Chapter 11 

“And Tristan…” Calebs adds. 

“Yes, my King?” 

“Summon the doctors once again. I want to find out exactly what happened to Harper’s wolf.” 

I try to listen to their continued conversation. Yet even as fear grips my heart, I struggle to keep my eyes open. Whatever is in that IV is good stuff. Too soon, I drift off back into unconscioteness. 

When I wake up again, I am alone in my bed. Calebs, Tristan, and IV are all gone, though the telltale wound in my arm tells me that the IV disappearance is a fairly recent development. 

I’m naked again, not that this surprises me anymore. At least, my body feels no more sore than usual. I don’t think Caleb claimed me again while I was oul. 

Rolling out of bed, I stand and head to my dresser. Today will be a busy day for me. I haven’t forgotten the conversation overheard about the bear clan attacking my pack. I need to act quickly to be sure that didn’t happen. That meant finding some way to contact Samuel. 

I pulled open the drawers, expecting to see the same dresses as yesterday. Those clothes were gone. In their place were a selection of loose fitting, revealing silks. Checking the underwear drawer, it is now empty. 

Where are the other clothes? I search the other drawers I skipped and then into the cubby holes of the wardrobe itself. There are some chain jewelry, rings with gemstones, and elaborate hair ties and combs. 

No clothes that cover more than a bikini would. No panties. No bras. 

I have no other options. Unless I want to walk around naked, this will have to do. 

I 

Selecting a turquoise silk top and pants, I try to figure out how to put it on. After three failed attempts, I manage to cover all of my private parts. 

The top hangs like a tank top, but it scoops low in the front and back, barely covering my breasts. The bottoms are a short shirt with a long sort of silky belt that dangles loosely down the back. 

Just as I stand, someone knocks on the door. 

It unlocks and swings open without me giving permission. Tristan stands outside of it, giving me that same bored expression as always. He doesn’t seem at all surprised by my new outfit. 

“Follow,” Tristan says, and turns. Like always, I hurry to follow him 

Back in the staircase, we travel upwards this time, round and round so much I feel dizzy. We’re so high up, I start to wonder if we’ve breached surface level. As we step out into the hallway, I can see that we have. 

The rooms here have actual windows. Beyond them are trees and sunshine. The light burns my sensitive eyes but I look anyway. Freedom sits on the other sides of these walls. 

It might as well be on the face of the moon, however 

“This way,” Tristan says, when I fall too far behind. 

He leads me down another corridor and then to a pair of great double doors. Pushing them open, we enter into a large empty chamber- a hall, with a throne sitting atop a lifted stone platform to one side. 

Caleb sits on his throne. 

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Chapter 11 

The room is otherwise empty. 

“Come forward,” Caleb calls. 

Tristan stays 

the door. It’s clear Caleb is talking to me. 

Swallowing thickly, I enter the chamber. As I draw closer, Caleb’s eyes drag down the front of my body. He smirks, seemingly pleased with my choice of attire. 

“The slave garments fit you. Good.” 

Slave garments!! 

Wait. Yes, now that he says that, I do remember him mentioning something about this last night, right before I gave in to 

unconsciousness. 

What did he say! 

That I was to be his personal slave. 

When I’m at the base of the platform, he stares down at me from on high. 

“Kneel,” he commands. 

Every instinct within me wants to fight him, but I know I have no power here. If I’m going to find a way to contact Samuel, I have to play nice. Else I might find myself trapped in that terrible dungeon again. 

Pushing down my pride, just as I did each time with Leah, I lower myself down to my knees. 

Once I’m settled, Caleb stands. Snatching something off a nearby table he comes toward me. As he comes closer, I can see he’s holding a simple sliver banded collar with a latch on the back. Immediately, I cower away 

“Raise your head,” he commands. “Stretch out your neck.” 

Stomach twisting uncomfortably, I do as he asks, lifting my head. 

He presses the collar around my neck then latches it closed. It’s cold against my skin. I’m already freezing in this revealing outfit, but now to wear flat metal to my skin? 

I’ll be lucky I don’t die of frostbite by the end of the week 

With the collar latched, Caleb leans back to admire his work. He traces a single finger over the collar. Gently, just once, it brushes against my skin 

“You look much better now, slave,” he says, grinning. With a sigh, he leans back. “Now, you must earn your place. My personal slaves wait on my every whim. You can start by bringing me coffee. 

An annoying request to be sure, but not the worst I anticipated. Not even close. 

“At once,” I say and push myself up onto my feet. 

“So obedient,” he says, pleased. 

1 head out the way I came. Tristan, by direction or out of pity, still stands there in the hallway and directs me toward the kitchen without my having to ask. 

In the kitchen, a slew of servants and slaves mill about, making food, cleaning, and preparing coffee. No one looks at me as I enter. No one speaks, even when I try to ask questions. 

2:58 Sat, Nov 16 

Chapter 11 

“I need coffee for the King–Isay. 

An older woman finally takes pity on me. She grabs a mug off a shelf and pushes me toward a coffee pot. 

“Thank you,” I tell her, but she holds a finger to her lips. Silently, I nod, understanding. 

Likely, they could be punished for speaking out of turn. 

Coffee in hand, I leave the kitchen and start to head back toward the hall. Halfway there, I turn a corner, and then freeze in my tracks. 

Caleb is there, leaning back against the wall of the hallway. With a see–through top and lace panties, pressed herself against him. Slowly, she unbuttoned his shirt one by one, revealing theat of his collarbone. 

My throat went dry. Damn, he’s so sexy. 

Yet at the same time, a flash of hot anger flushes through me. don’t want to see this! 

I spin on my heel and start to run in the other direction. The coffee is spilling, jumping out of the sides of the mug, but I don’t care. I have to get away. 

A hand closes around my arm, stopping me before I can get too far. 

I spin./ 

It’s. Caleb?! 

Did he notice me watching? 

I hold up it father down the hall. It smashes on the floor 

the coffer protectively between us. He grabs the mug, then throw, and clatters to pieces. 

“Where are you running?” he demands. 

“I’m not!” 

“Bullshit! You say me and you… ah. Suddenly his anger ebbs, “You say me with one of my harem. You’re jealous.” 

“I am not,” I snap. “I would never dare to be interested in someone like you. I know my place! A slave wouldn’t dare covet the Lycan King!” 

Caleb growls, as he yanks me closer. I collide with his chest, gasping from the force of it. 

Dipping his head, he covers my open mouth with his own. 

No! Not again! 

Unwilling, I try to close my mouth to keep out his tongue. 

In doing so, I bite his lip so hard, it bleeds.