Chapter 8 Bathing Alpha

Valencia's POV

I turned my head toward the doorway and saw Alpha Logan standing there, his face dark with fury. I had seen him kill rogues with less anger in his eyes. Beta Dorian stood beside him, his mouth hanging open in shock.

Amara's hand shook as she held the knife. "Alpha, I can explain. This slave attacked me. Look at my face."

"Put. The knife. Down." Each word was delivered with deadly precision.

For a moment, I thought Amara might obey. Her hand lowered slightly, and hope flickered in my chest.

Then her face contorted with renewed rage. "NO!" she shrieked. "I won't let this WHORE DESTORY you!"

She gripped the knife and drove it down toward my neck with all her strength.

The blade came down toward my throat with deadly force. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the end.

CLANG!

The sound of metal striking metal rang through the room. I opened my eyes to see Alpha Logan's dagger embedded in the stone wall, having knocked Amara's weapon from her hands. The knife clattered across the floor.

Amara collapsed backward, tears streaming down her face. Blood from the cut on her eye mixed with her tears, creating red streaks down her cheek.

Alpha Logan's face remained blank as he stepped into the room, his hand moving to the hilt of his sword with deliberate slowness. The scrape of metal against leather filled the silence as he drew the blade.

I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. Though his expression showed nothing, I could feel his Alpha authority rolling through the room like a crushing wave. The air itself seemed to thicken with his rage.

Amara whimpered on the floor where she'd fallen. Her earlier confidence had completely shattered. She pressed herself against the stone wall, her eyes wide with terror as she watched Logan approach.

"Logan, please," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I was only trying to protect you. She's dangerous. She’s a fucking witch."

Alpha Logan didn't respond. He didn't even look at her as he spoke those words. His boots echoed against the stone floor with each measured step.

"Logan... Alpha... please listen to me," Amara tried again, scrambling backward. "I've served this pack faithfully for years. I've done everything you've asked. I...I...love you."

Still nothing. Logan's silence was more damning than any angry words could have been.

Logan stopped directly in front of where Amara cowered against the wall. For a long moment, he simply stared down at her. When he finally spoke, his voice was deadly quiet.

"You held a knife to her throat."

"I was protecting you!" Amara cried desperately. "She's a slave! She means nothing!"

"You held a knife to her throat," Logan repeated, as if she hadn't spoken at all.

Amara opened her mouth to speak again, but Logan's sword moved faster than lightning. The blade came down in one clean, precise stroke.

Amara's scream tore through the room as her left hand separated from her wrist. Blood sprayed across the stone floor as she clutched the stump to her chest, her entire body convulsing with shock and agony.

"My hand!" she shrieked, rocking back and forth.

The severed hand lay on the floor between them, fingers still curled as if reaching for something. Blood pooled around it, dark and spreading.

I stared at the scene before me, my mind struggling to process what I'd just witnessed. This was Logan - the same man who had been gentle with me. Was this the real him? The killer... the monster that others feared.

The woman who had just tried to murder me was now writhing in agony, and I felt nothing for her. No pity. She had held a knife to my throat and would have killed me without hesitation. But seeing Logan's capacity for such swift, brutal punishment left me shaking.

"Take her to the dungeons," Alpha Logan commanded Dorian without emotion. "Tend to her wounds."

"Yes, Alpha," Dorian said immediately. He picked up the severed hand and helped Amara to her feet. She was pale as death, barely conscious.

As they left the room, I let out a long breath I hadn't realized I was holding. My entire body felt drained. I slumped against the wall, sliding down until I was sitting on the cold stone floor.

Alpha Logan placed his sword on the table and rolled his shoulders.

"Prepare my bath," he said in his deep voice.

I looked up in surprise. I glanced toward the door, but there were no other servants. He was talking to me.

Years of slavery had trained me to obey immediately. I struggled to my feet and hurried toward the door.

I didn't know where the kitchens were. I ran down the hallway, my bare feet slapping against the stone. When I saw a servant carrying an empty tray, I grabbed his arm.

