Ethan’s POV

“The painting? But Alpha Ethan, th— the painting is not something to be taken likely.”

“Am I someone to be taken?” I questioned back.

“No. But, it has been in my family for ages, my pack wouldn’t be pleased to hear that I have it out.” He cried.

“The pack you talk about with so much pride will discard you the minute you are overthrown by your brother.” I pointed out. It was difficult to argue with this fact.

He stared at me, indecisive. He would probably think I’m heartless which isn’t far from the truth. There wasn’t anything to my taste in his pack and I would have left the same way I came, not taking anything If not for my mother’s love for painting.

“But—.” He began, I silenced him with the wave of my hand.

I drank the wine he had poured me and stood up, suddenly feeling impatient.

“I won’t hear anymore excuses, do as you please but mind you, you have just 24 hours to decide. If the artwork isn’t sent to my pack house by this time tomorrow, we will see what will happen.” I said, turned and walked out. My guards standing at the door also followed suit.

I shut myself from the outside word, knowing what was coming next. Either a scream or a plea and I don't have the patience for either of them.

I walked outside, and my car was parked closeby. I walked up to it and my guard was right on time to open the door. I got settled.

My guards occupied the front seats, they waited for my instruction.

“Take me to the next pack, hopefully they have something that'll excite me.”

“Okay, Alpha,” the one on the driver's side said.

I picked up a magazine on the seat to while away time but Roy chose that time to disturb me.

“So you just go around, disrupting people's life.” My wolf Roy said.

“I don't get what you are saying, I'm merely doing my job.” I told him. I flipped through the magazine as though I was actually reading it.

“What job? We both know this has nothing to do with your job as the Ultima Alpha. You are merely trying to–”

“Can you drop that already? I'm over her okay? I'm going to find my one true mate soon and the rest will be history.” I cut in, knowing what he wanted to say.

“If that is the case why are you oppressing these people? Marcel for instance is your trusted ally, if you snatch his most cherished artwork from him you will end up having him as an enemy.” Roy stressed.

“And since when did I care about having enemies? Just shut it, Roy. You have nothing important to say.” I chided my wolf.

He sighed.

“I hope you don't regret all these. That aside, where are we going next?”

“Crimson Shadows pack, I have business there.”

“Shouldn’t we head home instead? The Luna is having a feast, it’s the best shot at finding our mate.” Roy said.

“Our mate in not in the pack, I’ve check. She’s not in this pack either, my reason for going to the Crimson Moon pack isn’t just for business, this is another reason.”

**

“Numbers 26,69, 70 and 80, go over there and stand upright. When Alpha Ethan comes in you are to bow, do not say a word to him unless asked to, am I clear?” Mistress Ava asked.

“Yes, Mistress.” The chorus and moved aside.

“Numbers 50, 80, 17, and 107, go over there.” She instructed, she took the sheet of paper containing all the names of the slaves and ticked.

She looked up and found that only three of the slaves she called were standing in their assigned position. She frown.

“Who is the last person? I called out four of you, why am I seeing just three persons here?” She asked, striding forward.

“Number 17, Mistress. You asked her to clean the stables.” One of them replied.

Realization flooded her senses and she retreated, “That’s okay, number 41 join them to make it complete.”

She called out other maids and gave each of them a position and a duty, followed by instructions.

Few hours later a Delta entered the scene.

“Mistress, Alpha Ethan is here. Alpha Tyler told me to—.” He started.

“It’s okay. I know what you want to say. Everyone stay in position and act natural, if any of you fucks up, you'll be dead by sunrise.”

Emma’s POV

Still scrubbing, I thought about certain things about me; my life, how I came to this place and how I have been feeling lately. I thought about my parents,too. How they look, since I never knew them. I shook my head quickly when I started to feel a sting of tears in my eyes. I didn't want to awaken the wolf in me, I didn't want to disobey my master as well.

I was still pondering, but it was obvious my thinking bothered the horse,because it shot its poop on my dress. I jumped up so hard, I tripped and fell on the decorated cobwebs at the corner of the stables.

“Ahh!” I screamed and cursed at the horse. But I also had a re-think. It was not the horse's fault, it was that wolf of a man who called himself Alpha Tyler. I stood up, cleaned up myself, and went back to what I was doing. I had to get out of there, it gave me the creeps. Most especially, my phobia for spiders!

