“Did you get your mate?” Kai asked Nicolas, briefly raising his head from the paperwork he was doing.
Nicolas paused, thinking of what to say. He couldn’t bear to look him in the eye and tell him that his mate was Verena, the woman he was engaged to. So he kept mute, quietly flipping through the papers.
“Don’t Tell me then.” Kai said coldly And turned back to his work.
The entire pack was celebrating the newly mated. Kai had spoken to them, a few words about the importance of the mate bond and how he wished them great luck. And then it was back to work. And he wasted no time summoning Nicolas.
Verena. Of all the women, his mate had to Verena.
Nicolas tried to push it out of his mind and focus on the work he was doing. He noticed a dark aura in the room, he noticed the lack of a particular slave girl.
“Where is Karen?” He asked Kai after a while.
“In the dungeons.” Kai replied simply. “Where are the land deeds?”
“Dungeons?!” Nicolas exclaimed. “I know she does tall back sometimes but is that really….”
“She was caught with two men.”
Nicolas stilled. A quiet ‘oh’ Left his lips.
“Naked.” Kai added.
“Karen?!” Nicolas laughed. “That’s a bit extreme don’t you think?”
Kai raised his head and glared at him. Nicolas felt a bolt of fear pass through him. Kai’s eyes looked dead. Completely dead. There wasn’t a single shine in them, the shine that had started to show the past weeks was gone. In it’s place was a cold darkness.
“I saw her myself.” Kai said, his voice rising. “Giving herself to those men like… like she was a cheap slut! And even meeting men late at night in the garden?! That girl was every bit her father.”
“Perhaps it was ..”
“No it wasn’t, I saw it myself. She was acting like a crazy slut.” Kai snapped.
“Crazy slut….” That didn’t suit Karen’s description at all.
“She used some sort of command over those men, I don’t know how she did it but that girl can make people do her bidding.”
Nicolas frowned. A person that could make other’s do their bidding? That was a thing alpha’s could do to their pack members and their pack members alone. Karen wasn’t the alpha, she wasn’t even a pack member. Maybe she was the daughter of an alpha but such a power was unheard of.
Nicolas found it hard to believe that Karen was capable of such things. Yes he didn’t like her. Yes she was Zeke Winterblood’s daughter.
But selling herself? Meeting men?
That wasn’t like her at all. The little Nicolas had seen from her, that wasn’t her.
“What will you do now?” Nicolas asked, watching Kai. His expression was set in stone, his heart already made up
“She will be executed tomorrow.” Kai said simply.
Nicola’s eyes widened. As much as he hated to admit it, it was too harsh. He couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong somehow. He looked at Kai and instantly knew that trying to reason with him will be pointless. He had already made up his mind.
“The land deeds?” Kai asked , extending his hand. Nicolas searched for the papers. He found them and handed them over to Kai.
A knock sounded on the door, followed by Verena’s voice announcing her presence.
“Come in.” Kai spoke.
Nicolas felt his heart skip a beat. Verena walked into the room, a wide smile on her face. She carried with her a tray of sweets.
“My alpha,” She said and bowed. “I brought you some refreshments.”
Kai beckoned her closer. She walked over rot him, her eyes focused entirely on him. She gently placed the tray beside him and stood waiting.
Kai took one look at the tray. “I don’t want it.” He said and turned away back to the papers. “Take it away.”
Her smile fell. Nicolas wanted to smack Kai in the head. He paused and controlled his thoughts, reminding him self that for the time being, Verena was still Kai’s fiance.
That realization hurt him note than he thought it would
“Oh,” Verena said, hurt evident in her voice. “I’ll just….”
“Get me something spicy.” Kai said. “And be quick about it.”
Her smile returned full force. “Right away.” She said and picked up the tray. Her eyes and Nicolas met for a second and she quickly turned, avoiding his gaze.
Nicolas remembered what had happened in the dining room.
*** Flashback***
“Verena?!” He called out, shock in his voice.
She looked up at him, her eyes widened and she gasped. Then she quickly regained her composure. “Why are you shouting my name? I’m right here!”
Nicolas couldn’t believe it. The tug led him right to Verena. There had to a glitch, a mistake somewhere.
‘Mate! Mate!’ his wolf chanted, howling loudly.
“You have to be kidding me.” Nicolas gasped, his eyes wide. “This has to be sick joke!”
