Dangerous Lycan: Claim Betrayed Luna’s Second Chance Mate

What was he up to?

His words, his smiles, I knew that he cared but could this be some sort of trap? To lure me back to him.

Focus Clara.

The walls were sickening and the bed began to feel too soft to hold me as it used to. It had been a week and I thought it was time to take my first stroll out. The day had just begun and most of the slaves had began the days job, tilling the soils with their nearly blunt tools hoping for their reward after the hard labour which was nothing more than a plate of warm meal which was just enough to feed an infant.

“Hey Clara.”

I turned towards the voice.

“Madam Ana,” I called out halting with a bow as soon as I saw her.

“It’s good to see you again. Welcome back to the manor,” she said with a smile.

“Thank you ma’am.”

“You look a lot different now, perhaps in a much better shape,” Patricia said with her eyes hovering around my belly.

“Patricia, it’s…”

“It is Lady Patricia now.”

“Lady Patricia, it’s good to see you.”

“Well, I would say the same because I am in the time in my life that I need a personal maid.”

“Patricia, not here,” Madam Ana said turning to Patricia and then to me, “Meet me at the courthouse by noon we have something to talk about.”

“Okay ma’am.”

“Don’t be late!” Patricia said as they walked on.

Phew!

Noon came fast even after I hoped that it would stall a bit as the day started really slow. The thoughts of what she could want to talk about stayed on my mind as I strolled. As much as I didn’t want to go, I needed to. To know the reason for the meeting though. Perhaps I could use the medium to tell her about leaving soon. I had no idea how she or Patricia would take it but one way or the other, I knew that they needed to know.

The midday scouring sun scratched against my skin as I headed towards the courtyard.

“Hey, what are you doing here,” One of the guards standing by the courtyard entrance said as I got close.

“I have a meeting here by noon with Lady Ana now Madam Ana.”

“Okay go in she is expecting you.”

“Hold on I know you, you are on of the guards that…”

“Madam Ana is waiting,” he said cutting me off.

“Yeah of course.”

“She is here,” Patricia whispered to Madam Ana as I walked in.

“Right on time,” she said, have a seat make yourself comfortable.

What? Did I just hear right?

“Thanks but I think I’m better off on my feet.”

“Very well then. Once again I would say that it is nice to see you here again. Even the manor has missed your presence and your services,” She smiled.

Yeah right. What could this be all about?

My heart raced even more faster as she spoke on.

“I am sorry for your loss. I know it has been hard.”

“Yeah, I think I cried when I heard about that. So sad.” Patricia added dramatically wiping our invisible tears off her eyes.

What the hell is happening?

I couldn’t control the pace at which my heart raced but I could control every tear gland that was likely to pour out tears at that moment. I didn’t want to be seen as weak, not in front of those two.

“Thank you, I said. It’s fine. In fact I am healing fast.”

“That’s great news,” Patricia took a glance at her mother with a wry smile creeping to her lips. Just then, it occurred to me that something was up.

“Fantastic. It’s been months and you have been off duty for a while. Patricia here who is now Lady Patricia after the new inauguration ceremony that was a few weeks back, would need a personal maid. She needs to be fit and always available to perform her duties.”

“Oh congratulations.” I said.

“Thank you. Mother get to the point already.”

“Yes definitely. Seeing that you have found favour in his sights, you know who I speak of, you would not be going back to your old life. So we are giving you the opportunity to stay here in the manor as Lady Patricia’s personal maid.”

“Wha… What?” I nearly choked on her words.

“You dare question my mother?”

“No, of course not. It’s just that…”

“It’s just that what?” She barked.

Speak Clara.

The words were there right in front of my lips waiting to be said.

Tell them Clara, you have been made free by the Alpha King. Say it, you are no longer a slave. Speak. Say it!

“It’s just that I didn’t know I would resume soon.”

“Oh yeah, no one says you would start today.”

“What? She doesn’t start today?!”

“Thanks,” I heaved a sigh of relief.

“You start tomorrow,” Madam Ana said.

“Phew! That’s right,” Patricia smiled, “I know you might not know a lot of this about me so I’ll fill you up on some of them. I like to have a cup of tea before my breakfast which is usually as early as 7:am and then a warm feet massage before I start my day.”

“Okay Patricia.”

“It’s Lady Patricia.”

“Yeah, Lady Patricia. Is that all?”

“Yes of course that’s all for now.”

And then I turned to leave.

“Hold on a bit there Clara,” Patricia called out.

I froze on my step as I turned back again.

“Did you ever think that maybe you could be free?”

“Huh?”

I definitely didn’t see that coming.

“Uhmm…” I cleared my throat searching my head for what to say.

“Well I’ll answer that for you. No! So take such thoughts out if it did ever cross your mind. Once a slave always a slave. Now be rest assured that I do not like to be kept waiting. And I want my maid competent and ever ready to do my biddings. If I notice any slight backwardness from you. I wouldn’t tell the guards to punish you or give you any hard task like Ryan did. I’ll take you out, personally. You should know that. Now leave!”

“Yeah,” I turned to leave my chest tightening with every step that I took heading out.

What are you doing Clara? Just ignore them and go.

Did I just hear right? Be Patricia’s personal slave? How worse could that get? The endless backlash of hurtful words being thrown at my face, the torments, the turmoil, more wounds that would leave scars that never seemed to fade away, all this that I would have to face again. It was indeed a sign that I needed to leave. But Ryan, he never seemed to listen. He didn’t understand, he never did. Maybe that was why every thing about me that he was involved in always ended badly. I needed to say something. Perhaps to let them know of the new development but instead as usual, the words were sucked back in as I walked back to the room.