"Where are the kitchens?" I asked breathlessly.

He looked at me with the same disgusted expression I was used to seeing. "Why do you need to know?"

"Alpha Logan wants a bath. Now."

The servant's eyes widened with shock and confusion. His expression showed he didn't understand, but he didn't dare question further.

"Follow me," he said reluctantly.

He led me quickly through several corridors to a large kitchen. The room smelled of bread and roasted meat. Several servants were cleaning up after the evening meal.

"The Alpha needs hot water for a bath," the servant told them.

"And someone needs to clean blood from his chambers." I added.

The servants exchanged shocked glances, their faces pale with fear.

"Blood in the Alpha's chambers?" one whispered.

"Who's going to clean it?" another asked nervously.

They all looked at each other, but no one volunteered. A burly male servant pointed at the smallest female servant among them.

"You go, Maya. Take the cleaning supplies."

"Why me?" Maya protested, her voice shaking. "I don't want to see blood."

"Because I said so," the man replied firmly. "Someone has to do it."

Maya reluctantly gathered a bucket and rags, her hands trembling as she headed toward the door.

I watched Maya's frightened face and felt a pang of sympathy. I knew what it was like to be the weakest one, to be pushed around by those with more power. I had been bullied and forced to do terrible things for years. But now I was powerless to help her.

Three servants began heating water while I waited. Before leaving the kitchen, I spotted a wooden box on a shelf containing dried herbs. I grabbed a handful of willow bark and rosemary.

Ten minutes later, the four of us hurried anxiously toward Alpha Logan's room carrying buckets of steaming water. We moved so quickly that hot water splashed out of one bucket, scalding the hand of the servant carrying it. He cried out in pain, nearly dropping his bucket.

When we reached Alpha Logan's room, I saw that the blood stains had already been cleaned away. We poured the water into a large wooden tub near the fireplace. I added the willow bark and rosemary to the hot water.

The other servants bowed their heads respectfully and left. I started to follow them out.

"What is that?" Alpha Logan asked, pointing to the herbs floating in the water. He had begun removing his Doublet.

I kept my eyes lowered. "Willow bark and rosemary, Alpha. They help with muscle soreness and clear the mind."

Alpha Logan's eyebrows relaxed for just a moment before his expression returned to neutral.

He finished undressing and stepped into the tub. I heard a sound of relief escape his lips. My mind flashed back to seeing his naked body at the altar, his big cock. Heat flooded my cheeks. I kept my gaze fixed on the floor.

"Do you need anything else, Alpha?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Come here," he said simply.

The words sent a jolt through my entire body. I froze, my heart hammering so hard I was sure he could hear it. Come here? What did he want? My mind raced with possibilities, each one making me more nervous than the last.

I hesitated for several long seconds, my bare feet seemingly rooted to the cold stone floor. But his authority was absolute, and despite my confusion and racing pulse, I found myself taking small, reluctant steps toward the tub.

My heart felt like it might burst from my chest with each step closer. I tried desperately not to look at his nude body. Being faced with a man's nakedness, I had no idea what to do.

Alpha Logan's voice came again, emotionless. "Massage me."

"Alpha?" I looked up at him in surprise.

Alpha Logan turned around in the tub, resting his head against the edge and placing his hands on the rim. He didn't bother to repeat his command.

Despite my inner hesitation, my feet moved obediently to stand behind him. I began massaging his broad shoulders with trembling fingers.

I tried to focus on the task while controlling the turmoil inside me. I knew what kind of man he was. In an instant, he could decide to end my life.

As I continued the massage, I felt his muscles finally begin to relax. This gave me a small sense of satisfaction. I moved to his left arm, using my limited experience to properly work each muscle.

When I gathered courage to glance at his face, I saw his eyes were closed as if he had fallen asleep. This allowed me to breathe a little easier.

I turned to his other arm, skillfully kneading his bicep. Was the water still warm enough? I wondered, glancing down at the water's surface.

That's when I saw it.

Alpha Logan's cock was fully erect.