002 The Truth

Ellis

I woke up at noon. I had gone back to sleep after my father left. I wondered why nobody had come to wake me. 

The room I was in had no private bath so I headed out to look for the bathroom. I found the girl that had let us in when we arrived. She showed me to the bathroom and gave me some clothes. Plans had been made about what I would wear. I was glad because my father had not let me pack any of my belongings before coming.

I got ready for the rest of the day and went in search of what to eat. I intended to eat and then seek the red-haired man to discuss my terms of employment before I started working.

I found the kitchen staff. They were already preparing for lunch, but I was lucky to find the leftovers to eat. The cook was a robust unfriendly woman. I hoped that I wasn't going to be working with her because she had a very bad attitude. Her name was Rose, her attitude and looks were far from a rose. She had been given the wrong name.

When I finished eating, I went in search of the red-haired man. There weren't many people in the estate, but I quickly discovered that there was more than one red-haired man living there.

On my search, I met Susan.  She was a pretty brunette about my age.  She was amused to see me and she was very nice.

" When did you arrive?" She asked as she led me to where she believed the man I was looking for was. According to her, his name was Patrick and she referred to him as the beta. 

Hearing her speak, I noticed that people there were given titles in alphabetical order. Mr William was Alpha, Patrick was Beta and so on. I wondered what letter Susan was so I asked.

" So what alphabet are you?" I asked and she paused to look at me with a confused expression on her face.

" You don't know?" She asked

' Know what?" I responded. She looked at me as if she was about to say something then changed her mind last minute.

Knowing that the conversation was at a dead-end, I decided to change the topic.

" What is your job description?" I asked her.

She paused awhile. I noticed she was trying to figure out how to phrase the answer, therefore, I let her take her time.

"Let's just say I serve Alpha William," she answered. I hoped she would elaborate but she didn't, so I let it rest.

" Why are you looking for Beta Patrick" she finally asked, successfully changing the topic. I knew what she was doing but I decided to allow her. I didn't want her to get uncomfortable around me. I didn't know if there were other women my age in the estate and I needed a friend so I wouldn't feel too lonely. There was no need to make her uncomfortable.

" Everything happened in a rush," I stated, in response to her question, " We didn't discuss my terms of employment and wages," I told her and she looked confused. It was as if I had said something alien.

" Are you an employee?" She asked, looking rather surprised.

" Well yes, why else would I be here,?"  I asked with a smile.

" Nothing, it is just that there are no employees here." She confessed and for a second I thought she was crazy. After all, I had met workers there, why would she say that?

" Susan, I have met some workers here," I told her, believing I was stating the obvious.

She nodded in agreement and responded. " There are workers here but we have no employees. They are either omegas or slaves." She confessed and my eyes grew wide with surprise.

" Omega's or slaves?  What do you mean?" I asked and I could read the sudden discomfort on her face.

" I am sorry, Ellis, I think I have said too much. I must now excuse myself. The beta's office is the first door on your left. Have a nice day," she said, and before I could respond she hurriedly walked away from me.

What she had told me and her reaction baffled me. The word slave did not sit well with me. The more I thought about it, the more eager I was to discuss my terms of employment and wages. I had not come here to work for free. My father had told them he needed the money. I hoped there was no funny business going on.

I stood at the office door and knocked. When no one answered, I knocked again and again until a familiar voice finally asked me to come in.

I found the red-haired man I was looking for. Susan was right, it was Patrick. I hoped that was the only thing she was right about.

"Yes, enter and have a seat." He told me., " I see you have rested well and they have given you your clothes. The rest would be made available to you shortly." He assured me.

I sat quietly in the chair and looked at him.

" I see you are not so chatty this afternoon." He said observing my mood.

I started by apologising," Forgive my manners earlier. I was tired and the trip was unexpected. I am not short-tempered under normal circumstances." I assured him.

" I hope for your own good you aren't." He said and I felt threatened. I wanted to respond but I thought against it and remained silent.

"So, how can I help you, Miss Ross?" He asked. That was my cue. I sat up on the chair and breathed in and out to gain the confidence I needed for negotiations.

" Everything happened in a rush this morning, I wasn't given a job description, terms of employment and we did not discuss my wages," I said and he dropped his pen to look at me.

" You are serious." He finally said realising I was serious about my questions.

" You mean your father didn't tell you?" He asked and I became confused.

" Tell me what ?" I asked.

"What precisely did he tell you?" He asked me.

" He said a friend of his helped me gain employment here." I summed it up for him and he cursed under his breath.

" That bastard " I heard him say and I took offence.

" Hey, we might be poor but that does not give you the right to insult my father in my presence," I told him showing I had taken offence.

" I am sorry Miss Ross, I didn't mean to offend you. I was just surprised and annoyed that your father did not tell you the truth." He said and I could see the concern in his eyes.

He leaned forward to speak. " Your father was owing a lot of bad people lots of money. He couldn't pay and his life and yours were in danger." He said and took a deep breath " what I am trying to say Miss Ross is that your father sold you to Alpha Williams, so Alpha Williams will settle his debt for him and protect both of you as payment."

I was in complete shock. He had used the word sold. I had stopped listening from sold. My father had sold me? There must have been a mistake. But he had no reason to lie to me. 

The conversation my father had with Patrick began to replay in my head. How he had insisted for William to see me. How I had foolishly insisted too. My father had finally done his worst. He had drunk and gambled himself into so much debt and used me to pay for it. For how long would I be in this mess?

I didn't know when my tears began to fall. Patrick handed me a box of tissues and I accepted. Bracing myself, I asked, " For how long would this sale last?"

" I am afraid you won't ever be free. If you leave, the deal will be off and Alpha William would no longer be responsible for your father's debt or both your protection anymore which will put both your lives at risk." He explained and I was heartbroken.  

I wasn't a commodity. My father had no right to sell me. I wasn't the one that drank and gambled my life away, why did I have to pay for his sins? Why did I have to suffer? Why was it my freedom that was taken away instead? Why did my father endanger both our lives?

" So how am I to serve my master?" I asked, in tears, afraid of what they might do to me.

" Alpha is yet to give you an assignment. Once he does, you will be informed. Feel free to do whatever you like for now, but you are not allowed to leave the estate. Do not roam the grounds at night either, it is against the rules." He warned. 

I thought of the irony of his sentence. How do you tell a slave to feel free? What a joke.

I left Patrick's office a shadow of myself. I couldn't believe what my father had done to me. I headed straight to my room and wept. I was no longer a free woman. My father had sold my freedom for money. Susan was telling the truth, after all, there were only slaves on the estate and I was now one of them.