Amara: The Alpha's slave mate

Chapter 7

July 16

Life in the pack house went on as normal, the same routine was observed by all, jobs were handed out by Mrs H in the morning, afternoon and evening. I was still on light duties for the most part. Primarily because no one knew that Alpha Williams had healed my side, and if I told them, then I would also have to tell them that he’s my mate, something my wolf was still insisting we keep to ourselves.

It was lunch time for the staff, and for the first time in as long as I could remember I was sat at the table with the girls. More often than not I used this time to take food to the pack members, but the Alphas lunch ran long, and Hannah still hadn’t finished packing up the leftovers.

The girls were all animated, no one had been hurt since my punishment, the visitors seemingly had our Alpha in a good mood and we were all reaping the benefits of that so lunch was a happy affair, with lots of laughter, only I couldn’t bring myself to take part.

While everyone around me was happy, laughing and carefree, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I hadn’t seen Alpha Williams or his Beta or Gamma in the last two days, not since he healed me, and it had me on edge. The longer I went without interacting with him, the more time I had for my mind to overthink. And I was doing that in an abundance.

Did he still want me? Was it all an act so that I would leave quietly? Was he hiding who he really was?

In two days, I had managed to talk myself out of any optimism I had felt, any hope I had was now gone, and once again I was on tenterhooks and thinking the worst. Which was in reality the most likely situation.

I had spent so much time with my head in books, that I had created a belief that there were packs out there, Alphas out there that still observed the old ways that I read about. But there was no evidence to suggest that any of it was real, quite the opposite in fact. If Alpha Williams was here on business, then that in itself suggested that the man was far from being honourable. Nothing our Alpha had his hand in was on the up and up.

‘Mrs H is watching us’ my wolfs voice sounded inside my head putting an instant stop to my inner musings as I glanced around the room to find the older woman leant against the kitchen counter, a concerned expression on her face as she watched me. I offered a timid smile and went to join the conversation around me until a jerk of her head had me stilling again with confusion. Never in all my years here had Mrs H wanted a private word with me, at least not during mealtime.

I grabbed my half empty cup and followed the woman outside to the gardens. Falling in beside her, we walked along the flower beds and across the grounds towards the apple trees and the singular bench that rested underneath them. Not a single word was spoken, and I found myself swallowing around the nervousness that filled me.

Had she found out about the Alpha? About the food I was taking to the pack members?

We both took up seats on the bench, the mid-day sun was strong, and I found myself wincing against the brightness as I shifted to half face the only woman that had ever given a damn, but still she sat quietly, her expression filled with a sadness I had never seen before.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, unable to bite my tongue any longer.

Her eyes met mine, a sigh leaving her lips before she turned to look out over the lake. “The Alpha has requested you specifically for a job tonight.” She stated. Her words barely above a whisper and I felt myself tensing.

“What job?” I asked but she shook her head.

“He wouldn’t say, he has requested you join him in his office after lunch. He did, however, say that the job would have you unavailable for the night.” She uttered and my hands shook in my lap as fear coursed through me so strong that my mind went fuzzy. Absolutely nothing good could come from this.

“Has he ever given out a job like this before?” I asked, feeling like I was trying to get blood from a stone, Mrs H really didn’t seem to want to discuss this.

“Once.” That simple confirmation had me biting my lip and wringing my hands.

“Amelia?” I asked, referring to a slave that had once worked here with us. She would have been four years older than me, and for the better part of two years she was the personal slave to the Alpha, when he called, she went, she did nothing but. Most nights she never returned to her bed, and while it was never outwardly spoken of, I knew what her job was, we all did.

“Yes.” The simple confirmation had tears rising to my eyes. It didn’t matter now if I had found my mate or not. If this was what he wanted me for, he would never let me go. Not until he was done with me. “I’m so sorry Amara. I was hoping I would never have to have this conversation again.” She whispered and I blinked at the sight of her tears falling freely.

“It’s okay.” I stated on instinct. It was far from okay, but I couldn’t stomach the sight of her tears. “It’s not like there is anything we can do about it. He owns us. This is his right.” I stated feeling sick even as the words left my lips. “Besides, better me than one of the younger girls.”

“You’ve always been one of the strongest, one of my favourites.” She stated placing a hand on my cheek as we both cried. I watched through bleary eyes as her throat moved before more words left her lips, words that felt like they were cementing my fate. “Don’t fight against him. It will be your instinct to do so, but it will make it all worse. Close your eyes, think of your happy place, it will be over before you know it. As soon as you are allowed, you come and find me. Screw the rules.” She uttered and I huffed a teary laugh at that, it wasn’t very often that Mrs H swore, but when she did it made us all smile.

“I will. I’ll be okay.”

“I know you will sweetheart. There is nothing he can do to you, that you cannot survive.” She stated, giving me my own words with a gentle smile.

The girls leaving the staff door caught both of our attention and with a determination I didn’t know I possessed, I dried my eyes and stood.

“I should go now.”

“You come and find me Amara. Promise me.”

