Chapter 1: Mates
"NADIRA!"
I want to internally roll my eyes but I act like the good girl I am and rush towards the screaming drama queen. As soon as I get to her I great her with my usual fake smile.
"Yes, Kamilah?"
"It's miss Kamilah to you."
"Apologies miss Kamilah. I didn't mean to be disrespectful."
"That's better."
Oh, how I just want to slap you through the face.
"How may I be of service?"
"Oh, about that," Kamilah turns around and points to the now very dirty and messy room, "My room's a mess. Do clean it up. I'll be back at 11 and I expect it to be squeaky clean, comprendé?"
"Yes, I understand."
"Good girl. Mom, dad and Arilyn will be at home before 12. Please make sure that the food is ready and to be served on the table before they're here."
"Yes, miss."
"Good. Enjoy your time. I'm going out to practise my fighting skills and maybe flirt with that boy you so like, what's his name again..."
"Elil," I managed to say between clenched teeth. Kamilah knows very well how much I like him and she made it clear to me that we'll never be. Heck, she and Arilyn made it clear that I won't even have a mate one day. I slowly started to believe them day after day and now I'm not even worried if I'm going to find mine because I don't have the pleasure of such a luxury as happiness in my life. I never have anyway. Nothing will ever change that.
"Ah, that's right. Elil. He's quite the eye-catcher if you know what I mean. I might even invite him to dinner tonight."
"What dinner?"
"Don't tell me you forgot? It's Mom and Dad's anniversary!"
Oh, that again. Great! Looks like my whole afternoon is going to be booked again for cleaning, decorating and getting the food ready to be served. Just what I needed.
"Seriously Dira? You forgot it again. I'm so telling mom and dad. They'll see that you get what you deserve for forgetting it once more."
"I'm sorry, miss."
"Sorry, my ass. I'm going to tell them anyway. I'm going to go practice now. Think about what you did while cleaning up."
"Yes miss," and with that said, Kamilah clicks her tongue in my direction before storming out of the room to the training grounds. I just wish I could slap you once. Just once.
I wait until I know she is out of hearing range before I give a big sigh. Why must my life be so boring and unimportant? I look around her room and cringe at the total mess in her room. Well, first things first, this mess has got to go. Who knows what she'll do as punishment this time.
•••••♠•••••
After what felt like hours, I'm finally done cleaning Kamilah's room. I look at my watch after I gathered all my cleaning tools. 10:45 a.m. Just enough time to rest a bit before I have to get the food ready. I take the cleaning tools to my room and put them in their usual corner before I move out to the window overlooking the training grounds. Part of Alpha's joke to tell me I may not practise. I can only look as the other wolves train and pack members train. How I wish I could be down there as well. I give another big sigh and decided that it might be better if I go down to the kitchen to get lunch ready before everyone comes in to eat.
As I enter the kitchen the cook, Eliot greets me kindly. He's been working in the kitchen ever since Alpha and Luna brought me to the pack. He's basically like my father even though I'm the adoptive child of Alpha Wenn and Luna Qua, but he treats me better than they ever will.
"Good morning, Dira."
"Morning, Eliot."
"How'd you slept last night?"
"The same as every night."
"But you said that yesterday and the day before as well."
"And I'll keep on saying that because it'll never change."
Eliot only smiles at me and shakes his head. I give him a small smile as well. At least he's someone I can talk to. I'm not completely alone here. Not yet at least. Alpha will probably tell Eliot one of these days that he may not speak to me anymore. That day is gradually approaching. I can feel it.
"By the way, Dira, I'm preparing something light for lunch today because it's the Alpha and Luna's anniversary tonight and they're going to have a big party tonight. I heard some other alpha's and luna's from far and wide are coming tonight as well. Probably just the allies and friends of the Alpha and Luna."
"No need to remind me. I already got the lesson from Kamilah today. Probably going to be punished for forgetting the date of 'mom and dad's' anniversary again."
"Seriously, Dira? How hard could it be to remember a date?"
"Well, according to me, very hard."
Eliot only shakes his head in sympathy for me. I know damn well how important this date is. July 2nd. It's a hard date to forget. I'm only stubborn so I decide to ignore it every time. It's not a date that concerns me. They've never been my parents so why should I care? I'd rather be punished before I had to remember anything related to them.
Just as the thought of them popped up into my head, they had to grace me with their presents. Great! I'm in for it now. I look towards them and bow my head submissively as I've been told to do. As soon as I look up at them again, I see a smug-looking Kamilah net to Luna Qua. Oh, even better! She probably told them already and now that the food isn't even ready yet, I'm going to get it.
"Good afternoon Alpha Wenn and Luna Qua."
"Nadira," I hear Alpha Wenn say sternly. Oh great.
"Kamilah told me you've forgotten the date again today. Why can't you even remember a simple thing as a date?"
"I'm sorry, Alpha."
"Sorry's not going to cut it. Now that I look at it, Kamilah told you we'll be here at 12 and that the food must be ready. Not even that is done yet. What am I going to do with you?"
