How could she pair me, an alpha with someone who couldn't even be taken out in public?
I wasn't even willing to let others know about our bond. It was humiliating and demeaning for my status.
I wanted someone who could arouse me the way Innocent did.
Thinking of Innocent, I felt my core tighten and a certain part of my body wake up.
Last night was wonderful. Innocent knew how to make me happy. She knew where to touch and how to touch.
She knew when to let me do whatever I wanted. Just like last night. Even though I had demanded that I tied her up in bed and take her from behind because I didn't want to look at her face, she never complained.
She had smiled at me and simply said with a coquettish voice, "Do whatever you want, my alpha!" That was enough to make me float.
It also made me sexually excited and I had ended up venting all the frustration with Valerie on Innocent.
Yet, Innocent never complained. Once I was done and asked her to leave my room, she had gotten dressed and left without questions.
Yet Valerie, who was supposed to be my mate, behaved like a wooden doll even when I was standing so close to her.
'Was it really just because she hadn't awakened her wolf?' I wondered for the umpteenth time about Valerie's behavior.
Thinking that today wouldn't yield anything, I turned around and left without a word.
Valerie's POV
I didn't know when Mike left the kitchen because I had completely tuned him out.
It was only when I was reminded by an older cook that it was time to serve breakfast that I snapped out of my thoughts and began carrying plates and trays of food to the table, like I always did every morning.
Once that was done, my routine continued as usual.
Just as I was getting comfortable in my scheduled chores, a male voice came from the kitchen door.
"Valerie, Beta Amon wants to see you in three minutes." It was one of the pack members.
My heart dropped when I heard about the Beta's summon.
Nothing good ever came out of such summons.
I took a deep breath and replied, "Yes." Then wiped my hands clean with a kitchen towel, smoothed the creases on my worn out dress and walked out with my head lowered.
I walked past pack members who didn't even bother giving me a glance. Never raising my head, yet I noticed everything.
That had become my habit. If I wanted to go a day without punishment, I had to learn about everyone and everything in the pack.
This way, I could avoid stepping on toes that could get me into trouble.
I arrived outside the Beta's office and took a deep breath before knocking on the door twice.
"Come in." A deep voice came from inside.
I didn't delay even though my heart was literally in my mouth because I didn't know why I had been summoned.
I had learned not to show emotions a long time ago. Because once you gave these sick people in the pack a reaction, they would exploit that weakness to break you.
I pushed the door open and walked inside.
The office decor appeared as serious as the man sitting behind the desk.
It was clean, orderly, and somewhat cold with grey colors dominating the whole look.
Grey curtains, grey paint, grey desk. The grey was only broken by the somewhat out of place white vase sitting on the table holding flowers.
Something I was sure a man as serious as Beta Amon would never bother setting up.
It must have been forced on him by his mate.
"It was reported that yesterday you were late for duty." Beta Amon said flatly.
"Yes." I replied without lifting my head. "I apologize." I continued.
"No excuses?" The beta asked.
"No."
The beta studied me for a long moment before he spoke again.
"Alpha Mike has requested that you be reassigned." He finally said.
"Reassigned?" This caught me off guard causing me to raise my head and look straight at Amon.
Amon was shocked by the clarity in those eyes. They didn't look like the eyes of a slave.
They were bright and filled with life. Unlike what you would expect from someone who has suffered bullying and humiliation for years.
I immediately realized my mistake and immediately lowered my head, hiding my eyes.
Amon took a deep breath and replied, "Yes, reassigned. He wants you to work in the pack house. Cleaning and running errands."
I am not stupid. I could tell that Mike was tightening my cage.
He was in the pack house most of the time since his office was there.
With me working in the house, he wouldn't have to go all the way to the kitchen to find me.
He could literally smell me wherever I was.
I knew that I didn't have a choice, so I accepted my new assignment without questions.
"Yes."
The beta waved me away, and I turned around and left the office.
If Mike thought he could force me to submit and yield by doing this, then he was wrong.
If he shaped a cage for me, I would learn its shape and manoeuvre according to the direction he walks in.
I didn't go back to the kitchen. I went straight to the pack house to start my new duties.
The first place I had to clean was the commune living room.
With so many pack members living there, one could imagine the size of that house.
I wondered if this was another way Mike had found to torment me.
At least in the kitchen, I could sneak in some rest while the pack members were eating.
But in this huge house, cleaning it would take the whole day and probably half the night.
But I didn't have the luxury of questioning the decisions made by the alpha.