Alpha's Rejected becomes the Lycan's Obsession-Chapter 63: Comfort and healing

Tessy woke up two hours later feeling a little better than when she had just arrived from work, even though the exhaustion in her body still lingered. Her muscles felt heavy, and the dull ache in her shoulders hadn’t entirely disappeared. The kind of exhaustion she felt wasn’t just physical; it ran deeper, as though it was wound into her bones.

She headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. The warm water cascading over her skin was a small relief, washing away the sweat and grime of the day. Once she was done, she stepped out of the bathroom clad in a towel and reached for her phone, which she used to dial Daniel’s number, recalling that Ruby had offered to give her a foot massage. Her fingers moved sluggishly as she tapped the screen, and she hoped Daniel would pick up quickly.

"Please send Ruby up to my room," Tessy said calmly after Daniel picked the call, her fingers slowly ending the call as she reclined on the lounge chair in her room. Her feet were sore, and she hoped Ruby’s therapy would help get her some relief. She sighed, letting her head fall back as her mind replayed the events of the day. A breeze swept over her damp skin, slightly chilling her, but she didn’t care. What she needed now was for the pain in her legs to disappear.

Daniel, who had just welcomed Williams to the house, excused himself and moved to complete the task he had just been given.

He walked briskly through the hallway, heading straight for the kitchen, where he figured Ruby would be. The hallway was quiet, save for the muffled clatter of pots and voices coming from the kitchen.

"Ruby," he called, poking his head inside the busy room. "Madam needs you in her room right now."

Ruby, who was wiping down the countertop, looked up in surprise. Her brows lifted slightly at the urgency in his voice. "All right, Sir Daniel, I’ll be with her shortly," she said, a small smile coming to settle on her features. Though surprised, she felt elated because she had been expecting the call.

Daniel turned on his heel after receiving her response, returning back to the living room where Williams was seated. The room had a welcoming warmth to it, and the men resumed their conversation, unaware of the tension brewing in the kitchen.

Ruby dropped the rag and began to gather her supplies, believing that the reason Tessy had sent for her was that she was ready for the foot massage. She reached under the sink for her basket, which contained the few items she used during her sessions—oils, clean towels, and a couple of scented candles she liked to use when she could.

But before she could step out, a sharp voice interrupted her.

"Where do you think you’re going without finishing what you’re doing in the kitchen?" Gina snapped, emerging from the pantry with a bowl in her hand and a scowl on her face.

Ruby turned to face her. "I’m going to Ma’am Tessy’s room. She sent for me."

"To do what?" Gina’s frown deepened, arms folding across her chest. Her tone was full of suspicion, her glare hard and cold. "You’re not going anywhere until you complete your job here. Get back inside the kitchen."

Ruby’s jaw tightened, but she didn’t move. "What’s your problem?" she said, frustration creeping into her voice. "Ma’am Tessy personally sent for me. Sir Daniel just came to inform me."

Before Ruby could say another word, Alexa, who had been in the kitchen when Daniel came to give Ruby the information, spoke up.

"Leave her alone, Gina. Ma’am Tessy did send for her, indeed. Stop releasing your frustrations and jealousy on her. She’s not the reason you’re unlikable. It’s your rigidity that made you unlikable."

Gina’s face flushed red. "What did you just say?" she hissed.

Alexa didn’t flinch. "You heard me." She said, leaving what she was doing and turning to face Gina squarely. Her stance was confident, and her eyes sparkled with defiance.

Ruby, uneasy about the growing tension, looked between them, then cleared her throat. "Can you two stop fighting for once?"

"No fighting in the kitchen," Dorian spoke in a scolding tone, stepping in just as the air began to thicken with hostility. He had been passing by and caught wind of the argument. "And you, Gina, stop brewing unnecessary trouble. Madam sent for someone, and you are asking the person not to go. Are you all right?"