I cleared the pits, removed the old hays, and washed up the barns too.

Finally done, I stood for a second, twisting and turning side to side a little. I felt a snap in my waist. Although my body needed it, I was quite too weary to continue such exercise.

I sluggishly opened the doors and left the stables.

**

Ethan’s POV

“Oh, my favorite Alpha of all Alphas, you are welcome to my humble abode...” I watched him give me praises upon compliments. Although I was keeping a very serious face outwardly, within me, a certain smile swept me over. He really knew how to use his words.

“Alpha Tyler, I received your letter and I decided to pay you a visit,” I said as he led me to the inner porch of his dwelling.

“My highest Alpha,” he smiled,“Yes, I sent you a letter…you know, I don't like seeing our packs always snarling and scratching each other every single time, I need the both of us to settle our differences…”

One of his maids offered me a seat. Sitting down, I used my eyes to do a search party on his house, it was quite organized. His maids were at the exact spot they were supposed to stand. Steady, not falling in any way at all. I loved the arrangement. Very organized.

He was still talking when I interrupted, “A truce?”

He smiled, “Yes, Alpha Ethans.”

“I must say, you have quite a nice place, Alpha Tyler. I love how your things are in place.” I crossed my legs and relaxed on the comfy seat.

“Oh, thank you. It is of my greatest pleasure to see that you are happy, Alpha Ethans. So—”

“Alpha Ethans, you are here already.” Mistress Ava stepped in, stopping him from completing his statement.

She came and knelt before me, I placed my palm on her back, patting her. She stood up and went to sit close to her brother.

“Miss Ava, it is a pleasure to see you.”

“We thought you were not going to come,” she forced out a weird smile.

“Well, here I am. Anything for the peace and brotherhood between our packs, isn't it ?” I asked them, raising one of my eye brows.

They looked at each other before quickly turning to me, “Yes…sure.”

“Ermm…Alpha Ethans, Would you like something to drink ?” Alpha Tyler ushered, “We've got one of the freshest in town…you know, right from the source.” He said in a low tone, more like a whisper. They both laughed.

I only smiled. But not too much.

“ Of course, I will. Bring what you have in the house.”

“Alright.” she motioned one of her maids to go bring the drink from the place where it was being stored.

**

Emma’s POV.

I entered the mansion through the backyard, and sneaked up to the kitchen, the easiest route to the maid's quarters where I rest. I looked at my right and left, checking if I would see anyone standing by the corner, tip-toeing till I reached the quarters for maids.

When I got to the room, I wore the drab black dress I was instructed by my master, Alpha Tyler to put on.

After putting it on, I stood there for a while, using my eyes to scan the whole room, its four corners made it look like a dungeon. So small, so tight. I felt like a prisoner. I took a look at the cobwebs that anchored around, it made me want to throw up. I literally hated cobwebs. Sheesh!

I knelt down on the floor, bent my waist a little to be in a mid-air position and then stretched out my hands to pick up the broom that was lying under the bed. How I wished I was the broom, just to be used when necessary. I waved it around the room, clearing, and wiping every spider I saw. I flogged one so hard, it fell on my bosoms, it took all the strength in me not to shout because I went crazy, squashing it with my palms.

“Sorry, spider but we just can't be together…”I lifted it with one of its leg and I threw it off my body.

I flung myself on top of the small bed by the corner, but my heavy fall caused specs of dust to fill the whole small room. I coughed.

This place really irks me! I said to myself. I felt like screaming but I didn't want to create a noise or let anyone know that I was inside the room. I closed my eyes to take a nap.

I was about sailing into La La Land when I heard a knock from the oldest maidens in the pack. She swung it open after a while of waiting for me to open. Guess my luck didn't shine today.

“What are you doing here? ” She asked.

“Erm…erm…”

She didn't let me even finish, she was merely that less of a talker similarly.

“C'mon, take. ``She handed me a tray, “Go and serve the guests.”

“But—”

“No buts, go and serve them out there.”

I had no other choice but to accept the tray from her, she was the oldest amongst all of the maids.I carried it and went to the porch where my master, mistress and guest all sat, I could see the way Alpha Tyler glared at me, his look was really terrifying but something else felt so strange—the guest.

Ethan’s POV.

