CHAPTER 5

I dressed in a soft pink sundress with black ballet slippers, it was Alec's favorite outfit. I started to pace the room but then ended up sitting on the bed to wait patiently, luckily I didn't have to wait long before Alec came back into the room.

"Princess. We are going on a trip so can you be a good girl and help me pack a bag?"

"Trip? Where are we going?"

I tried to keep up with Alec's fast movements and within a few minutes, all my clothes were in suitcases on the floor. I was growing nervous. I couldn't remember the last time I got to leave the house and I was beginning to feel like this was a test.

"I don't want to leave. I've been good. Please don't make me leave."

I was starting to get hysterical. I was scared I would be punished if I failed the test and eagerly left the house. I clung onto Alec as I begged to stay here, I begged until I couldn't talk due to my hysterical crying. Picking me up, Alec set down on the bed with me in his arms, trying to console me.

"Princess, you are okay. We are going to Volterra. I am taking you to my home so we never have to be apart. This is a reward."

Whipping the tears from my eyes Alec kissed my wet cheeks. Calming down I stood up, holding onto Alec's hand as he picked up my bag and led me from the room. Jane, Demetri, and Felix still waited in the living room, I kept my eyes down, not looking at any of them. None of them acknowledged me as we left the house, I held onto Alec's hand tightly I didn't want him to think I was going to run.

Being around other humans again was scary, remembering all the awful things that happened to me leading up to Alec rescuing me and taking me away. I kept my head down and stayed latched onto Alec as we made our way through the city to the big castle that Alec had described to me so many times. My heart was racing, I wasn't ready for all these big changes and I was afraid of messing up and making Alec mad.

My body started to tremble with anxiety as we came to an elevator in the clock tower. I jumped in fright as Felix's cloak brushed my leg as he moved past me to get into the elevator first, along with Demetri. I calmed down a little as Alec wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me against him. The elevator ride was short, only going down a few floors before stopping and with a light ding, the doors opened revealing a posh reception area, complete with a big wooden desk with a pretty receptionist that stood up and greeted each of the guards by name. I had always been curious about what Alec's home looked like, but I wasn't expecting it to be so dark and underground.

"I thought you said you didn't live in dungeons and sleep in coffins."

"We don't. Our rooms are above ground."

Nodding my head I buried myself deeper into Alec's side as the big double doors were opened.