NALEDI’S POV.
I was over it. I was over the entire competition nonsense.
I was ready to get my issue sorted when I suddenly heard a gunshot. It wasn’t mine.
Arggghhh!
Tiras shouted and his arm bled. I looked up in shock and found an evil smile on Caellum’s face. “That will teach you never to treat my woman in a disdainful manner.” He clicked his tongue. “Or lose to a lady.”
The entire population was quiet. Gone were the cheers and hollers. Did they suddenly go mute?
“You should be glad it was your wrist and not your head.” He added, before turning around. “Case closed! This meeting is dismissed, you can have the rest of the day off.”
Caellum left the field without as little as a glance back while the others rushed to a bleeding Tiras, who was on the floor.
As much as I didn’t appreciate the way he spoke to me, I didn’t feel a twinge of emotion when I saw him sitting on the ground. Surely you didn’t think I cared about his state.
He was a fucking werewolf. I wasn’t going to dramatise that situation when he was going to heal afterwards. Except the bullet was made of silver, which it took a second before I realised that was indeed the case.
He wasn’t healing.
Goodbye, Tiras arm. It’s a pity I would not be competing with you anymore. I must confess, those were good arms. I knew one when I saw one. A shame his arm didn’t match his personality.
Quite shitty if you asked me.
I chased after Caellum with a sense of urgency. Just when he was about entering his office, I caught up to him.
“Why are you here?” He asked, backing me.
I didn’t know if he was in a mood or not. I’d like to go with the latter because he just shot a man in the arm. If he was anything like me, that ought to put him in a fucking good mood.
“You shot him.” I find myself saying. “Why?”
“He missed.”
I shook my head. “We both know he didn’t miss the shot.” I flipped my hair, unable to resist the urge to add, “I just happen to be too good.”
“Very modest,” Caellum said and finally met my eyes. Did my heart just skip a beat? “Why are you here, Naledi?”
That hurt. “At least pretend you are happy to see me. I’ll be out of your hair in a jiffy.”
He sat down on his chair, and then I saw it. The stress lines and exhaustion on his face. Why had he decided to hold that darned competition if what he needed was a decent rest?
“Because I couldn’t let anyone disrespect you. Not even a member of my pack.”
Caellum’s answer made me realise I had asked that question aloud.
“If that is all then could you please excuse me.” He said with a bored look on his face. “I’d like to catch on my beauty sleep.”
“I’d think you’ll be headed to your chambers for that.” I tilted my head and emphasised, “You know? The one that I cleaned consecutively for one week despite your absence.”
“Good to know you are diligent in your job.” I gave him a pointed look and he asked, “What? Do you want a raise?”
“I want a fucking real job!” I snapped, “Because there is no way in hell that is the job I am taking on.”
“That is close to the highest paying job in this pack,” He shook his head, “More like in the entire world. You don’t get such an amount of money to wait on anyone. Even the president. You should be happy.”
I felt like coughing blood. Look at this man, telling me when and why to be happy.
“I am your mate, Caellum. Not your fucking maid.”
“For now.” He said and I was confused.
“What?”
“You are both those things for now.” He yawned. “Why are you still here?”
I let out a short laugh, fanning myself with my hands. I could feel my blood boil.
“Don’t you get it?” I walked closer to him and placed my arms on his desk. “This is not happening.”
“Is that your one-week notice?”
“One week-” My hands tightened to a fist. “You are really pushing it. I swear to God you are pushing me.”
Caellum relaxed on his chair. Unmoved by my hysterics.
“You want me to be your maid? Huh? You want me to fucking clean, cook and satisfy you?”
“Yes.”
Now I was losing it. “Fine! You got yourself a maid! The best fucking maid you can ever have so enjoy it while it lasts.”
“I plan to.”
This-this nerve-wrecking- Argghhh
I nodded my head, biting back my words. “You know what? As a good maid, I can tell you are tired and you need some food to break you in. I’ll go prepare something fitting and serve you as you ought to be served. How does that sound my lord?”
My tone was sarcastic, but I didn’t understand the reason for the smile on his face.
“Delightful. I am famished.”
I’m shocked my head hadn’t fallen off with the amount of nodding I was doing today. “I’ll just so prepare something delightful, okay?” I said, moving backwards with an evil glint in my eyes.
He’d never see what hit him. I thought as I walked outside the office, thinking about the many ways I could send him to a hospital using a fucking meal.
I had one chance. One chance to convince him that keeping me by his side was dangerous, point blank life-threatening.
Matteo was outside the door. One look at him and I could tell he had listened in on our conversation. Or should I say my one-sided screaming match? Whatever.
“Where’s the kitchen?!” I asked and I could tell he didn’t appreciate my less-than-stellar tone.
I was too angry to care. I needed to get to preparing my poison ASAP.
“Fifth door to your left.” He said.
It took a while to comprehend that direction, and without wasting any more time, I got on my way to the kitchen.
When I stepped my feet inside the stellar kitchen, I felt out of place. This was so not my scene. But in order to get to my destination, I had to go through it.
An evil smile graced my lips as I opened the cupboard. Vinegar, salt, pringles, and what have you. I turned on the gas, taking a solid ten minutes.
One delightful dinner coming right up!