"Don’t insult me, Dorian. I know Ruby more than you do, and I know how she takes the smallest of excuses to escape her job, so keep your insults to yourself," Gina fired back.

"If you know her so well, then you should go confirm from Madam if she truly sent for her instead of relying on baseless assumptions." Dorian shifted his attention to Ruby, who was still standing by the doorway. "What are you still waiting for? You want Boss to find out that you have been keeping his wife waiting?"

Ruby moved instantly, heading towards Tessy’s room. But when she sighted Daniel, she diverted for a moment, calling his attention.

"Sir Daniel... when will Boss Roman be back? Ma’am Tessy asked me to let her know as soon as he returns."

"He’s not back yet," Daniel replied in a cool tone. "But he’s on his way. Maybe in about ten minutes, he’ll be here."

Ruby gave a grateful nod. "Okay. I’ll let her know. Thank you."

Without another word, she walked away, her sandals quietly padding against the marble floors as she made her way upstairs. The scent of freshly polished marble filled her nostrils as she passed by the decorative hallway. She knocked softly at the large doors of Tessy’s room.

"Ma’am Tessy," she called gently.

"Come in, Ruby," Tessy’s voice replied from inside.

Ruby opened the door, stepping into the warmly lit room, her hands full with a small basket. Inside were a few items carefully arranged: small purple candles, a lighter, and a lavender-scented oil bottle. The room was dimly lit, the golden lights giving it a peaceful, cozy atmosphere.

Ruby turned to Tessy with a soft smile. "I hope you rested well, Ma’am Tessy."

"Yes, I did," Tessy replied, exhaling as she leaned back against her pillows. "Is my husband back yet?"

Ruby shook her head. "No, Ma’am. I asked Sir Daniel, and he said Boss Roman is already on his way. He should be back in maybe ten minutes. But sir Williams is here. He arrived a few minutes ago."

"All right," Tessy murmured, then arched a curious brow as her gaze fell on Ruby’s basket. "I see you came prepared. What are all these you brought with you?"

Ruby smiled and stepped closer, placing the items carefully on the small side table beside the bed. "Lavender candles," she said, holding one up. "They help you feel relaxed and can also help you sleep more soundly."

Tessy blinked. "We had those in the house all this time?"

"No, Ma’am," Ruby replied. "These are mine. I brought them with me when I came here, but these ones are still unopened. I brought them for you."

Tessy looked at her, slightly taken aback. "You’re gifting them to me?"

Ruby nodded. "Yes, Ma’am. You’ve been under a lot of stress lately... I just thought they might help you rest better."

Tessy was quiet for a moment, her eyes softening. The thoughtfulness in Ruby’s gesture was unexpected. It wasn’t grand, but it was sincere, and that alone made her feel oddly seen.

"Thank you," she said finally, her voice quiet.

Ruby gave a small smile and began arranging the candles, setting two of them by the windowsill and one on each bedside table. She lit them, the delicate scent of lavender filling the air almost instantly, wrapping the room in a calming embrace.

Once she was done setting up the candles, she placed the small stool she brought with her right before Tessy’s chair and sat on it, laying a towel on her thighs.

"Are you ready?" she asked, and Tessy nodded her head in response.

"Place your right foot here," Ruby instructed, pointing to the towel on her thighs.

Tessy obeyed quietly, doing exactly as the girl asked her to. The warmth of Ruby’s hands and the softness of the towel made her sigh even before the massage began.

As soon as Ruby commenced the massage, Tessy just knew she wasn’t kidding when she said she was good at it, because it felt as if the girl’s hands were reaching every aching nerve in her legs. Each motion was slow, deliberate, practiced—applying just enough pressure to ease the tension without causing pain.

Tessy closed her eyes, letting out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. For the first time in what felt like forever, her body began to relax.

With the lavender in the air, and Ruby’s hands working magic on her tired feet, Tessy found herself slowly drifting into a space of comfort and healing—one she hadn’t felt in weeks.