I look at the ground and I could hear Arilyn and Kamilah share something with Alpha Wenn. I'm not liking the sound of it already just by hearing them laugh sinisterly.
"You girls are brilliant. You're too smart for your good."
"Oh boy."
"Excuse me?"
Crap! I said that aloud! I'm so done for. So done for.
"Not only did you not comply with your orders you also disrespected your Alpha! Nadira Quinn, we invited you into our family with open arms and we treat you better than you could ever deserve and you show no respect. As your punishment, you shall clean every room in this mansion and decorate the living room, patio and lounge all on your own. After you're done, you're to dress as a maid and serve tonight at the party. No food or something to drink for 3 days as well. After the party ended, you'll be sent to the dungeon until you're punishment is fulfilled. Have I made myself clear?"
Crystal.
"Yes, Alpha."
"Good. You're dismissed. Get the food on the table and then you may leave us to get the things ready for toning. You must be finished before 6. That's when the first guests start to arrive. Come, come, get to work. NOW!"
"Yes, Alpha."
I scurry out of the room taking the food with me a place it on the dining table. As soon as that's done, I call them all to eat before I move on to clean the rest of the mansion and start to decorate what I've been told to do. I've been more days without food so 3 is nothing. I can live a week without eating if I have to. As I enter my first room to clean I sulk. It's Arilyn's room and it's even messier than Kamilah's. This is going to be a long, busy afternoon.
•••••♠•••••
I nearly made it in time to start serving at the dinner party because the maid outfit isn't your usual normal maid outfit. No, Kamilah and Arilyn made sure I looked like an educated slut. Now everyone's prying eyes are going to be on me tonight. How lovely.
I rarely started serving before I could hear a group of guys talking about me.
"Guys, check out that server? Who is she?"
"She's said to be the adoptive daughter of Alpha Wenn and Luna Qua."
"WOW. That's major news. She's such a disappointment if they have to use her as a maid to serve at her own parents' dinner party. What a shame."
"Indeed it is, but that facts aside, just look at her body. Such a slender build. She's pretty too. Imagine how good she'll be in bed. I mean, if she dresses like a slut, then maybe she is one. Who knows."
"You're right. Maybe if we could..."
I zone out of their conversation as I got bored and irritated by them. I look around for someone who I could serve some of the champagne on my tray to. Just as I'm looking at all the people, I see Kamilah walk straight to me with Elil next to her. Her arm linked into his. What a killer move, Kamilah. Smooth.
"Nadira. I'd like to introduce Elil to you. We train together almost every day."
"Nice to meet you Elil."
"Nice to meet you too."
I look at Kamilah and I could see her sinister smile creep up again. This can't be a good sign.
"Dira, why don't you tell Elil something about yourself?"
"No, I'd rather not. He's your date tonight."
"Oh, come on. Don't be so modest. Tell him about the crush you've had on him these years."
I knew you were up to no good.
"Really? I didn't know you had a crush on me."
"It's true, Elil. She's had a crush on you for a very long time now. Just admiring you from afar all these years. What a shame."
Elil looks at me and gives me the same sinister smile Kamilah gave me.
"It's a shame. I will never fall for a tramp like you. You'd ruin my image."
Kamilah gives me her award-winning smile where she usually tells me she's won once again. I could hear some of the other guys who were discussing me, discussing me even further with the new information they just gathered. Kamilah gives Elil a little playful shove.
"Elil, no need to be so honest. She already knows she's trash."
I clench my teeth together trying to keep my composure together. Kamilah gives me a slight rub on my shoulder as she and Elil walk past me while whispering into my ear.
"Better luck next time, slut. Don't EVER try to test me again or I'll be a lot less nice than I've been tonight."
I keep silent as she giggles sweetly before walking on with Elil. How could I have ever fallen for a guy like him?
As I try to go around the room handing out more champagne to all the guests, a sudden chill strikes my spine as if someone's going to kill me right now. I turn around to see this handsome guy with dark brown hair and blue eyes almost green staring right at me. As I'm staring at him, I see all the guests bow their heads in respect to him so I follow suit. After that, I could hear Alpha Wenn speaking up.
"Alpha Adriano. What a pleasure it is to have you hear. We didn't think you'd come."
"I came as a replacement for my parents. They've always been good friends with you."
"It's certainly a pleasure indeed. Please enjoy your time here."
"Thank you."
As soon as those words left his mouth, my wolf cries in my head. Before anyone could notice, I put the empty tray down on one of the tables before rushing out of the room, onto the patio and over the railing running into the forest. I hear a loud roar of anger behind me, so I started running even faster before I shift into my wolf. We disappear into the darkness like I used to train and do at night as to not be spotted by anyone. Tonight might as well be my last normal night. If he finds me, I'm as good as dead. My wolf still cries in my head before I let reality sink in. MATE. I'm the mate of THE Alpha Adriano.
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