Chapter Four

OLAMIDE

My eyes widened and my lips shivered. I couldn't be his slave. I was nobody's property. Thinking of myself as a prisoner was bad enough but I was a human being. The fact that he could demand such a demeaning title from me meant everything I suspected he'd take from me would happen, and if he didn't hurt me, I wasn't sure how hard I could fight someone so overwhelming and seductive and experienced. He was quite a bit older than me, a grown, mature man, whereas the guys I had been involved with were silly boys by comparison. Boys who could take no for an answer.

"Heavens," He sighed, finally meeting my eyes, and upon seeing my frightened expression, his eyes brightened in what had to be deemed as a sick satisfaction. "Are we going to have to pull the car over again?"

The threat had it's intended effect. The lesson was too fresh in my mind. I felt a numbing sensation wash over me as my mouth slowly opened to say, "N-no, Alpha."

The car suddenly slowed causing me to look forward. I stare up at the glassed entrance of a mansion. Was this home? There were no doors. If he planned to keep me captive, wouldn't that be a necessity or was he so sure his name had lingered such a warning to my head that I wouldn't try anything rash?

"Now, there are servants in the house. Don't take that as hope. They will not help you. They are just like me and they won't have a problem maiming you if they must. The phones go through a switchboard and emergency operators can't help you either. If you seek their help, they will report it to me and you'll be punished accordingly."

I felt chills as the car got closer and closer to the house. What had I gotten myself into? Once upon a time, I would have never believed monsters like this existed of someone told me. Now I was involved with them and all because I partied. Zeus would starve and die before my neighbors would request a welfare check. My brother would probably be the last to find out. That fucker hardly cared what went on in my life. I was so wrapped around all I had already lost when I felt warm. hands slowly press the back of my neck. I flinched and recoiled, surprised to know he had moved to the back seat, and all while I hadn't noticed. He wasn't trying to strangle me or anything. I think he was massaging me. I did not attempt to stop him despite not wanting his hands anywhere near me, but if I was stuck with this man, I much preferred his kindness to cruelty or pain.

"I can't let you go, and I won't be able to resist making you mine. Our bond is much complicated than that but I'll be good to you Olamide, If you let me. Are you going to let me?"

Each time my name rolled off his tongue, it was as if a piece of my will broke off and floated away. I wanted nothing more than to argue about belonging to him but I knew that wasn't the way to get to the kindness he offered. I nodded, not wanting to have to call him Alpha again and for once he let it slide.

"That's smart." He said, staring upfront. "Are you married?"

Again, his lips weren't moving and when he did that, I was painfully reminded of what happened earlier. The mention of mates and the scientifically impossible sights I had seen. It was jarring but I tried my best not to let it affect me adversely. I needed complete and total control of my mind.

"No. I-I'm just twenty-one."

He cursed, making me worried he'd take her back to Devin.

"Way too fucking young." He shook his head. "Boyfriend?"

"No."

"Again?" His face suddenly turned stern. "I'll pull the car over, and I'll do much worse. I am your Master. You are my property. Now say it. No, what?"

"N-no, Alpha," I forced out.

"Good. Family?"

"No M-master." Not anymore I didn't.

"Friends?"

"A few people I work with." Now that his questions were getting close and personal, I was beginning to think he was not afraid. He only wanted to be aware of any other subject he could use as leverage to puppet me. For the first time in a long time, I was beginning to be thankful I was alone. At least there was no one in the world he could use to hurt me further.

"You've got less to leave. That'll make it easier on you."

He didn't know what he was talking about. Having nothing to leave was never easy but I had many to lose. I would never see my brother again. As much as I despised that dude, He was family. My dad would be rolling in tears if he knew what happened to me. Being an illegal immigrant I had been thrown into a foster care system with my Dad's best friend. The man had used my Dad's desperate attempts to make sure we lived a better life to enslave my brother and me. We had been beaten, starved and as I slowly blossomed into a woman, the fucker had tried other things just before he died of AIDS. Now my earned freedom felt unreal because this man would bring to fruition my foster father's sick desires. Why else would he take me? Why else would he emphasize that he owned me? Jason wasn't the first man to make such a claim, and this wouldn't end any better. Only there was no ready way out this time.

I hardly knew how to act around people. How to talk to them and make real, close friends. It had never been one of my strong fortes and I never quite understood how trust worked. Now all I was leaving was a too-small apartment, a broken sibling, and a few shallow friendships. Fresh tears flowed down my face, and I thought I might never exhaust my ever-growing supply of them.

"I have a cat. She'll starve without me." The only being I would miss was reliant on me for survival. I couldn't stand to think of Zeus suffering and dying alone in the apartment. That cat had seen me through various bouts of depression and self-loathing. It was the least I could do.

Jason's hand was still at the nape of her neck. "I'll send someone to retrieve your cat."

I stared at him for a moment, trying to determine if he was playing more mind games. "You'd do that for me?"

"I told you I can make your life easy or hard. Give me what I want, and I'll make it so easy. When we get inside, you can write down your address and make a list of anything else you want from your former residence." He stressed the word former.

I tried not to dwell on it. "My key is at Devin's. He took my purse."

Jason nodded. "That's no problem."

I tried not to think about the price he'd extract from me for all this kindness. A tab had started, and there was no doubt he'd take it out of my body. Even so, I couldn't help the instinct that made me want to cling to him for his protection, however irrational or foolish such an instinct may be.

***

"I bring news master." A bald-headed man said, tossing an ID onto the table before Sofiane.

"What news?" Sofiane demanded. He stood before the window, looking out bleak night traffic.

The werewolf nodded. "Alpha Jason now has a mate."

The strange news seemed to catch Sofiane's attention and he fixated his attention on the square chip on his table.

"Is this her?"

"Yes. I stole it while I could."

Sofiane studied the girl in the ID. A devious smile made its way to his lips as cruel thoughts perverted his mind. The plastic chip felt warm, almost as if it possessed a living pulse. Something he wanted to snuff out. He recalled the same thing had been done to him once and it was only proper to return such goodness.

"That'll be all, Thanks."

"No problem Alpha Sofiane. Let me know when I can be of service."

"You know I will."

The man then left, closing the door behind him, leaving Sofiane completely alone.

"This is what happens when you play a game you can't finish, Alpha," Sofiane muttered and tucked the ID in his desk drawer. "No matter what you do to protect her, She will die by my hands and that is a promise."