The untamed Alpha and his human mate

Chapter 14: Found

Everyone was so afraid of Clayton that it made me wonder what Odette’s mother had been like, the kind of woman who had stood close to him, close enough to share his bed, his life, even briefly. “What was she like, her mother?” I found myself asking and hoped it wasn’t too rude or personal.

She smiled at me, relaxing in her seat now the phone call with Clayton was finished. “Ah, Arla,” she said, her voice warming with memory. “She was such a beautiful woman, kind too, she always treated me like family, not staff.” Her gaze softened. “And she was an amazing mother.”

Something in her tone made my chest ache.

“Was she a werewolf?” I asked. “Like Clayton?”

“No,” Esther shook her head. “A werepanther, honestly she was so kind and good compared to most wereanimals, I still have no idea how she ended up in his bed.”

“Just the once?” I asked and then blushed, that was way too personal a question. She laughed at my cringing face and said, “no, not just once.” I shrank slightly into my seat.

“I think it was going on for around two months,” she continued. “Then one time she stayed there for a week with him.”

“Did they ever become more than just lovers?”

“I don’t know, I was just the nanny and housekeeper, it was none of my business.” Her expression dimmed slightly. “All I know is that when Odette was born, something happened to make Arla decide she didn’t want Clayton to be a part of their daughter’s life.”

“And what does Odette know about her father?” I asked quietly.

“Nothing, her mother never told her much, she didn’t want her to know what kind of man he was.”

“I feel bad going against her wishes and taking her daughter to him,” I said.

She leaned back in her seat, picking at a fray on the arm of the sofa, and said, “don’t feel bad, that’s how she felt when she was alive. If she couldn’t be there for Odette and if she knew she had run away and was out there somewhere on the streets, I know Arla would much rather she be with her father than in danger and with no one to raise her.”

“What about you?” I asked.

She shook her head sadly, “I’m not allowed, I’ve been given six months to grieve my master’s death.” Her voice grew quieter. “Then I’ll be taken and sold on to someone else.”

I looked at her withdrawn and defeated face, the fear in her eyes probably knowing she wouldn’t get so lucky next time having a nice owner.

I was quiet while I thought, and then I looked at her. “What if it was possible for you to come live with me and Clayton? If he allowed you to stay with us, I think that would really help Odette settle in more too, she’ll need you, and you’d be safer than anyone out there with Clayton as your master.”

She quickly shook her head, but I could see the hint of hope in her eyes at the same time when I mentioned she’d be so safe she’d practically be untouchable.

“He scares me,” she admitted, her voice dropping. “The things I’ve heard about him,” she shivered.

“He’s not that bad, he can be moody and strict, but he wouldn’t hurt you.”

“I don’t know.” She sat there nervously, her foot tapping away.

“I would hate for you to end up with one of the vile males who go looking for women to buy,” I whispered.

“I fear that too, but I’m old and grey,” a weak smile. “I don’t think I’d be their first choice.”

“That’s what I thought with my scarred face and my heavy weight, and then…”

“And then Clayton Blackthorn came along?” She gave a small smile, and I smiled back. “Yes, I’m so lucky he isn’t like those men.”

She regarded me thoughtfully and then said, “I suppose it wouldn’t be too bad if it meant I got to stay with Odette, though it’s highly unlikely he will want me.”

“Can’t hurt to ask,” I smiled and then pulled out my phone.

: Hey Clayton, would it be possible for Odette’s nanny to have you as her new master too?

I left it at that and prayed he didn’t try calling again, it was so much easier talking to him through text.

He did reply through text, thankfully, but it was a blunt ‘no.’

Maybe therapy was helping me, maybe training with Clayton, or maybe my feeling of wanting to protect Odette and her nanny outweighed my fear of Clayton. Either way, I found myself standing up and looking to the nanny, whose name I still didn’t know. “What’s your name?” I asked her.

“Esther,” she smiled faintly.

“I need to call Clayton. Can I use your kitchen for some privacy?”

“Yes, of course,” she nodded.

I stepped into the small kitchen with a simple wooden dinner table and chairs. I saw the sink filled with soapy water and dirty dishes on the side. I’d interrupted her washing up, by the looks of it.

I made the call to Clayton, and he answered on the sixth ring, sounding a little breathless. “Yes?”

“It’s Amaya.”

“I know it’s you. What do you want?”

“Am I interrupting a run?” I asked.

He snorted. A low, amused sound. I heard Blisses giggle in the background. “He was just playing with me!” She called out.

“Two secs,” Clayton muttered. I heard him get up, probably leaving the bedroom. I heard the door click shut behind him, and he said, “ok, what’s up?”

I was quiet down the line, unsure why, or so I told myself, truth was I didn’t like that Bliss was there alone with him, having his attention on her, having more than just his attention all over her. Alone like a proper couple, whether Clayton wanted to admit that or not, that’s how it was starting to look the more he invited her over.

“Amaya, you still there?”

I pulled myself from my thoughts and quickly answered, “sorry, yes! Uh, right, so I wanted to ask about the nanny. Her names Esther, and—”

“I already told you no.”