“I promise.” I offered a small smile as I took in her kind face, lined with years of laughter and smiles, frowns and sadness, Mrs H looked older in that moment than I had ever seen her before, and it broke my heart that it had taken until that very second for me to realise just how much she truly cared for us girls.

I bent at the waist and pressed a kiss to her cheek before standing and heading back to the house without a backwards glance, I couldn’t look at her again, not if I was planning to get through this with any shred of my dignity intact.

I smiled at the girls, and waved in response to their nods, I walked through the house like I was paying attention, I followed every social etiquette and rule that had been instilled in me since my arrival here. But I didn’t remember a single second of it. The entre time I was stuck in my own head, thinking of the hell that awaited me on the other side of the double wooden doors that locked off the Alphas office.

With a deep breath and a whimper I raised my fist and knocked on the door. The responding “Come in.” Had me physically jumping where I stood, and I pushed open the heavy door with shaking hands.

I had never been inside the office, none of us girls had. Mrs H was the only one the Alpha allowed entry to. It was a nice room, filled with shelves and decorated with artwork that was likely worth as much as most of the houses in town, but I didn’t stop to take it in, I couldn’t, not when a pair of dark eyes were boring into me from the other side of the huge desk.

I showed my submission, bowing my head and swallowed hard. “You asked for me Alpha?”

“Yes, take a seat.” The man grunted and I startled in surprise. Slaves didn’t sit.

With jerky movements I perched on the edge of the chair facing him, keeping my eyes down the entire time.

“I have a job for you.” His tone was demanding and amused all at once and I felt myself blinking away tears once again.

“I need you to distract our visiting Alpha this evening.” He stated words that I had not been expecting and my head jerked up for the briefest of moments to find him watching me. “He seems to have taken a liking to you, he’s been watching you, and I need him otherwise occupied.” He stated and my mouth went dry. He didn’t want me for himself, as his words sank in, relief and horror warred for dominance as I considered what he was asking of me.

“Do you understand what I’m asking, or do I need to spell it out?” He asked his tone angry this time, and I realised that I hadn’t spoken a word.

“I understand Alpha.”

“Good, then you understand there will be no room for failure on this. I don’t give a s**t what you need to do, f**k him, suck him, anything he wants, and good enough that he passes out beside you. If he leaves that room tonight, I will kill you. Do you understand that?”

“Yes Alpha.” I uttered almost on autopilot. Because this job would be harder than the Alpha knew.

“Your Luna has bought you some clothes. After dinner, you will change into them.” He stated indicating a bag on the floor by the door, “Then you will go straight to his room, if he is not there you will wait there for him, then you will keep him there all night. I will ensure you are rewarded if you manage this well enough.” He stated with a smirk that had me shivering, the Alphas idea of a reward likely wasn’t something I would want. But failure would result in death. So, I wouldn’t fail. I just wasn’t sure how to succeed. “Go now.” The Alpha commanded, and I stood, grabbing the bag on my way out and made my way on shaking legs back down to my room.

I paid no attention to any of the girls, I barely even saw their faces as I stepped through the kitchen. My mind was filled with everything at once, even my usually positive and encouraging wolf seemed at a loss. How the hell was I supposed to seduce a man that had already had the opportunity and had said no, a man that had already said he wouldn’t touch me or do anything I didn’t want, a man that knew when I was lying? And more importantly did I want to?

The idea of being with Alpha Williams didn’t invoke the same fear and revulsion I felt about Alpha Westley. The two men were leagues apart when it came to their physical appearance. While both men seemed to spend most of their time around me being angry, one took it out on me and the other seemed to be angry on my behalf, or maybe that was just wishful thinking.

As much as I wished it was different Alpha Williams had done nothing to earn my trust. I simply did not know the man, and I knew from experience that looks can be deceiving. I wanted him to be a nice man, a good Alpha with a kind heart but that was the bond speaking, I could feel it even now, like a magnet was pulling me in his direction.

‘We need help.’ My wolf stated and my exclamation of ‘no s**t!’ might have been aloud as I tossed ideas and thoughts around in my head.

I shut myself in my room and emptied the contents of the bag on my bed, a blue dress that was without a doubt prettier than anything I had ever owned, tumbled onto the thin mattress, followed by white lace, lots of lace. I picked up the underwear grimacing at the thought. It was pretty, sexy I guess. And under normal circumstances I would be thrilled to own such expensive pieces of fabric, but knowing the purpose behind these had me feeling sick.

I was supposed to deceive a man, who could, as far as I know, be a genuinely nice person, he could be the rose amongst the thorns and my saviour, and I would be throwing away any chance at getting to know him if I followed through with this. But if I didn’t then, I would be signing my own death warrant.

A knock sounded on the door and the wood pushed inwards before I could hide the fabric, Mrs H stuck her head around the frame, her face draining of all colour when she saw what I was holding.

“Oh Amara, I was hoping I was wrong.”

“You were.” I uttered and watched as her face shifted, “This is somehow worse.”