Rich Blood

Chapter 4: The Meeting

As we parked in front of the massive estate, I felt my eyes widen with wonder.

I have to clean...all of this? Suddenly the hidden agenda of my new position was seeming less intimidating and the idea of having to keep house in a probably ten thousand square foot, three story estate seemed more daunting.

I slide out of the backseat, grab my bag out of the trunk follow Kenneth and my father who have already began making way towards the ridiculously ornate front doors.

The double front doors were ark wood with heavy iron rods. This place seemed more like a fortress the closer I got. The windows were huge, but I could tell from the sheen that they were thick and meant to withstand heavy attack be it, packs, feral or gunfire. Above the front doors we were approaching was a balcony on the second floor and offered shelter over the porch as my father rang the doorbell.

It was only a matter of seconds before someone answered. A broad shaped older man with a wide smile and bright green eyes. "The Fengaris, I presume?" He said this with such sincere enthusiasm, my brother and father were both taken back. Kindness and niceness were looked at as weakness and stupidity in their eyes, so to find it in such an unexpected place through them for a moment.

"Yes, I am Jasper and this is Kenneth of the Harvest Moon Pack." Kenneth stood up straight. "We have come to present, my only daughter, Selene Fengari, to be the Charwoman-"

"Ha." The laughed escaped my lips before I even knew I had processed my father's words. "charwoman" was a fancy way of saying maid. My father turned and looked at me with a clinched jaw. His eyes had turned to a violent purple, as they did when his wolf came out. Kenneth's claws had extracted ever so much, at the sound of my voice. He hadn't always been so easily angered by me. At one time he was my protector, my best friend. But that was a long time ago.

I straightened up and looked at the ground, dropping any expression I may have had on my face. Before I did so, I couldn't have helped but noticed a flicker of delight across the man who opened the doors face. Was it at me? Surely not. Women, she-wolves were meant to be subservient. It was most likely at my father and brother's responses. My father resumed-

"We have come to present, my only daughter, Selene Fengari, to be the Charwoman on behalf of the Estate of Richard Blooding. In hopes to mends bonds that have been cracked and to show gratitude for our king's gracious ruling over these lands and packs."

He bowed. It was all I could do to now laugh at that. Jasper Fengari bowing. I thought I'd never see the day. If only he'd take a knee. That would be a sight.

"Come in, come in," the man said, "I am, Hester Mooresville. Head Advisory to the King and his Estate. If you will please, follow me Mr. Blooding is waiting in his study."

Entered the grand hall and even from what I saw on the outside I could not have been prepared for the elegance on the inside. Portraits of Richard Blooding's predecessors, his bloodline lined the hall, fresh flowers on tables beneath them. Dark marbled floors that echoed beneath our steps. It was decadent, but not in a way that I had imagined.

When I had heard others speak of this place and it's king I imagined a typical gothic troupe. Intimidating portraits, dark corridors, malicious almost. But I felt none of that here. And Richard Blooding himself, although I had never met him was supposed to be very visually intimidating. Handsome, very tall, dark but gruff and unamused. I hear he almost smiled and never laughed. He also had never chosen a mate, which the packs like to use as a reason to overthrow him and women liked to use as an excuse to throw themselves at him. I wondered if he expected that of me.

Hester lead us down the hall to a room on the left, opened the door and ushered us into the study. There he sat. Richard Blooding. I felt my heart pounding as I drew closer. I kept my gaze down, not to challenge my new boss when I hear his voice for the first time.

"Please sit down." His voice was like amber and warm honey and we did as we were instructed. "So, this is Selene."

The sound of my name coming from his lips was unbelievably familiar. I raise my eyes to meet his gaze. Oh, my god. He is gorgeous.