Chapter 64: Chapter 64

Miatta

When I returned to the dark room, I was royally miffed and didn't want to speak to anyone. Addy's group members surrounded her in silence and my guilt pinched me severely. Addy, innocent Addy was in the state she was because of me and there was nothing I could do about it. Ramona was teary and she indulged in her tears, tugging on Addy’s still hands. Her long golden locks were scattered around her face, framing it like a halo. I approached the group tentatively, the other slaves watching me curiously.

“May I?” I asked no one in particular but they adjusted to create some room for me to huddle around their fallen leader. No one said a word to me and I was oddly pleased with their silence. At least they were not pointing accusing fingers at me even if their hearts were against me. I took Addy's hand and pressed on the knuckles, focusing all my concentration on her face. There was a technique my mother used to bring some of her agitated patients out of unconsciousness. She would find their inner wolf spirit and then she would wake them up from within.

“What are you doing?’ Ramona asked out of curiosity.

“Just a minute, please. There's something I want to try. Just give me a chance.”

From the look of things, they barely had an option. However, I was not discouraged by their reluctance and got comfortable beside Addy. I tried to think happy thoughts yet I could only feel myself getting angrier by the hour. I held on to her hand, closing hers with mine firmly.

“Addy, just wake up. I'm sorry for not listening to you and I swear on my right arm, I am not going to give any more problems to anyone. I'll behave and I will do what I'm being told so that you won't have any opening to defend me. I will be submissive and I will listen more with the help of the Moon Goddess.”

I felt a tiny stir in her pulse and as quickly as it came, it was gone. Her lips that I was used to seeing with a smile were stiff and unsmiling. There was no physical improvement to her condition and only I had felt the quickening of her pulse. When I shifted my eyes to Ramona, she had a watery smile on her lips, probably expecting a miracle. Well, I wasn't my mother neither was I Athena. I had no healing abilities and I had known ever since I was a pup. I shook my head sideways and she grabbed me in a wild hug, burying her teary face in the column of my neck.

“Aww, isn't this cute? The rogue princess and the witch's follower,” Yvette mocked from behind us, a belittling sneer curling her lips. I disentangled Ramona from my embrace and squeezed her shoulders, willing her to be strong. She sniffed loudly and hugged her knees to her chest. I wanted nothing more to do with Yvette for both our sakes; mine because the collar could be more dangerous than I perceived and hers because I was not afraid to have a go at her. I rose to my feet and walked past her but I was pulled back by her hand on my hair. She tugged hard and I was dragged back to where she stood, my scalp tingled with pain.

“Nobody walks out on me while I’m still speaking, Miatta. I am the Prefect for a reason and you will not disrespect me.”

I could tell that she was trying to provoke me and anger brewed in my belly, coming to a boil. Immediately, my promise to Addy came to mind and I went limp in her grasp. She did not deserve my words and I would not give her the privilege of hearing them. When she realized that I was not going to play along with her, she pushed me hard and I fell to my knees willingly.

“Sick animal,” Yvette declared me and walked away, leaving me where I lay.

Lucas

I had been in my room after collaring Miatta and I was not comfortable in my skin. I could still hear her screams and her curses piercing the air as she fought against her punishment. She had put up an act earlier to get me to not punish her and it would have worked. Seeing her being submissive aroused me more than any sexual activity I had ever done. But then again, I was surrounded by the lycan warriors, soldiers who would stand by my side and fight for me when I became the Alpha. Acting weak was the fastest way to lose their confidence in me.

I paced my room with long strides, my heart not at rest. She was on my mind, not Yvette but Miatta, only Miatta. Yvette was submissive every time I was with her, opening herself to me and my dominance. I thought I revelled in people submitting to my authority but with Miatta, I revelled in her struggle, in her fight to escape her punishment. The fire I saw in her eyes was like none I had ever seen before. Perhaps once in the eyes of an opponent on the battlefield but never in the eyes of a woman or worse of all, a slave. She had stared me down without fear of the consequences, fiery hazel pupils filled with unconcealed hatred. I wanted a challenge, someone that wasn't too easy to conquer and I wanted Miatta stretched underneath me, an attractive challenge in bed and out of bed, a delicious conundrum.

A knock fell on my door when night fell and I could smell Ryker on the other side of my door along with a familiar female.

“My Lord, Prefect Yvette is here to see you. Shall I let her in?”

I heard his words and I was aroused but not by the anticipation of driving my swollen shaft into the woman standing outside. The one I wanted hated me and I didn't want to see anybody else.

“I don't want to see anybody! I want to be left alone!”

I heard Yvette's gasp followed by the retreat of two pairs of feet. I needed to see her to know she was okay. That was the reason I gave myself when I jumped out of my window late at night. I was in my Luke disguise and I tried to be careful not to be seen by anyone. I snuck out of the courtyard and headed for the slave house. The guards stationed there were asleep and under normal circumstances, I would punish them for their negligence but at the moment, it suited my purpose. I eased my way into the entrance, searching for the woman that was driving me crazy.

She lay beside my half-sister, Addy who looked almost dead. I wasn't there for Addy and we weren't close either. Miatta was asleep on her back, her legs in glorious disarray and her hair loose. She was beautiful indeed, her rosebud lips pouted stubbornly even in sleep. My gaze raked down to her neck where the collar sat regally, an ugly jewel on an elegant queen. I pressed my knuckles against her forehead and she was burning up. Afraid that the collar was sapping life from her, I unlocked the torture device and hid it underneath my garb. Looking back at her, our eyes clashed, hers drowsy yet wary. I jumped on my feet and ran away like a coward.