Chapter Five - Party Time

“What do you mean, I won’t be Fallon’s main carer from now on?”

“Olivia’s here now. Aunt Deborah thinks she’s more than competent.”

Nell was sure her anxiety must show on her face. “Please, Alpha,” she begged. “Let me check her over at least.”

“No,” he said.

“Would you punish your own half-sister, too?”

“You flatter yourself, human. Very well. But I’ll be there the whole time,” he warned.

“Thank you, Alpha. You won’t regret it.”

“Hurry up. You have seventy suppers to prepare.”

At first she thought she had misheard him. Had he said “seventeen”? Yes, that must be it.

Fallon was sleeping when they arrived. Nell didn’t miss the knowing smirk on her sister’s face. What on earth was she wearing? Those shorts were far too tight. She must have packed her own bag. Was she staying, too? How would her mom cope, living on her own after all this time?

Well, that was the least of her worries now.

Stooping to plant a kiss on Fallon’s chubby cheek, Nell turned to the Alpha.

“I suppose you want me in the kitchen now?”

He leaned over her, invading her personal space deliberately. “You're doing it again, woman. Giving me ideas.”

It vexed her to feel an unaccustomed sense of triumph because of the startled look on Olivia’s face.

Then she was being hustled away to a different building which she knew housed the dining hall. That was when Alpha Liam introduced her to a couple of Omegas and made it clear they must put her to work, no job off limits.

Carly wasted no time in getting her to peel potatoes, a thankless task for a family never mind a whole wolfpack, while she herself shelled peas. Nell knew better than to protest and the woman’s scorn soon turned to surprise as she finished the work quickly and asked what else she could do. Georgia, the other Omega, was trying to keep her eye on several huge boiling cauldrons and Nell was assigned to stir the soup.

She really hoped nobody would insist she try and lift one of them.

Throughout it all the worry persisted: where was she going to sleep that night?

Serving was a far easier duty. While the two Omegas came in for their fair share of abuse, some of it physical, no-one insulted her. Had the Alpha warned them off?

Eventually, exhausted, she managed a few mouthfuls of food before her head drooped and she fell asleep where she sat.

Nell woke to find herself being carried up the stairs by someone who was definitely male. She panicked at first, beating at his chest with her small fists, until he spoke.

“Calm down, woman. I’m taking you to bed.”

Alpha Liam’s words had the opposite effect and she continued to struggle, crying out, “No!” and calling him selfish and unfeeling.

“Happy now?” he asked, setting her down in front of the nursery.

Nell felt her face grow hot. “I thought – ”

“Disappointed?” he taunted.

“Hardly,” she said. “May I go now?”

“You may, but I want you in my office at 6 am tomorrow.”

She knew better than to argue. “Yes, Alpha,” she said.

Olivia was already asleep and the pup needed changing. Nell sighed. What had she ever done to deserve this?

Unable to sleep in case the nightmare intruded again, she lay watching the nightlight until the early hours. A quick shower did little to enliven her and Nell wasn’t sure what to wear. Nothing provocative, that was for sure.

At exactly one minute before the hour she stood outside the Alpha’s door wondering if she should just knock and get it over with. Then she sensed a presence behind her and turned only to see Alpha Liam himself. He didn’t look as if he’d slept much either and she took some comfort from that.

“Jeans,” he said.

Nell wanted to roll her eyes. “You didn’t stipulate what I was to wear, Alpha.”

“Now there’s an idea.”

She couldn’t be sure whether or not he was joking.

“Aren’t we going in?”

“Change of plan,” he said, grabbing hold of her hand. The jolt of electricity took them both by surprise. “I want to show you something.”

The overgrown herb garden had once been the Luna’s pride and joy. It seemed she was to be entrusted with the task of restoring it to its former glory.

“Can I look in on Fallon later?”

“We’ll see,” he told her. “Depends on your progress. You’ll find all the tools you need in that shed. It’s unlocked. Nobody would ever steal from a Marchant.”

And so it went on, day after day a different job while Olivia was trusted to take care of the pup. She wondered about her father sometimes and if he had left because he felt she had abandoned him. Nobody would have bothered to explain the circumstances behind her absence, that was for sure.

The work wasn’t hard. If the Alpha was hoping to break her, he didn’t know Nell at all. It helped some to keep busy, and at least she got to cuddle the little girl every other day.

Fallon had somehow managed to survive her first month when Olivia did a disappearing act. Maybe now Alpha Liam would see sense.

Today was his birthday and there was a party planned for later, according to Deborah.

“Have fun,” she told the woman she considered to be a friend. At least she had an excuse not to go, as no doubt the burden of caring would fall to her once more.

“You’re coming, too.”

“But I’ve nothing to wear,” Nell protested.

“Hm. Fancy a trip into the human city? Come on, we can have lunch in the mall. My daughter Holly is great at personal shopping.”

“Will the Alpha not want me to remain here?”

“I’ll square it with him. Don’t worry about that, Nell.”

The green top was off the shoulders. Nell liked it on sight but doubted she would be able to carry it given her lack of height. Holly disagreed. Paired with a long skirt and some slouchy boots she could just about walk in, she scarcely recognised herself.

“Is that the one?” Deborah asked, making a show of extracting an American Express card from her purse.

Nell chewed her lip. She had wondered if Olivia had ever surrendered the other one but didn’t like to ask.

“She’ll take it,” Holly said, firmly. “Now, what about lingerie?”

By the time she was perusing the menu in the exclusive restaurant, she was the reluctant possessor of matching bra and panties sets, a garter belt, several pairs of stockings and a few thongs. Nell assumed the latter would be uncomfortable and a tight fit. Instead they felt like a second skin.

The steak was a rare treat for her and she asked for it to be well-done. Though the sight of blood wasn’t something she was squeamish about she didn’t want to see it on her plate. Leaving half the chips and declining the offer of a pudding elicited a wistful sigh from the teenager.

“I wish I had your willpower,” Holly said, opting for strawberry cheesecake with pouring cream.

She had been reassured there wouldn’t be either gowns or formal dancing, yet when she stood in the doorway that evening she saw coloured lights spinning around from a disco ball. The Alpha was bound to hate this.

Taking the plunge she was pounced on by an excited Holly who took her directly to a trestle table bearing a punch bowl.

“You can’t say no,” the girl gushed. “I made this myself.”

Needless to say it was very potent and she resolved to switch to fruit juice after that.

Alpha Liam was late to his own party, but the excited buzz and the preening of several she-wolves altered her to his presence. He marched directly to the drinks table and helped himself to bourbon.

“Happy Birthday, Alpha,” Holly gushed. “What do you think of Nell’s new outfit?”

She froze, knowing he would take the opportunity to look her up and down and probably find her wanting. The bare shoulders seemed awfully daring now as did the cleavage.

“Nell looks good enough to eat, doesn’t she, Alpha?”

Holly pouted at her brother. “Trust you to spoil it, Henry.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Alpha Liam said, his voice as deep as ever. “Dance with me, woman. That’s an order.”