0001: The Slave

MERIDA 

" Meridaaaaa!!!" 

Someone yelled my name from upstairs and I gave a silent groan as my head pounded not from the scream but from lack of sleep and hunger.

" Where is that ostrich called Merida?" The voice said again as I struggled to my feet and my stomach rumbled.

I didn't need a seer to tell me who it was. It was no other person but my Aunt Ophelia. I could hear her loud footsteps coming down the stairs. 

Just as I tried to steady myself, I fell back on the box I had been sitting on. 

" Goodness me." She gasped." I just hope I'm blind and not seeing you sitting like the mate to a powerful Alpha."she said to me. I opened my mouth to say something and only air poured out and, before I could blink, her hands flew through the air and made slices of slaps on my cheeks, sending me reeling backwards.

"What have you been doing here? You have been busy doing nothing, I guess." She said again to me and I kept mute. 

Enough experience had told me that trying to defend myself would only get me into more trouble, so I stood there like a statue staring at her as she yelled at me.

"For the past 3 days I have been drumming this into your silly head that we are having guests, but instead all you, do ever since you woke up was to sit there staring into space."

I bowed my head and let my eyes gaze at my bony feet. It was my way of giving a silent apology. 

"Didn't you hear when I said one of our guests is very important? In case you don't know, Alpha Lukan Hades will be here any moment from now and I don't want you to give this family a bad name because of your sluggishness when it comes to cleaning."

I raised my head up slowly. 

Alpha Lukan Hades. A powerful and popular Alpha in all of the Western Wolfe Kingdom.

I already knew he was coming, but not this early. 

I bent down and gathered the mop and the bucket as Aunt Ophelia ran into the kitchen and came back with a tray of wine flutes and a bottle of expensive wine.

"These are for the guests. You better not drink them," She said, pushing the tray into my hands.

She pushed me into the small room where our guest would be sitting and banged the door shut.

I placed the tray on one of the tables carefully and proceeded with my cleaning. 

The room was as clean as anything and was even as sparkling as the sun and, for the umpteenth time, I wondered why I should be cleaning it. 

Lying on one of the chairs was a magazine. I reached for it and tossed it away and proceeded with my cleaning thinking I had heard the soft thud of the magazine hitting the floor, but instead I heard someone clearing their throat.

I looked towards the direction and my breath hitched in my throat.

There, sitting at the far end holding a fat cigar in the other hand and sipping from a tumbler, was the most handsome man I had ever seen. 

"Don't tell me your eyes were glued to your face for decorations?" He hissed and took another sip.

"I- I'm so sorry." I stuttered in a very small voice which was barely above a whisper.

"Didn't you see me, or you pretended not to?"he questioned, rising to his feet as he puffed out smoke from his lips before butting it.

I tried to speak, but my lips quivered, and my eyes fell down to my feet in fear.

"Answer me!" He roared, and I began to shiver and, instead, I shook my head. 

"Then you could have felt my presence or even perceived my scent."

I shook my head numbly." I didn't feel your presence and…and I didn't perceive your scent." I managed to say, forcing the words out. 

He cocked an eyebrow and with one long finger he lifted my face and stared at me while I tried to look away fearfully.

"What kind of wolf doesn't perceive a scent or don't you have one?"

"I have a wolf." I struggled to speak. I could feel his eyes roaming around my body and settled on a scar on my upper arm. 

"What is this a kind of punishment or what?"

I nodded feebly.

"Speak to me and look at me when I'm talking to you, not at your feet."

I swallowed hard." Yes, it was a punishment to bind my wolf."

I could feel that the discussion was taking another direction. I quickly disengaged from his grasp.

I wanted to be done with everything Aunt Ophelia instructed before she finds me there. 

So I turned around and picked up the tray, and I wasn't watching my steps. I felt myself bumping into him and the tray fell off my hands. The wine flute and bottle of wine broke into pieces, shattering the still air. 

Just then the door burst open, and Aunt Ophelia stood there like she had seen the ghost of her grandparents. 

" Gracious Moon goddess." She gasped, and she raced to slap me when Alpha Lukan's hands tightened on her wrist.

"If I were you I wouldn't do that."

She released her hands from his grasp forcefully and gave a thin smile.

" Go and call your uncle, get another drink and find something to clear this mess." She rattled orders at me.

" Aunt Ophelia asked me to call you, the Alpha is here." I said to Uncle Garrick who was in the living room. He dropped the remote and gave me a deadly look before pushing me out of the way. 

I quickly brought another wine flute and a champagne and while I cleared the mess I could feel Alpha Lukan's gaze on me.

" She is your niece, I'm I correct." 

" Yes," Aunt Ophelia said immediately. 

" So why does she look like your slave?"

Aunt Ophelia and uncle Garrick exchanged shocked glances. This was the first time someone had openly challenged the way they were treating me and from the looks on their faces they hated it.

" She did something terribly wrong," Aunt Ophelia said after a brief moment. 

" And what would that possibly be?

" Alpha Lukan asked, quite angry.

Aunt Ophelia gave me a brief dirty look before she spoke up again.

"Ask her what happened 15 years ago."