The Demand

"I can hear your heart racing," the Alpha King spoke without turning. His tone wasn't menacing, but it wasn't friendly either. "Do I scare you?"

That seemed like a trick question. Surely, he knew the answer.

"Yes, my lord. 

"Your heart tells me otherwise."

What was he driving at? 

She didn't like how his presence made her feel at all. It was the same strange feeling she had felt when they were in Healer Freya's flat. A strong magnetic force tugging at her.

She had no doubt in her mind that he was the cloaked figure making demands at Freya. 

Standing still, she waited for him to explain why she was summoned. 

"I don't think you fear me. I think you fear what I can do."

Weren't they the same thing?

He still had his back to her. She refused to be cowered by a king who wouldn't give her the courtesy of facing her when they spoke.

"No words? Earlier today you had a lot to say."

She blinked, shocked that he brought up their meeting. 

"Don't look so shocked. I know you recognized me the moment you heard my voice. Your heart betrayed you."

This was the one major thing she hated about werewolves—their heightened sense of hearing. It wasn't enough that they could shapeshift into actual wolves and were strong—they had to also be literal lie detectors.

"That unsettles you it would seem."

He finally turned around and Baka was blown away by how handsome he was. His features were chiselled, his jaws strong and proud, his eyes the colour of sunset. Thick dark brows framed his face and he had curly dark hair which he folded into a manbun. 

His full pink lips curved in a smile.

For a moment, Baka forgot to breathe. How could anyone be this handsome? 

"You like what you see." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

Embarrassed, Baka looked away. Could she hide nothing from him?

"Baka, was it?" He still remained in the balcony, his hands folded at his back.

She nodded.

"What happened to the rat?"

She blinked. "I gave it away, my lord." 

"I see." He took two slow strides towards her. "Listen, Baka. You will speak of how we met to no one on pain of death. Am I understood?"

Baka nodded. "Yes, my lord."

 "How old are you?"

"Twenty-two."

He looked her over. "You look younger, yet you're not lying."

Of course he was listening for an irregular heartbeat. She hoped he wouldn't mention her mother or she might fail that test fantastically.

"Can you read and write?"

"Yes, my lord."

He walked over to a massive shelf of books and plucked one out. Handing it to her, he said, "Read the first paragraph."

Baka hesitated. "You want me to read to you?"

"Yes."

She cleared her throat, certain that he had something very sinister up his sleeves.

He had handed her what seemed like a book of norse mythology.

She started reading the first paragraph which spoke of Perseus's fight with Medusa and how he succeeded in chopping her head off, using it to turn the Kraken into stone.

"Enough," he took the book from her and flung it on the nearest couch. "What is your current position?"

Baka tried to get her bearings. "I am Luna Amie's handmaiden, my lord."

He looked her straight in the eye. "Consider yourself relieved of your services to her. You work for me now."

***

"Guys, Baka has returned!" Yasmin yelled in delight. The girls ran towards the door, crowding around Baka with relieved faces and eyes full of questions.

"Are you okay?" came a question from sixteen year old Kumba.

"Were you hurt?" came another from Peace, also sixteen.

"We were so worried!" Mosann, their youngest, squealed, hugging her tightly around her waist.

Baka's heart swelled with emotion. "I'm okay, guys, don't worry." 

She locked eyes with her mother who was sitting solemnly on the chair, her arms braced in front of her very stiffly. Baka gave her a small smile of reassurance.

"It's good to have you back," Bessia said. She laid upright on her elbows, casting her a smile.

"Didn't think we'd ever see you again," Rohey quipped as Baka walked further into the room. 

Rohey was a tall girl with big lips and a penchant for gossip. After Baka, she was the second oldest, and they often didn't see eye to eye.

"I'm fine, guys. Really." She hated to lie to them. The truth was, they would most likely be seeing less of her from now on—if at all. Slaves who worked at the palace had their own living quarters stationed there as well. It might become the same for her. 

"Now please, all of you, go to bed."

The room was dimly lit. No one argued with her as they scattered about her in preparation for bed. They barely had time to catch up on each other's day due to exhaustion. So as soon as allowed, they took every opportunity to sleep. 

She looked for Bessia among them and found her already sleeping soundly besides Yandeh, another brunette.

Baka went to her mother who kissed her on her forehead. She looked frantic as she reached for her daughter's hands.

"So the rumours are true?"

"What rumours?" Baka asked.

"Rohey said Thorin came to get you because the Alpha king summoned you." 

"Yes, he did."

The whole thing still felt surreal to her. Had the Alpha King really just wanted her to read to him? She never for a second believed his motives were pure. 

"What did he want?"

"For me to work for him."

Her mother's eyes widened as she covered her mouth in dismay. "It's a trap. He wants to keep you close. They'll try to use you to get to me."

There was nothing but fear and alarm in her mother's eye. Working in the Alpha King's palace was very unfortunate. It made it that much harder for her to find an exit strategy for their escape.

"I thought about that. He never once asked me about you."

"He didn't need to. They know."

"Know what?"

Her mother sighed and released her grip on her daughter's hand. "That I know."

"What exactly do you know, Mother? Now is the best time to tell me as I will be living in his palace. To be in the know might very well keep me alive, remember?"

Her mother shook her head slowly. "Now that you'll be working at the palace, the stakes are even higher. You must protect yourself how I taught you to. Lay low, keep your head down, play dumb, say nothing unless prompted to."

She took her mother's palm and placed it against her cheek. "Always, Mother."

Droplets of tears fell from her mother's eyes. "Oh, my darling," she cried as she held Baka's face with both hands. "May God be with you."