The Alpha’s Curvy Cinderella - Chapter 152: Chapter 152

Josie POV
Rose wasn’t like what I had expected. I guess I wasn’t sure what I was expecting to be honest. She was young, little more than a teenager and she was quiet, meek even. Part of me suspected that she had been taught not to express her opinions too loudly or at all and the thought saddened me. She was overly polite as well.
“Thank you for agreeing to have me,” she said quietly, bowing her head to Rohan and I, “your parents were very kind to me” she added with a smile.
I nodded at her. There was something about this girl, that seemed well off. Maybe it was the lack of hope in her eyes or the general listlessness she conveyed.
“What is your relationship like with Drake? Is he likely to want to come for you?” I asked directly, leaning into Rohan whose hand was rubbing soothing circles on the small of my back.
Rose looked shocked by the mere suggestion. She frowned. “There’s no way my brother would want to come searching for me. You and Claudia are the ones he would want” her voice held a tinge of bitterness “there is no love between my brother and I. He’s always been a cold and hateful bastard.”
There was such emotion behind her words that it brought tears to my eyes. Whatever thing the girl had suffered through, it still had a hold on her. Rohan cleared his throat. “For now, how about we get you settled into a guest room.”
The girl looked puzzled, staring at the two of us incredulously. “A guest room?” she said slowly as though not comprehending what we had said.
“Yes, is there one you might prefer?” I asked confused.
“No, it’s just that, I’ve never well, slept in a real room before I met your parents and I guess, I don’t know, I assumed I would be sleeping in the dungeon again,” she said gruffly.
I shook my head. “No, those days are over” I assured her as her eyes lit up the tiniest bit and the merest hint of a smile came to her face “you deserve to be treated with respect and courtesy. Let’s go find you a room” I said quietly and leaned down, kissing Rohan on the lips, lingering for a moment as I took in his purely masculine scent, my mouth salivating as I pulled away. He smelt so good. Almost better than normal and I briefly wondered if he was wearing some sort of cologne. Whatever it was, it made him smell damn good.
Rose followed behind me, both of us making it up the stairs. I led her right onto the very top floor, which the Alpha primarily used and she halted, the blood draining out of her face.
“I can’t be up here” she stammered nervously “only the Alpha is permitted on the top floor.”
She began to panic. I held up a hand, attempting to soothe her. “Relax, Rose. Rohan’s the Alpha now, remember” I pointed out as she began to relax “and we decided it would be best if you remained on the top floor with us, Claudia too. It’s safer for all of us and easier to defend. Nobody is going to tell you off for being up here. You’re going to be okay” I reassured her.
She bit her lip, looking doubtful. I led her down the long hallway and opened the bedroom door with a flourish. I stepped inside and she paused in the doorway, her mouth gaping wide open. I had chosen a room I thought would be perfect for a teenage girl. It was decorated in black and purple, a combination of feminine and masculine colors. Not too young and not too old. She glanced at the large four-poster bed, her eyes shining. I pointed at the adjoining door. “Bathroom is through there,” I said casually.
Her eyes went as big as saucers “I have my own bathroom?” she practically squealed the words as I laughed at how excited she sounded.
“Your very own bathroom” I confirmed as she raced to the door and opened it, viewing the large room with a gasp.
“I can’t believe it, it’s all too much” she exclaimed.
I smiled. “There are clothes in the closet and dresser as well. My mother told me the size you were so that we could get you some new ones. Hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind” she exclaimed, spinning in a circle and giggling “why would I mind? Oh thank you, thank you” she whispered, awestruck.
She sounded like any other teenage girl in that moment, happy and carefree. She collapsed on the bed giggling to herself and I smiled to myself. She got up and walked to the wardrobe, pulling out some clothes to try on. As she pulled her top off, not caring I was in the room, I noticed the various marks across her bare back, wounds that had healed but left scars on her back. That happened when silver was used on a werewolf. I fought back the urge to vomit. There were so many of them that she must have been whipped numerous times when she was still very young. I felt sick. What kind of monster had her brother been to her as she grew up, to leave those kinds of marks behind?
She seemed oblivious to my staring. At least I thought she was. She shimmied out of her pants and pulled a sundress over her head, twirling around in it. “You look very pretty” I complimented, past the lump in my throat. She smiled, her eyes twinkling. I saw her glance down at her arms, some scars twisting around the upper parts of them. She swallowed hard, the light fading from her eyes.
“You can still see my ugly marks,” she said sadly.
She sat on the bed looking devastated.
I heard the desolation in her voice and the loathing. I sat beside her and pulled her into a hug, embracing her tight as she sniffled against me. “They are not ugly,” I told her firmly, breathing heavily “they are a symbol of how brave and resilient you are. You should show them off and show everyone just how courageous you have been and how strong you continue to be. Don’t ever think less of yourself, Rose, because the only one that should be ashamed is your goddamn brother” I whispered, my voice shaking with rage.
She blinked her tears away. “Josie,” she said weakly as I held her, stroking her hair back and rocking her “I’m afraid,” she said quietly.
“Of what?” I asked although I suspected I knew the answer.
She coughed. “My brother. He doesn’t like anyone to challenge him and he doesn’t like to be refused anything. You’ve done both” she said, looking at me earnestly “and he’s not above playing dirty to get what he wants. You should stay on your guard” she whispered “because he’ll do worse to you if he gets his hands on you. These marks took a lifetime to engineer, with you he won’t be so forgiving. He’ll take his revenge on anybody who wronged him” she hiccuped “and his wolf is just as cruel as he is. You don’t want to be alone with him in a dark room. That’s when he gets really sick and twisted” she said, her expression turning grim and frightened.
“I’ll be fine, I have Rohan protecting me and I have my wolf to help defend against him. Let’s just worry about keeping you safe” I said, letting go and pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
She nodded but didn’t look convinced. Her expression was pained as she glanced around the room. She was touching the bed covers as though trying to reassure herself that this was real and that she wasn’t dreaming. My heart gave a pang for the poor girl.
“Get some rest, you must be tired,” I said gently and her eyes flew wide open.
“It’s not safe” she protested.
“I will have guards outside your door” I assured her as she hesitated “don’t worry you’ll be safe” I advised her.
I began to head towards the doorway when her voice rang out, sounding petrified, my heart plummeting as I heard the words. It was so unexpected and nothing we had anticipated. She sounded forlorn, tearful as she shouted out something that had me breathing in sharply and whirling around to face her as she gestured towards me frantically “What about the secret passageway leading into the pack house? He always said he had one for emergencies? Have you found it? Are you guarding it? Please tell me you’re guarding it” she shouted, her voice almost hysterical as I stared at her, my face going pale.
What secret passageway? Rohan hadn’t mentioned one. Did he even know about it? “Are you sure he had one?” I asked urgently, my throat dry.
She nodded, looking worried.
I turned and bolted, heading for Rohan and the study.