“Don’t be late,” I said as I reminisced on Patricia’s words mimicking in a tone that matched hers. The sun was barely up by the time I woke up. Sometimes, it still feels like a dream whenever I thought that I would be working again. As I set to leave, preparing for the long day, I heard a knock on the door.

“Oh God, Patricia couldn’t even wait a minute long before sending one of those her eerie-looking guards,” I rolled my eyes, “Hold on a bit I would be there shortly,” but my words did not slow down the knock neither did it stop it.

“Oh fuck it,” I muttered underneath my breath as I headed towards the door opening it to find Ryan there.

“Oh it’s you,” I said.

“It seems you were expecting someone else.”

“Not really. Come in.”

“Thank you.”

“What do you want Ryan?”

“I didn’t know you would be awake by now.”

“Well, I am and I am heading out.”

“You should be resting Clara. Remember what the doctor said.”

“I guess not everyone knows about what the doctor said.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Look Ryan, I need to go now I don’t want to be late. Patricia, I mean Lady Patricia would not like to be kept waiting.”

“I don’t understand. What business do you have with Patricia at this time of the day?”

“What are you even doing here at this time of the day?”

“I was going into town for a meeting and so I thought to stop by to see how you are doing before leaving.”

“You are leaving the manor?”

“Yes but just for a few hours, I’ll be back in time for dinner. And I would want you to join me for dinner but that aside, you haven’t answered my question.”

“It is nothing you should worry about.”

“Well, I am already worried. You should be resting, that was the agreement so where the hell are you going?”

“How is that your business anyway?”

“C’mon Clara, I don’t want you to be out there doing something that could ruin your health any further.”

“Is this just about my health?”

“I don’t know but all the same you have to tell me. ”

“But I don’t owe you any explanation.”

“I know, but please, I don’t want you involved with Patricia or anyone related to her.”

“Well, it’s a bit too late for that.”

“What has happened?”

“She made me her personal slave.”

“What?” He chuckled. But I still held my face in the same expression as he looked at me.

“Wait you are serious? And you actually want to do it? But you are no longer a slave.”

“Technically I am still a slave in the eyes of everyone as long as I am still here.”

“No, that’s not going to happen.”

“Well don’t forget that once a slave always a slave and not even you is going to change that until I leave here.”

“Don’t make me feel like I am holding you against your will.”

“You aren’t but your subordinates are and right now they need my services and I need to be there on time to render it.”

“No, I can’t allow that.”

“Well, this is not about you. If I don’t get going now, I could get in serious trouble. I have been in Madam Ana’s black book for too long and I don’t wish to stay there anymore somehow it is exhausting and comes with lot of pains. You would never understand that.”

“Clara look,” he held my hands in his and they were as warm as his stare. I wish I could tell him that I didn’t want him to ever take them off hands again.

Put yourself together Clara.

“You aren’t here for anyone, you are not under anyone. And no one can do anything to ever hurt you again whether I am here or not, okay?”

“Ryan, I don’t know about that,” I said looking away slowing retrieving my hands from his.

“Hey… Hey look at me,” he held them firmly again as he pulled me close, “don’t do that, don’t succumb to their desires. You work for no one. Yeah, I agree you were a slave, my slave, not theirs and I have given you your freedom. You are free to go on the condition that you get better with the amount of time we both agreed on. If you want me to make it public, to announce to everyone in town that you have been freed from the shackles of my chains then I would. All you have to do is ask.”

“I know Ryan. I know all of this but…”

“There are no buts.”

“I have to at least report to her.”

“You have to report to no one but yourself.”

I watched his lips as they smacked against each other. I liked his tone as he spoke, so viscous and fierce. He was being very protective about me which created a surge of a warm feeling around me. Perhaps he actually cared and I had allowed the pains of my past to overwhelm me, clouding my sense of judgement. I had become the blind bat that moved around without a given direction hitting against the walls of a dark cave even in the daytime I still couldn’t see what was right in front of me. Or maybe I could but it had become too familiar that I overlooked it every time.

The knock on the door caused my heart to stop for a second and my throat suddenly went dry.

“Oh my God, it could be her I have delayed,” I whispered.

Ryan said nothing as he left my arms walking towards the door.

“Ryan, wait you don’t have to,” I said but my words were late as he already had it opened.

“Lord Ryan, I am so sorry. I didn’t know you were in here,” the guards said as he saw Ryan by the door.

“What do you want?”

“I am here to take her for her daily job.”

“Who sent you?”

“Lady Patricia. She seeks her presence at her chambers.”

“Just as I thought,” I muttered.

“Do you have any idea why she might need her at her chambers?”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Uhmmm…”

“Speak!” Ryan roared.

“She has been made her personal slave. She is needed to perform certain duties for Lady Patricia.”

“I see. Well you would go back and tell Patricia that she should get a new personal maid. Clara is my guest and so she would not be suitable for such position. Tell the others that this lady is not a slave and she must not be mistaken as one. Now leave!”

“Yes master,” the guard said as he dashed away from the room towards the hallway.

Ryan closed the door as he walked towards me.

“Now that’s settled. If it takes me to address them all, then I would. No one should ever address you as a slave anymore.”

“Ryan, what have you done?”

“Something I would have done a long time ago.”

“Patricia would not like this.”

“I don’t intend her to.”

“They would not like this at all,” I muttered.