CHAPTER 1

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CHAPTER 1

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BRINLEY.

I fell asleep during most of the ride. However, my eyes widened when I looked out the window and saw it. 'OMG, Starbucks, yes.'

'You and your damn coffee,' Sage shakes her head. I frowned.

'There is Nothing Wrong with Coffee! Without it, I get Bitchy remember,' I pointed out. 'Oh, believe me, I know,' And with that, Sage creeps to the back of my mind. Although, we don't talk much since I keep her a secret from everyone. It's not hard to tell when someone is communicating with their wolf.

We pull up to the palace. Wow, it was beautiful. Once the SUV came to a stop, Kyle opened my door for me. I muttered. A thank you and stepped out of the Suv. The second I stepped out, I smelled the most amazing Intoxicating smell. It smelled of woods and honey. 

"Brinley?". Beta Kyle said with a confused look on his face. I wave it off.

"What happens now?" I asked, hardly thinking straight. All I can focus on is that delicious smell.

"Here, put this on," Beta Kyle said as he handed me a blindfold. I frowned, "What's this for?" Kyle chuckled; no doubt there's a dumbfounded look on my face. I arched my brow. "All Slaves wear blindfolds and a uniform which Mrs. Bates will give you and bring you up to date on what you will do," Beta Kyle stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world. My mouth dropped open. "Better close that you might catch a fly," Beta Kyle chuckled. I rolled my eyes at him. "I thought I had to meet the King?" I say as I slip on the blindfold. 

Beta Kyle clears his throat. "He said he doesn't need to meet another slave. It's odd, but King's orders so to Mrs. Bates". Kyle said while holding my arm and leading me through the door.

The moment he led me through the door, that intoxicating smell grew more robust, making Sage also pace my mind. 'Sage, what's wrong?' Sage shook her wolf head, 'I don't know.' She admitted. 'I don't like what that smell does to us,' Sage added. 'I agree,' I replied, "if I didn't know better, I'd say it was our mate. Sage and I both laughed. We knew second chance mates don't happen often, and certainly not to half-breeds.

Kyle led me to Goddess only knows, he stopped, and I heard him knock on a door after a few minutes; I listened to the door creak open.

"Ah, Beta Kyle, what do I owe the pleasure. " An older female voice spoke.

"Mrs. Bates, this is Brinley. She will be joining the others," Kyle exclaimed. The older woman's voice sighed.

"We don't have anywhere to put her; we're full. I've told the Alpha King this before," The older woman said stubbornly. Kyle huffed.

"The Alpha King will be sending orders for where he wants her," Kyle says. The woman let out a frustrated groan. "Fine."

Kyle led me inside the door. Once inside, he removed my blindfold.

"Brinley, Mrs. Bates will show you to your room." I nodded. He turned to leave.

"Wait," I said as I grasped his arm.

"Yes."

"Will I get to see Katie?" Kyle ran his fingers through his slick hair, "We'll see." I nodded once, and he left the way he came.

"Okay, what was your name again?". The older woman asked—my eyes met hers. "Brinley." "Right, well, let me explain to you how this works; we will give you a number we don't use names, so that number is your name from now on. You will have your uniform tonight. You are to be blindfolded at all times. The rooms or wherever I will need you that day, I will assign you an escort that will lead you anywhere. However, you can remove the blindfold to clean and do what needs, done. Your blindfold goes back on before you knock on the door. Your escort will take you to your next room or outside duties. Now, Do you have any questions?".

 "No, ma'am." 

"Good, now follow me." I nod.

'What the hell is this place?; Sage asks.

'Hell,' I replied.  

'The old Bat looks like a Bitch,' Sage spat. I laugh but agree.

She's about 5'6 tall and slender; her once brown hair is fading sliver, and the wrinkles on her face tell me she's about 40s to 50s. But still beautiful.

"This is your room. We will bring your dinner." 

"Thank you." I smiled. She nodded and left.

I fell back on my bed with a groan.

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It's been two long miserable days, and my body aches with pains. The other girls talk about the Alpha King as we make dinner. The things they have to say are not so lovely. I haven't met the King yet, although he pays all the slaves wages for their hard work. So I cannot complain all that much at least I am making money for a Starbucks coffee on my day off. I didn't think we ever get days off, but the girl Julia she's my roommate, and she says we get one day off a week.

 I'm hoping she's right. I could use a break.

Julia had already cleaned herself up from our working outside today. I was almost finished and was about to head to the kitchen when my phone rang, and Amanda's name came across the screen of my broken phone Kelsy had given me. I tapped the green button, "Hello?" I whispered.

"Oh my god, Brinley. I was hoping you'd answer," I chuckled, "I hid my phone from Mrs. Bates. But, unfortunately, I can't talk right now. I'm on kitchen duty tonight," I tell her, hoping she will get that I was busy. "Well, I thought my best friend would like to know that I found my Mate." But, something didn't sound right about Amanda's tone. "Why do you sound so blue? You should be happy. Trust me, you don't want to end up here," I informed her. "Brinley, It's Gabriel,"

I closed my eyes, and a silent tear fell. I didn't say anything to Amanda just hung up the phone and hid it under my mattress before I went to the kitchen. Julia was already cutting vegetables when I arrived in the kitchen. "What do you need me to do?" I asked her. She knew a lot about everything in the palace. "Cut the fruit for the fruit salad; make sure you don't put strawberries. The Alpha King is allergic to them," Julia informed me before she went back to cutting.  

If he is allergic, why put them out?

I cut the mango into cubed dices, "You know a lot about the Alpha King, huh?" Julia nods, "I should. I've been sleeping with him for two years now," I dropped the knife, and Julia turned to face me. "I heard he would rip a girl's throat out if they talked to him," Julia shrugged, "True, but he is a man, and men have needs." I mouthed an '0'.

Julia raised her eyebrow, "The Alpha King is the hottest man I'd ever seen. I would be stupid not to sleep with him," I pursed my lips, "Does he sleep with the others?" Julia nodded her head, "He does. But, unfortunately, most of us want it. I'm sure he wouldn't force it onto you." I sighed, "That's a relief," Julia laughed, "I'm going to get him to marry me one day," I smiled at her, picked up the knife, and cut the fruit.

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I cleaned up the mess when Julia came running through the kitchen's swinging doors. "Brinley," Julia said, going completely frantic. We, the enslaved people, still call each other by our names; unless someone is around, we use our numbers. My new name is 508. "Julia, what's wrong?"

"You put strawberries into the fruit salad. I told you the Alpha King was allergic to them," Julia said, biting her nails and pacing the floor. I don't remember putting strawberries in the salad. I finished it and headed to relieve my bladder, I wasn't gone two minutes, and Julia started serving the food. "I didn't," I shook my head. "Well, how did he eat a strawberry? Oh, Goddess, we are so dead. They took him to see doctor Jacob," I placed my hand on her shoulder, "Calm down. I'm sure he will be alright. I will tell him it was my mistake and didn't know about the strawberries." Julia seemed to relax a little bit, but her body was still trembling. "Thanks, Brinley," Julia said and hugged me. "Go back to the room. I will clean up here." Julia nodded and headed for the small staircase that led to the enslaved person's rooms. "Don't forget the dining room," Julia said before disappearing. 

It's going to be a long night.