felt my heart shatter again for the second time.

Here I was, trying to digest the rejection he had thrown at me, only for me to be his personal maid and ruin things even more. I was unable to hold on to myself and act strong. As I fell to the ground while the Head Maid walked past me, I felt like crying. I felt like I could not control myself. But then I tried to hold it in and act strong. Why was I even acting weak?

Anyways, it's not like I can't do this. I can. I can stay away from him. I will try my best not to meddle in his business. I will try my best to avoid him even if he is my mate. It can't be that difficult, right? I thought to myself.

After the banquet, here I was, standing a few feet away from him as he went through some files with his Beta, and the other mates cleaned everywhere. Even though being his personal maid came with a lot of privileges, I still did not want it. I just wanted to be on my own, scrubbing the floor and walking like a slave. It felt more satisfying than being his personal maid.

Standing so close to him made my heart beat even louder. It made the connection thicken. Even though I thought it wouldn't, it made it so obvious that he was my mate. And yet there he was, not being moved at all. He didn't even flinch as he went through everything with his Beta. Even though his Beta looked up at me from time to time, he still didn't turn around to stare at me. He didn't even answer me when I informed him that I would be his personal maid. All he did was concentrate back on what he was doing.

I felt like everything had been ruined, but I just had to hold it in. I stood there for close to an hour before they were done. As the Beta walked out, leaving only me and the Alpha, the room felt so large and so empty. Suddenly it felt like the room was about to swallow me too.

At the same time, I guess I was just so frustrated and so scared as he dropped his pen and swiveled his chair to face me.

"Sophia," he said, and instantly I felt my heart beat even faster and louder that I couldn't even control it no matter how hard I tried. I looked at him and faked a smile before bowing.

"My Alpha," I muttered as he laughed silently.

"You look scared," he said as I shrugged.

"I am not scared, Alpha," I said again as he raised his hand.

"Stop. Stop calling me Alpha. You call me Alpha too many times. If you just have to say something, say it. You don't have to act like you are extra respectful, seeing the fact that you were named my mate by the Moon Goddess. Such rubbish," he said as I nodded, trying my best to hold in my emotions, and then he smiled again.

"You don't look so bad still staring at you so close up," he said again, but I still stayed silent.

"But the funny thing is that I can't be with you. You are just not close to my status. You're a maid, and I am the Alpha of one of the most powerful packs in the whole continent. It just can't work," he said again as I looked away, not saying anything.

I know. Clearly, he was slowly using style to make advances at me. Except if I was wrong, though, he looked at me again and was even angry.

"Why am I talking to you, and you are just staying blank? Are you a statue?" he said angrily as I bowed immediately.

"I am sorry. I just thought there was nothing I could use to respond, and I don't want to say anything that would seem a bit disrespectful," I said to him as he swiveled his chair back to face his desk.

Just then, Selena walked in, and she was stunned to see me. So stunned that, funny enough, she staggered backwards at first seeing me standing so close to the Alpha. She quickly rushed in, threw her bag on the chair, and of course rushed to hold onto the Alpha.

What could I even do? Even though my wolf felt jealousy within, I still couldn't show it. Who am I to dare show jealousy over somebody who had rejected me? And she was his chosen mate. She had more right over him. She had this so-called status he was talking about.

She looked at me and then back at him. "Why is your rejected mate beside you? What are you doing with a maid standing beside you?" she said, unable to control her anger as the Alpha looked at her and groaned.

"What's your problem, Selena? She is now appointed as my personal maid even before she knew she was my mate or whatever. You don't have to get jealous over minor things," he said as she nodded, I guess realizing that she had just gotten jealous for no reason.

But I knew from the way she continuously stared at me; I knew that she was going to make me her enemy. It was just so obvious, written all over her face, that she was going to make me her most hated enemy.

Why would she even hate me? It's not like I am with the Alpha or anything. He rejected me, and I accepted this rejection. What else would she want from me? I thought to myself as it was soon nighttime, and of course, I was trying my best to avoid the Alpha. Not like it was possible, but I still had to try my best.

Anywhere he was, I would try my best not to be there, and thankfully for me, he was always busy. But yet he always found a way to call me. I stood beside him again, serving him the drink he had ordered me to get.

When he held onto my hand while I still held the cup, he pulled me close to him, and oh my God. It felt like my wolf had never felt this way before. I stared at him as he stared at my lips and then slowly moved closer to me. But I guess he realized what he was doing and pushed me away.

"Don't get too close to me," he said as I smiled and stepped as far as I could. Even though I knew he was clearly flirting with me, I still had to be serious and not long for him, though I knew he would also be longing for me. But it doesn't really matter at this stage.

I had successfully avoided the Alpha for two days, only until the night of the heavy rainstorm, which happened while I was serving the Alpha. I poured the glass of wine for him as he felt frustrated. I could see it in his face. It wasn't like he looked tired, but he looked bothered.

I stared at him, still trying to keep my distance as he placed both hands on his ears like he was remembering something.

"No. Let me go. No!" he yelled as I felt concerned, wanting to step up, but his voice stopped me again.

"Stay away from me," he said, and at that moment, I thought he was actually talking to me. I knew something was wrong. He was clearly having bad memories, maybe about a time in his life that he couldn't control things.

I tried to move closer to him and calm him down, but he was still pushing me away until he panicked and went more crazy than expected. Was this really what happened to the Alpha behind closed doors, and nobody knew about it?

"I can't. I can't take it anymore!" he yelled, unable to hold his emotions as I ran and hugged him tightly to myself, placing his head on my bosom as I tried to calm him down.

Suddenly, I felt my wolf unable to control herself. Even my body itself could not control itself. And as I slowly pulled away from him, the next thing I knew, he had already pulled me into a long and passionate kiss, savoring every flavor of my lips as I did the same.

Before I knew what was happening, I was already on the Alpha's bed, spending the night with my rejected mate.