Kate - Cakes and Conflicts

My life seemed to have shifted on it’s axis, for better or worse it now revolved around Jack. Not that I was attached to him, but his presence in my life had become the backbone of my survival. I felt as though I needed his permission to breath, to exist. His protection was a necessary requirement for my literal survival. I hated this dependence. I hated it even more because I knew he wanted nothing to do with me, I was merely a parasite living off of him. Yet today Jack had come to the library. He was sitting on a couch by the fireplace and had asked for coffee.

‘Here’s your coffee.’ I said as I placed the cup on the side table and turned to leave.

‘Please sit,’ he said. ‘I came to talk to you.’

So I made my way to the next couch, fumbling around as I tried to get comfortable but no avail. He was watching me the whole time. Never taking his eyes off me.

‘I’ll get straight to the point,’ he started, ‘Keep what you saw yesterday a secret. I don’t expect you to get in contact with anyone here but in case you do, what you saw with Cathy stays a secret.’ He finished. That was a command. I was to obey. And if I was a grateful person then I would obey freely and not cause him any trouble.

But I was frustrated.

Still he watched me. I wondered what was going on in his mind, did he think that I would rebel? That I would gladly obey him?

‘Did you suggest that I be placed in this library knowing that I would not meet anyone?’ I asked him. I looked at him then, really looked at him. He had short hair, a buzz cut. It suited him. His brown eyes looked tired, and sad. Yet the overall expression on his face was that of a serious person.

‘Yes.’ Came his answer as he took another sip.

‘Then why come all the way to tell me to keep this a secret?’ I asked him and he paused. I must have asked him something he did not expect me to ask. He did not reply. Instead he looked at me, daring me to repeat my question.

‘You never even asked for my name, I’m Kate Beckster.’ The room that I had struggled to get comfortable in suddenly became too cold. His eyes held anger, a cold anger that gave me shivers. Had I said something I shouldn’t have?

The he put his coffee back on the table and stood to leave. Why did all our conversations end with him leaving? I had only told him my name, was that so bad?

‘I did not mean to cause you trouble! i apologize for dumping myself on you. I promise to not say anything to anyone, just please, please let me open a coffee shop. Please let me do something.’ He stopped after my little outburst and turned to me.

‘No trouble?’ he asked.

I stayed quiet, I did not mean to cause it but I had brought him trouble.

‘You burst into my life, claimed you wanted to use me, asked me to introduce you to my Alpha, then I had to be forced to provide for you, and you say you did not mean to cause me any trouble?’ he asked.

I kept quiet. What was I to say?

‘You slept with another man, Kate.’ I knew that, he did not have to remind me. ‘You do not get to decide how you use me, I get to decide how I will help you fix your mess.’ He said

‘My baby is not a mess.’ I replied

‘Of course not. But you have no place to stay, no food to eat, no money. Even the clothes you are wearing were provided by me. Just what would you call your life?’

A mess. An ugly mess. That is what I would call my life. My pride, which I never thought would take another hit, took a major blow. I was nothing. I had started thinking that I could be something if I tried.

‘You might be providing those things for me, but you have no right to call my life a mess.’ I said. My fists were fisting the dress I was wearing, whether from anger or fear, I had no idea.

‘Well Kate, you should know that people buy rights these days. Your whole life is in my hands, whatever I decide to do with you, surely you should know that no one can say otherwise.’ I failed to reply, I had not expected him to be kind, but I had expected him to be less blunt.

‘Do not make the mistake of telling me what to do next time, your opinions and ideas are as messed up as your life. Do you understand?’

He did not wait for a reply, he left.

The room would have made a perfect library, the coffee I made was really delicious, I was a trained maid after all. It was a loss for the people of this pack, they would not get to experience the bliss that came with reading a good book while drinking nice coffee. Yet the reason I cried that day was totally different.

I cried because I remembered the way my father used to adore my mother, the way he used to adore my sister and I. I did not expect a mate that would adore me, but I did not expect one that would be cruel either. I had lived the better part of my life under cruel people. I had thought that I would experience a little joy in my life. I was desperate. I was in pain. My chest did not seem large enough to handle all the air that I was tried to get in.

This hurt.

I had stopped praying to our goddess years ago when I was old enough to understand the situation that I was in. but today, today seemed like my desperation was just right for a prayer.

‘If you can hear me, if you care for me even just a little, please save me.’

That night, soon after supper, I received a knock on my door. When I opened it I found a plate with red velvet cake and a note saying,

“Jack approved of your library idea, I will drop by tomorrow to tell you more in person.” – Cathy