Run Away from My alpha a thousand times

Lucia's eyelids fluttered open to the soft sound of rustling fabric. Her mind was still caught in the haze of sleep, wrapped in fragments of strange dreams , most of which were filled with Kaiden's too-perfect green eyes and that suffocating sense of being watched.

She rolled over slowly, only to jolt upright when she saw someone standing at the foot of her bed.

A girl. Not a hallucination.

A real person.

Lucia blinked again to confirm she wasn't dreaming.

"Good morning, Luna. Alpha Kaiden sent me to you," the girl said gently, bowing her head slightly.

Lucia narrowed her eyes. "I think you've got the wrong person. My name's Lucia, not Luna."

But the girl just smiled politely. "Of course, Luna."

Lucia frowned, deciding to let it slide for now. Arguing this early in the morning with a stranger over what name she was being called felt like a waste of energy. Besides, her body was stiff, her stomach was queasy, and her mind was still too foggy from sleep.

She sat up and swung her legs off the bed. The girl moved in tandem with her, footsteps almost too quiet to register.

Lucia stopped in front of the bathroom door and turned to face her shadow. "Uh… are you following me into the bathroom?"

The girl smiled again, too pretty, too composed. "Yes, Luna. Your bath has already been drawn. Alpha Kaiden gave specific orders for you to be bathed and dressed properly this morning."

Lucia blinked again. "What?"

The girl turned slightly to reveal a warm bath, fragrant steam still wafting above the water. The tub was filled with floating petals and smelled like roses and citrus.

She wasn't sure whether to be impressed or concerned.

"I'm sorry," Lucia said hesitantly, "I didn't catch your name."

"Amelia, Luna."

"I'm just… Lucia, okay? And I really don't need help bathing. I can do that part on my own."

Amelia looked down and folded her hands in front of her politely. "You haven't bathed in days, and Alpha Kaiden was very specific. Just for today, you'll get used to it."

Lucia instinctively raised her arm and sniffed. The truth hit her like a brick.

God. She really did stink.

Her face flushed. She couldn't believe she had confronted Kaiden, made a whole dramatic scene, while reeking like a homeless person.

Humiliated, she sighed and nodded. "Fine. Just… don't get weird."

Amelia only smiled again and started helping her undress.

Lucia tried to relax, but the entire thing felt like a weird princess fantasy gone wrong.

Someone bathing her, combing her hair, massaging oils into her skin? It was luxurious and deeply uncomfortable at the same time especially knowing it all came from a man who had basically kidnapped her.

Once out of the bath and wrapped in a soft white towel, Amelia led her back into the bedroom. There, laid neatly on the bed, was a sleek black pant suit paired with a crisp white blouse and a pair of flat, sensible shoes.

Not a dress. Not heels.

Lucia's eyebrows rose slightly.

It was... surprisingly decent.

"The Alpha sent this," Amelia said, beaming. "He wanted you to look sharp today. He said you'd be starting work."

"Work?" Lucia asked, staring at the outfit like it might bite her. "I thought I was still his… captive."

Amelia's smile dimmed just a little, but she nodded with grace. "He said to tell you that you're working under him now. In the office."

Lucia felt her throat tighten. Office. That sounded a lot like control disguised as freedom. But it was still better than being locked inside this mansion, stewing in her thoughts and hormones.

She sighed. "It's nice," she muttered, picking up the clothes. "At least he has taste."

Amelia helped her get dressed, tying the last button neatly and handing her a soft leather bag.

Lucia paused in front of the mirror. The suit actually fit her well, snug at the waist, just enough cleavage to look sharp without being too obvious. The flat shoes were a godsend.

As she walked downstairs, Amelia trailing behind her, Lucia braced herself for whatever game Kaiden was playing today.

Sure enough, he was standing by the front door, tall and poised in a tailored grey suit, his dark hair slicked back. He turned the moment he heard her footsteps, and for just a second, Lucia saw something flicker in his eyes approval? Amusement?

"You clean up well," he said, holding open the front door.

"Thanks for the clothes," she muttered, stepping past him.

Kaiden opened the passenger door of the black car waiting out front. She climbed in without a word. He rounded the car and got in beside her, sliding in smoothly as the driver started the engine.

"Here," Kaiden said, reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket. He handed her a brand new smartphone.

Lucia stared at it suspiciously.

"What is this?"

"A phone. Until we find yours."

"Find mine?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's not lost. You took it."

Kaiden didn't answer.

She sighed and turned the phone on. It was already set up, contacts, apps, even a lock screen photo of the skyline. Everything felt curated.

She clicked into the contacts. There was one name already saved.

My Husband.

Lucia snorted. "Really?"

Kaiden said nothing, eyes on the window.

She changed the name to **My Kidnapper**, just to amuse herself, then dialed Cassandra's number the only one she knew by heart.

It rang once.

Twice.

Then... "HELLO?!"

Lucia winced and held the phone away from her ear. "Cass, tone it down. I'm still regaining hearing in this lifetime."

"Oh my God, Lucia! Are you okay?! Where are you? I've been going crazy"

Lucia laughed softly, the sound catching her by surprise. It felt so good to hear her best friend's voice.

"I'm okay," she said, glancing sideways at Kaiden. "Sort of."

Cass lowered her voice. "So… who is this guy? You didn't tell me you had a new man — and you didn't even break up with Will. Is he, like, super rich or something? Because it looks like you moved into a palace."

Lucia's heart stopped. "Wait, what?"

"Yeah, he said you're dating him now and staying with him by choice. I got the message from your number a few days ago well, a man using your number."

Lucia slowly turned her head toward Kaiden. He was staring straight ahead, expression blank.

"You told her that?"

He didn't answer, but the smug smirk said everything.

Lucia felt her blood boil. "Cass," she said quickly. "Forget whatever that message said. I'm not dating him. I'm not staying willingly. And I still love Will."

She saw Kaiden's jaw tighten out of the corner of her eye.

Cass gasped. "Wait, what?"

"I'll explain later. Gotta go."

Lucia ended the call before Kaiden could explode.

They rode the rest of the way in tense silence. Lucia kept her face toward the window, though she could feel Kaiden's cold aura pulsing beside her like a dark storm cloud.

The car pulled up to the building she vaguely remembered from the last time, the towering glass-and-steel skyscraper that looked more like a luxury hotel than a workplace.

People were already lined up outside , employees dressed in black and grey, murmuring quietly among themselves.

Kaiden stepped out of the car and adjusted his suit. He looked every bit the powerful CEO, cool and detached, commanding attention.

Lucia didn't move.

He walked around the car, opened her door, and held out a hand to help her.

Lucia looked at it.

Then stood up on her own.

Without touching him.

Gasps echoed through the crowd like a ripple.

People were staring, whispering.

Lucia didn't care. She wasn't going to pretend for them. She wasn't his property, and she wouldn't play the trophy-wife act.

Kaiden lowered his hand slowly, eyes hard.

Lucia stood straight and walked ahead of him, ignoring the stares. But her stomach was in knots.

He was going to say something.

Or worse, he wouldn't say anything at all.

Sometimes the silence was worse than the yelling and it was all a step by step process