Chapter 5 (Deonna) A Quick Bite

I sat awake with my stomach growling for what felt like hours. I wasn’t sure how long I was sitting in the grocery room, but I was disappointed that Bob hadn’t returned with anything to eat. He had told me that he would soon find me something and return to me within the hour. However, I was thinking he had forgotten about me.

Maybe he got caught up with something else.

It’s been a long time since I felt my wolf; I used to feel her presence all the time before I was taken to the slave farm. Once they chained me and kept me, prisoner, she had gone completely silent. Today was the first time in a couple of years that I heard loud and clear.

She was reaching out to Marlon Roessler in a way that I had never felt before. It was unfamiliar and unsettling. I had to keep pushing the feeling down into my stomach because I would be damned that she would feel any type of way for a man that approves of slavery. He was one of the most racist wolves amongst the kingdoms; it wouldn’t be right of me to have feelings towards him.

My wolf was delusional and had no idea what she was thinking. I’ve never encountered a man with such value before. It was no wonder my wolf was acting so strangely. 

I couldn’t think about it anymore; the hunger pains were growing intensely, and I knew I needed to do something before I died of starvation. I wouldn’t be useful to Bob if it was dead.

It was late enough that most people around the manor were probably asleep. I wasn’t hearing any voices coming through the vents that lead into the kitchen, so it was probably empty. I had to be close if I was staying in the grocery room.  I also noticed that he didn’t lock the door, which meant he most likely didn’t have any keys to do so.

Pushing open the door that led into the wide-ranged hallway, I decided to follow the scent of the food. Growing up in the commoner community, I had to teach myself to be stealthy and quiet to survive, so sneaking around wasn’t anything new to me. I wasn’t expecting to be gone long; I’d be able to grab a bit to eat and be back in the chamber before anyone even noticed.

As I reached the doors of the kitchen, I began hearing a soft murmur of a voice coming from close by. My eyes widened and I felt the pain in my chest begin rising. I held onto my chest to keep my heart stable and bit hard into the bottom of my lip to keep from making sounds of agony.

Looking around the empty halls, I knew I needed to take cover and quickly.

I ducked into the far corner of the hall, near a large floor plant. Just as I did that, I saw a small shadow appearing from the dimmed lighting of the narrow hall nearby. A blonde woman stood at the end of the hall; she was peering around suspiciously for a moment. Her eyes were eyeing the door to the kitchen.

I kept myself hidden enough to where she couldn’t see me, and where I could hardly see her. But I saw a much larger shadow appearing near her and she looked just as startled to see it as I did. Before she had the chance to open the kitchen door, I heard the low whispers of the larger shadow.

“What do you think you are doing here?” The woman asked, her voice sounding angry.

Woman number one gazed up at woman number two, her eyes large and alert. She looked at the kitchen door briefly and then turned her attention back to the woman.

“I gave Mr. Roessler a plate to eat. I wanted to see how he was liking it,” she said, almost sheepishly.

“That isn’t your job,” the woman hissed, causing woman number one to flinch.

“Yes, I’m aware but…” woman number one argued.

I heard the hard slapping of woman number two’s hand across woman number one’s face. I winced at the contact. Woman number one looked taken back; the soft pink of her cheek flaring as the roughness of the slap stung her features.

“Get back to your chamber, Petra,” woman number two hissed.

Woman number one, Petra, didn’t argue. I didn’t blame her for not arguing.

“Yes, mam,” she whispered as she stalked down the hallway. Both ladies disappeared down the hall and their shadows broke dispersed.

I was in over my head; I shouldn’t have been sneaking through the halls like this. If that’s how they treated one another, I could only imagine how they would treat me if they saw me.

As afraid as my person was, my wolf didn’t seem as frightened. Before I was taken to the slave farm, I had trusted my wolf’s instincts. It had never steered me wrong before, but now I wasn’t so sure. It was tugging me in the direction of the kitchen, but Petra had mentioned that Marlon was eating food in the kitchen.

So why would my wolf want me to head for the kitchen?

Part of me wanted to back down and go back to the grocery room. Maybe Bob had returned with some food after all. What would he do to me if he found out I was no longer there? But the growling of my stomach only grew worse, and the hunger pains were causing my chest to ache.

I had to get some kind of food in me.

I couldn’t even hear anybody in the kitchen; maybe he wasn’t there anymore.

Once the coast was clear, I snuck over to the door that Petra was about to open. I knew it had to be the door to the kitchen. I was relieved to see that the kitchen was empty, only the faint light of the dimmed candlewick on the countertop.

I quietly made my way over to the counter and saw that there was a plate of the half-eaten pig roast, along with some mixed vegetables. It didn’t look like it’s been sitting there that long, and I silently cursed the fact the Roessler family can waste such delicious-looking food.

Or any food.

Next to the plate was a half cup of milk that looked to be freshly produced. I slowly nibbled on the pork, allowing the sweetness to wash over my tongue. I sipped the milk generously and then continued to eat from the plate. Munching on the vegetables, I began to get full. It didn’t take long for me to fill up considering my stomach wasn’t that big.

Not too long afterward though, I began to feel warm. Taking another sip of the milk, my cheeks began to flush, and I thought I might pass out. I held onto the countertop to keep my balance; I realized soon enough that it wasn’t faint I was feeling. My entire body felt as though I was on a heatwave; I could feel the heat rushing to my head.

I felt lustful.

My wolf began feeling the same way as she did when I first encountered Marlon. It was a tugging sensation that I didn’t recognize. The slight glow of her purple haze began revealing itself through my skin and her howl was getting louder in my mind.

I could feel the closeness of his wolf nearby; I couldn’t help but wonder if Marlon could feel it too. Could he feel me as I felt him? Did he long for my touch against his perfect skin? His breath against the nape of my neck, blowing the little hairs away from my ear. His soft lips caressed the bottoms of my lobes gently and sent a wave of warmth down my body.

I closed my eyes and took in the softness of his body pressed against mine. His large hands wrapped around me and pulled me close to him. His erection pressed against my leg, asking for entrance to my most sensitive areas.

His breathing was harsh and his low moan in my ear sent my wolf into turmoil. The purpleness of her aura was growing pink and lustful.

Why was I thinking about him in such a way? He was the master of the Roessler estate. The highest-ranked nobleman. The most racist nobleman there was.

This wasn’t making any sense.

I shouldn’t be imagining his hands on my body. I shouldn’t be picturing what it feels like to be touched by him.

It wasn’t until I felt the softness of his lips against my shoulder blade and his fingers inching up the under portion of my rags that I realized it wasn’t my imagination.

He was really here.