Tight-Lipped

Esme POV

Where did he come from? The Banquet must have ended so he came out for some air. He stroked my hair but it wasn’t enough to ease the pain.

“Set your wolf free, Pet. She wants to come out.”

I stopped fighting the pain but I was sure I would die from it. As long as it would end. Once I surrendered control I think I got smaller and hairier.

I had four legs, long ears and brown spikey fur.

“What’s happening? I’m not supposed to be here.”

“You’re my wolf!” I said through the mind link.

“No, I can’t be. You’re not supposed to have a wolf.”

That’s a bummer, but the stone worked! I turned to Knox and he looked at me proudly.

“I told you you could do it, Pet.” He stuck a cigarette between his lips and pulled out a lighter from his pocket.

So he came out here to smoke.

“This isn’t right you’re not supposed to have a wolf. You’re wolfless.” My new wolf whined.

I panicked. I just got her I didn’t want to lose her already. I willed myself to return to my human form. I wrapped my arms around myself instantly because my dress had been torn to shreds after I shifted.

“You okay?”

I bobbed my head. “Yeah.”

“A little late for your first shift don’t you think? Not even under a full moon.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m a late bloomer.”

“Most late bloomers don’t get strong wolves,” Knox said accusingly.

He was right. I had a gamma wolf. I would have been happy with an omega wolf but I was given a gamma female wolf. I lifted my chin and stood.

“I’m lucky and tired so if you’ll excuse me—”

He snatched my arm. “Oh no you don’t. We have to talk. What were you doing in my room?”

We struggled for possession of my arm. “Nothing’s missing, right? I didn’t take anything.” I wasn’t lying.

He overpowered me and yanked me to his solid chest. A lump formed in my throat. What if someone saw us?

“Doesn’t matter if nothing’s missing. You weren’t just paying me a casual visit.”

He gripped my cheeks and forced me to look at him. His face was inches from mine and his breath brushed against my lips. My nipples hardened and sweat formed in my hands. Desire formed in my belly instead of fear and anxiety. Despite all the stories I’ve heard about this man I wasn’t scared. None of the stories I’d heard mentioned Alpha Knox was capable of kindness or helping someone through their first painful shift.

“Say something, Pet,” he whispered.

My lips parted but speech didn’t come out instead a sharp blood-curdling cry pierced the night. I jumped into Knox’s arms.

“What was that?” I gasped.

Knox tightened his grip on my body. He didn’t jump flinch or gasp.

“Relax,” he grumbled.

How could I relax when shouts and chaos broke out in the distant tent where the banquet was held?

“Wait here, Pet. This conversation isn’t over.”

He stomped on his cigarette and marched off towards the chaos.

I wasn’t waiting around for him to interrogate me again. Once he was out of sight I ran back into the house.

***

Everyone’s been tight-lipped about the horrible scream that brought the Pack doctor, and the royal guards to the banquet tent for two hours. All the slaves didn’t know but we all speculated. No one’s seen the Lunas or their daughters since the incident but my ex-mate’s been wandering around with his head held high ever since.

Everyone was on edge I was just glad to be back in the laundry room where I did the washing and the sowing and no one could see me.

Especially Alpha Knox.

“Esme!”

Kira stumbled into the laundry room and shut the door. She panted and gasped for air.

I tossed the shirt I was mending.

“Oh, my gosh were you almost caught?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Everything’s fine. There’s just so many people here than usual.”

“The Mating Run has us busy.”

“I’m glad I didn’t come on the opening night.”

Kira was my best friend and my only friend. We’ve been best friends since grade school. We were singled out as school outcasts because I was the daughter of a slave and Kira’s Mother was a rogue. We decided to join forces and have been inseparable since.

I’m not allowed to have visitors so Kira has to sneak into the castle to hang out. After thirteen years she’s never been caught. We know the consequences if she’s caught. I had so much to tell her but so much not to tell her at the same time.

“I’m sorry I wanted to be here for your birthday but Mom wouldn’t let me out of the house with all the Alphas arriving in the Pack.”

“It’s alright. It was a… bittersweet birthday.”

“I should have been there. Your birthday’s always overshadowed by Leo’s birthday. I mean you’ve lived here your whole life would it kill them to make you a cake?”

According to Luna Monica slaves and servants were meant to be hidden and silent.

“Doesn’t matter. I have something better than cake. I have a wolf!”

Her jaw dropped. “After eighteen years. Better late than never… but is it an omega?”

I shook my head. “Gamme female!”

We squealed, momentarily forgetting that Kira wasn’t meant to be here.

“At least one of us has a strong wolf,” she said.

Kira was an omega and they aren’t valued at all in the Highbridge pack. They’re seen as weak and disposable. It was disgusting. Wolves like Kira and Rhoda carried just as much importance as everyone else but they were barred from certain jobs. Kira was hoping to get a job in the Pack house so she could have a respectable job in the Pack if not then the options were stripper, sex slave or breeder. Breeder was a deadly last choice.

“I have more to tell you but I have to get these upstairs while everyone’s still out.”

I had to deliver the laundry to the betas rooms while they trained.

“You can’t leave me with that! Give me a bite.”

I rolled my eyes. “I found my fated mate.”

She gasped. “Beat me with a chicken! You didn’t.”

“Quiet down unless you want to get us killed.”

“Oh, I’ll die happy.”

I giggled. “I’ll be right back.”

After dumping the laundry in betas rooms I decided to hurry back to the laundry room before Kira got bored. A group of men marched passed the hall and I scurried back. It was Alpha Knox and his wolves. They stood by the stairs blocking my escape route.

“Are you sure the old man’s going to agree?” A man with a long braided beard.

Knox nodded. He didn’t look like the gentle man who helped me shift last night he had the face of a killer now.

“I didn’t come here to play a dying man’s game. If he thinks we’re here for an alliance then they’ve all something else coming. Move out.”

My heart jumped into my throat.

Was Knox going to attack my Pack? What do I do?