I was already tired of the conversations, and the way they would just look at each other then back at me made it all worse. I began to wonder what was taking the maid they sent to bring the freshly extracted blood, so long. She must really be a lazy old woman.

I became impatient, using one of my fingers to tap on the arm of the chair, looking around the house, then back at the two of them.

I was already thinking of leaving when I saw her walk in with a tray in her hands, it contained the freshly extracted blood , too. But she was not the old woman that was sent to bring it for them, she was another person; a young lady who wore a black drab dress. She was tattered, ragged and dirty, but there was this aura she gave out that made my wolf, Roy, start to leap for joy. Wait, what? Don't tell me this lady standing in front of me is my mate…I begged from within me because of all people, the moon goddess chose a servant to be my mate. I became irritated.

I turned to look at Alpa Tyler who was obviously glaring at her as she poured the blood into his cup, the way he looked at her seemed like he didn't want her to be there, at all. She poured into his sister's cup too before coming to me.

My eyes were just fixed on her face,every step she took made her scent to be stronger and also, made my wolf to leap for joy the more. Not until when she tripped over something and poured the blood all over my body!

Everyone gasped.

“My goodness, I'm very sorry, Sir.” She tried to plead.

I was very angry, boiling so hard, I wanted to jump on her and reap her to pieces. How could she have been so clumsy and spewed blood all over me? Her pleadings were useless to me because I wanted to react and show her who I was, but before I could do that, Alpha Tyler, her master, had already jerked up and given a very loud slap, so loud it echoed around the entire mansion.

“I thought I said you shouldn't come out?” He yelled at her.

But she didn't move a muscle, talkless of saying a word. She just stood there with her head faced down. I noticed how hard she fought to hold back the tears from rolling out.

He raised his hand to give her another resonating slap, but was held back by his sister, Mistress Ava, who seemed like she was avoiding something from happening.

She apologized to me for what had happened and moved close to where the servant was. She pulled her right arm and dragged her out of the scene.

**

Emma’s POV

I didn't know what came over me. Yes, I was clumsy but not that much to pour the blood, I was asked to serve the guest all over his body.

When I came into the room, I felt something churn inside of me, it was my wolf and for the first time in life, it felt so happy. I didn't know what that meant… or does it mean that the guest is my mate?... No, that was forever going to be impossible. I am just a slave, why will the moon goddess ever want to link a slave, the lowest of the betas with an Alpha, not just any Alpha, The most fearful Alpha of all time in Crimson Shadows pack?

Mistress Ava and Alpha Tyler weren't pleased by the crazy display I had just performed. Mistress Ava dragged me out of the room and made sure she did away with me. She punished me, threw at me all sorts of insults and I wished I could just tell her to stop, but who am I to do so? She is my master too, unless I wanted my body parts to be used as decoration around the house the next morning…

“Now, you will go back out there, kneel down and plead for his forgiveness, what did I say?” She raised a question.

I didn't reply to her. I stared down at the ground,and just nodded.

“Didn't you hear me, Schiava?” She asked me again.

“I heard you, Mistress Ava…”I replied to her.

“SAY IT THEN!” She ordered.

“You said I should go before him, kneel down and b-beg him for forgiveness…” I stuttered.

“Good. Now, go back there before things get nastier!” She pointed her fingers out of the enclosure I was dragged in earlier, to the direction of the porch.

I just nodded and hurried away from there, dodging her last strike from reaching my back. She followed me from behind, pushing me forcefully till we got to where he was.

As we got closer, I saw Master Tyler, he was still apologizing to him, but as soon as he saw me and our eyes met, my body started to react weirdly around him, again. I didn't know why but I felt a strong connection with him. Master Tyler on the other hand, didn't like my presence there, he frowned at me as I dragged myself to move close to the guest. But seriously, I deeply wanted to apologize to him.

I was now close to him, I knelt down in their midst and used my head to touch the ground. Just as I was instructed to do.

“Please, pardon me for what I did earlier,Sir. It was so inappropriate and disrespectful of me to pour blood on you… Please, forgive me.” I begged him.

He didn't even listen to me, one glance at him and all I saw was his clenched teeth and his clenched fist. For a man with handsome features, His face really looks terrible when he is very angry. He just snapped his knuckles slightly and went away. How rude of him…all my pleadings just for waste…I thought. I immediately cleared away such thoughts from my head, that time was not the right time to start assuming someone's character.