“What joke?!” Verena shot. “Do you mind, I’m trying to enjoy a cocktail in peace?!”
Nicolas looked at her. There was no way she was his mate. If Kai found out he would kill him! There had to be a mistake. There had to be a big mistake somewheres.
This wasn’t a funny joke at all!
****
“Are you even listening to me?!” Kai’s snappy voice pulled Nicolas from his thoughts.
“I’m sorry,” Nicolas said apologetically.
“Make arrangements with the executioner for tomorrow.” Kai said. “And go to bed once your done.”
Nicolas sighed heavily. “Yes, alpha.”
He got up and headed to the door. Before he opened it he glanced back to Kai. He had a feeling the old Kai was back. The Kai before Karen arrived.
He didn’t like that one bit.
Nicolas left the suite and headed down to the dungeons. He had to see Karen, know exactly what had happened. Kai was blinded by anger and hate. And Nicolas needed to know the full story.
He got to the dungeons, and the soonest he stepped inside it he heard Karen’s soft cries.
He walked over to her cell, his footfalls alerting her of his presence. He stopped right in front of the cell and looked at her.
She was naked, her skin very pale and covered in goosebumps. Nicolas felt sorry her, lying on the cold floor and shivering. She turned weakly to him.
“Nicolas…” She gasped.
Nicolas remembered his time in captivity. The first time he had seen her. How he had pleaded silently for her to save him. The next times after, how she would search for him, sometimes sneak food and water to him at her own expense.
Now their roles were reversed. She was the one in captivity now.
“Karen.” He said kindly. He took off his jacket and shirt and offered it to her. She reached out shakily and accepted it.
“Thank you…” She mumbled.
It took her two minutes to put the clothes on.
“What happened?” He asked softly.
“I don’t know.” Karen replied. “He’s going to kill me tomorrow. And I didn’t….”
“He said you sold yourself to men. Is that true?”
She shook her head. “What men?” She laughed bitterly. “I only remember preparing for the blood moon and passing out in the kitchen.”
Nicolas knew something was wrong. But how could he prove it?!
“And you meeting men late at night in the gardens?”
“Men… that was….” Karen sighed. “It was a man, I don’t know who he was. He wanted to talk and I always left. I don’t even know his name, talk less of selling myself to him.”
Nicolas sighed. This story was too complicated. And if Kai heard that she did actually meet a man, even if nothing happened he would kill her on the spot without waiting for tomorrow
“Accept his rejection.” Nicolas said, his voice low. “And break the mating bond. It’ll hurt less.”
Karen shook her head, tears dripping down her face. “I can’t do that… I… I love him.”
He wanted to give her a hug, tell her that everything would be okay. “It’s for your own good.” Nicolas said.
“I won’t do it.” She said firmly. “Thank you for the clothes…. but I’ve accepted my fate now.”
The sight of her broke his heart. “Just do it!” He snapped. “It will hurt less! You’re in so much pain already.”
She shook her head sadly. “I’m really sorry, but I won’t change my mind.”
Nicolas screamed in frustration. He kicked the steel bars, running his hand through his hair. He felt angry. At Kai, at Karen, at himself.
“You should go now.” Karen said. “Goodbye.”
He glared at her for being so stubborn. But she has already turned away from him. Nicolas scoffed and walked out of the dungeons. He walked briskly, his fists clenched in anger.
He turned down a corner the same time be bumped into someone. About to apologize they spoke first.
“Is it true?!” He heard the person ask. He looked up to see Verena. “Is it true she’s going to be executed?!”
He noticed her wide smile, how she was practically glowing. He felt angry at her too, but the anger didn’t last long. “You’re happy now?”
Verena cheered. “Finally! I knew she was just like her father! Serves her right!”
“Did you get your mate?”
She stilled. “Why are you asking?” She said, suddenly defensive.
“I’m just curious.” He said. “Did you?”
She shrugged but didn’t answer. “The slave is finally gone! At long last, peace will be returned.”
Nicolas wanted to tell her. Tell her that they were mates. But he couldn’t do that
“I finally have the alpha all yo myself!” Verena said with a dreamy sigh. “I’m so glad I didn’t leave with my father back then. If I had, I would’ve missed the most wonderful thing ever. ”
Hearing her talk about Kai with that lovely look on her face was rubbing Nicolas in all the wrong ways. Verena turned to him.
“It’s better now, isn’t it?” She asked.
He didn’t know what to say to her.