His biting tone had me not back down so easily as I usually did. “You don’t think it would be good for Odette? They have a bond, when I find her, she’s going to be scared and alone.” I swallowed. “I’ll be dragging her to some unknown home to a father she’s never met. I think Esther would help greatly in her settling in quicker, to have at least one familiar face.”

He was quiet, and then I heard him groan in annoyance. “Fine, she can stay here and help my daughter settle in.”

“No,” I said, surprising even myself. “Let her stay permanently, when she’s sold on, you know her next master won’t be as kind as Arla.”

I heard him clear his throat awkwardly when I mentioned her mother’s name, but he answered, “fine, if she wants me as her master, she can, but the same rules apply to her as to you and I’m not paying for her.”

“Perfect!” I grinned down the line, and I guess he heard the smile in my voice because he said, “don’t get too excited. I don’t like being pressured into things, Amaya, and certainly not by some human slave.”

“Don’t be so mean,” I shot back, the words slipping out before I could stop them. Seems being far away from him helped me talk back more, that and a lot of therapy.

“I’m being honest, not mean. I am a god, the king of all werewolves, and you are nothing but a lowly human.”

“You’re a d**k!” I yelled down the line and then panicked and hung up. He tried to call me back, but I embraced my cowardice and declined the call, then I turned the phone off.

I went back in to Esther, and she smiled, “he’s so lovely… is he?”

I cringed and said, “it’s the first time I’ve yelled at him, I never said he had good manners.”

“That’s an understatement, I’m sure,” she laughed.

I gave a small awkward laugh and then grinned, “but he did agree you can live with us.”

She tried to stay looking unbothered and as if the thought of living with the beast god was not appealing, but I saw the relief in her eyes too.

“I’m not sure where to start looking for Odette. If she didn’t know anything about her father, then what was she looking for?” I asked.

She stood up and walked into the kitchen, flicking the kettle on. “Want some tea?”

“No thank you,” I smiled.

She turned back and carried on making her own tea as she answered, “like most children, she built a story in her head. I think she built up this image of a loving father, she convinced herself he was this big, jolly older man with a white beard.” She gave me a knowing look, and I asked, “like Santa?”

She gave a nod, and I asked, “were there any places she loved that her mother took her to? Maybe some place meaningful to them? I know she’s young, but I’m wondering, if she realised she couldn’t find her father, then maybe she would seek comfort in some place that reminded her of her mother.”

“There’s a park just on the outskirts of the city that Arla used to always take her to.” Her voice softened. “It was their favorite thing to do together, and I know Arla drummed it into her that if Odette ever got lost, she should go to the park and wait for her.” She laughed a little at the memory and said, “Odette could never keep still for long. Arla knew she wouldn’t stand and wait for her mother in one spot for long, so she came up with the park as a meeting spot.”

“Has anyone looked there yet?”

“I tried to once, but it’s not safe for us slaves to be walking around alone. I’m old and not very agile. I almost got taken by someone until they saw the name tattooed on me.”

I nodded. “I’m sorry, it was the same for me, sneers, disgusted looks, and cruel comments. Since I’ve been wearing this, everyone’s been almost too friendly,” I laughed, touching the collar.

“I wouldn’t mind one of them,” she laughed.

“I’ll get him to make you one.”

She almost spat her tea out at my words and sputtered a laugh. “Get him to? You make it sound as if you’re the one bossing him about and not the other way around.”

I gave an awkward laugh and said, “yeah, I should probably stop talking like that. Anyway, I should get going before it gets dark and late. As soon as I have any information, I’ll let you know.”

She gave me her number, hugged me goodbye, and I almost broke down when the door closed behind me. It had been so long since anyone had held me, touched me in a gentle or loving way. s**x with Clayton didn’t count because that had been clinical, robotic even, nothing had really touched besides our hips and groins.

With directions from Esther, I managed to find the park. I searched everywhere but couldn’t see any sign of a child. It was cold, lightly drizzling with rain, and the park was completely empty. The wind cut through the air, rattling the metal swings softly like something out of a horror film.

I tried one last attempt just in case, “Odette! If you’re here, let me know. Your father sent me, he wants you to live with him, your nanny Esther too.” Maybe explaining and hearing about her nanny might help.

Nothing. I turned to leave but could have sworn I heard a quiet whimper. No way, surely not. Could it really be this easy to find her?

“Odette?” I asked more softly.

I looked underneath, the climbing frame and big slide, there was a little square area underneath and that’s where I saw what must have been Odette, sitting there looking scared, dirty, cold, and shivering. The poor baby girl didn’t even have a blanket or anything, just her coat, and it looked damp from the rain. How on earth had she not become sick? Oh, right, supernaturals didn’t get sick.

“Odette?” I asked.

She nodded, she was so cold I could hear her teeth chattering.

“Want to come with me?”

“And Daddy, and Nana Esther?” She asked.

“Yes, but first let’s get you cleaned up and fed, ok?”

She nodded, and I held my hand out to her. I wasn’t sure she would take it, but she did, her tiny fingers slipping into mine. It was heartbreaking to think she was so innocent that she would take a stranger’s hand and go with them. What if some creep had come along instead of me? It didn’t bear thinking about, she was safe now.