Chapter 11
Lauren has been watching over me for almost a week now and things have just gotten progressively worse. It started with the sl*ppers but now it is like she tries to make my life a living hell.
She would always make passing comments about my weight. One time I overheard her telling one of the maids to reduce my portion because I was getting obese. I didn’t eat at all that day until Ryker came back in the evening and forced me to eat something.
She also made sure to remind me every second of the day that Ryker was hers. I once tried telling her that I didn’t want him but she laughed and said that I was lying because everyone wanted him.
Today when Ryker was leaving, I almost begged him to stay because his absence meant her presence and I didn’t want to hear her continuously tearing me down.
I made up my mind to hide in the room and I hoped- no prayed that she would appreciate my absence and leave me alone but I quickly learned that not every prayer was bound to be answered when she walked into the room later that day.
She looked around the place with barely concealed jealousy and then her eyes landed on me, “I cannot believe that you still haven’t gotten out of bed at this time.”
“I wasn’t asleep. I just don’t have anything to do downstairs.” I tried to defend but she gave me a dismissive hum, “You don’t have to stay here; I’m not getting hurt up here.”
“I’m your glorified babysitter,” she said the last word in a patronizing tone, “it is my job to be wherever you are to make sure that you are always safe. Someone could sneak in through your window to kidnap you.” Then she added under her breath, “I wish they would.”
I knew she was just looking for an excuse to make my life horrible because there was no way that scenario could ever happen. My room was on the third floor and the window overlooked a small field that was always guarded. To get me, the person would have to kill all those guards by which time others would have been alerted.
She walked over to me and lifted my arm with a disdainful look, “If only you knew how to defend yourself then I wouldn’t need to be everywhere you are.”
I closed my eyes and tried not to let her words affect me. I didn’t need a reminder of how weak I was, I already knew it. I had been told every day of my life since I was born and you would think that I would be used to it by now but it hurts the same each time I hear it.
“I would like to train,” I muttered it under my breath but I forgot how sharp werewolf hearing was because she raised a brow
at me.
“You,” she began with an amused smirk, “Would like to train; don’t make me laugh darling. You wouldn’t be able to keep up with a newly turned wolf. I mean, look at you.”
I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment and I turned my gaze to my hands in my lap. It was stupid of me to even try to utter the words out loud. I should have realized that she would have the same sharp hearing as other werewolves or even stronger considering she’s a warrior. I mentally face palmed myself.
She stayed in my room for a little while longer before she grew bored and left the room; so much for wanting to protect me if someone tried to kidnap me.
I stayed inside for a few minutes more but then my stomach started to rumble so I made my way down the stairs and towards the kitchen. I poked my head in first to make sure she wasn’t there.
“She’s not here,” I jumped when I heard the voice behind me and I saw the maid who used to bring it up to my room. “You could have waited for me; I was going to bring it up.”
“It’s okay,” I gave her a small smile, “What’s your name?”
She was shocked by my question. I could imagine why; when I was at Tyson’s pack, no one cared to ask my name. They
dniu i even use it so I wasn’t surprised that they never asked. I wouldn’t even be surprised if most of them still dont know it
I’m sure that no one has bothered to ask her name either which is ironic considering she cooks for us and could easily poison us if she wished and would get away with it long enough to run far away from here.
“My name is Eve,” she said finally, “Forgive me for not responding early; it has been a while since someone of your class
asked me that,”
“I’m more like you than you realize, Eve.”
“You are the Alpha’s mate.” She said the words with so much reverence, “You may have been like me but you are no longer like that. Although it would-,” she trailed off, “Forgive me, I was speaking out of turn.”
“Please,” I implored, “Tell me.”
“You should eat,” she picked up the tray, “Alpha Caine would be very upset if he found out that you have not eaten all day.”
I knew she wasn’t going to say what she wanted to no matter how hard or how much I pushed so I nodded and thanked her for the meal. She responded with a deep curtsey and then returned to her work.
A part of me wanted to stay down here because it is a familiar environment for me but I didn’t know where Lauren was and I knew what would happen if she saw me eating so I ran as fast as I could to the room. Once I was safely behind the doors, I locked it shut.
I stayed in the room for the entirety of the day. Lauren tried to open the door a few times and each time it took a lot of effort to keep my breathing even so she would think I was asleep. She usually left after a few minutes and I think she actually liked the idea of not having to watch over me every second of the day:
It wasn’t until the last time that the knocking was more frantic and harder that I realized that I could possibly be in trouble. I slowly got to my feet and unlocked the door. I pulled it open just as Ryker’s hand was about to come down and thankfully he stopped just before his fist came in contact with my head.
He was still in his clothes that he left and there was frustration etched on his features. I closed my eyes tightly as I waited for him to yell at me for locking the door but instead, he let out a sigh of relief.
“I thought you were hurt,” were the first words out of his mouth, “Lauren told me that you hadn’t been out of the room all day and your door was locked.”
“1-,” I didn’t know how to respond to that. I have never had someone worry about me before, “I was just tired so I spent the day inside.”
“Are you ill?” he placed his palm on my forehead, “I could call Lucy; she will know what to do.”
“I’m not hurt,” I said quickly. The last thing I wanted to do was have Lucy called up from wherever she was to check on me, “I just wanted to be alone.”
“Have you eaten?” he asked and I nodded, “When?”
“This morning,” I whispered the words but he still heard it.
He opened his mouth, most likely to yell at me but he closed it instantly and took a deep breath to calm himself then he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger.
“Come with me,” was what he finally said and without waiting for a response, he turned on his heels and started walking
I was so stunned that for the first few seconds, I just stood there staring but then I realized he wasn’t waiting and hurried up to catch up to him. He walked down the stairs and I noticed he was going towards the dining room.
He sat at the head of the table and gestured for me to take a seat too. I hesitated for a second before leaving one chaat eropoy. between us and taking the next one. My actions didn’t go unnoticed because I saw his jaw tick lightly but he otherwise Caved
11:47 Thu, 23 Nov 3 GG.
Chapter II
silent.
I was about to ask why we were here when two maids- one of whom was Eve- started arranging various dishes on the table. They put at least six different platters before they left.
“Eat,” I stared at the assortment of food in front of me and the back at Ryker, “You haven’t eaten all day so eat.”
“I- I’m not hungry.”
“Ask me if I give a shit.” His tone was crude, “Eat or I will force you and I don’t care if you hate me afterwards.” I knew he
would ahead with his threat so I piled a little pasta onto my plate, “Fill up your plate or so help me, I will make good on go my earlier threat.”
I swallowed deeply and piled helpings of food until he finally made a hum of encouragement. I stared at my full plate and knew there was no way I would finish it but I also knew there was no way that I was going to be allowed to leave this table until I did. That was the entire point of him forcing me to eat with him I realized, to make sure I ate what he would consider enough.
“When you finish it,” he began as he started helping himself to food, “We can talk about the idea of you training.”
I paused with my food halfway to my mouth, “What are you talking about?”
“Lauren told me that you wanted to train with her and I am willing to consider it if you finish the meal.”
If there was no reason for me not to finish the food before; then I just got one because I don’t want to train with Lauren. And
I know I can’t tell Ryker because he will ask questions and potentially ask her about it so now I’m in a debacle.
“Eat Camilla,” Ryker said when he noticed I hadn’t moved, “We don’t have all night.”
