CHAPTER 8: THE NEW PERSONAL CHAUFFEUR & BODYGUARD

Amber

The only person I'm having a hard time dealing with is Hunter Black—and you just glued him to me, Dad. 

I should've just said that in my father’s face. 

The main reason why Blood Moon Pack is one of the most powerful clans in the realm is its Alpha: Andrew Kratos.

Wise and shrewd, Alpha Andrew comes on top of all the other Alphas in business expansion. That's how Blood Moon’s commercial empire grew a hundred fold ever since Grandpop died. 

But when it comes to his daughter, Alpha Andrew is completely clueless. 

I guessed that happens to all fathers who lost their mates when their cub was barely three: they'd immerse themselves in work so they didn't have to face the grieving—or the constant reminder of it, which is their cub. 

So since my father was entirely absent throughout my childhood, he’d listen to anyone who has anything for him about parenting. 

Anyone including the never married, super single and very available Hunter Black. 

Still, I tried to reason with the adult in him. 

“Are you sure you want your right-hand guy to babysit your college student daughter?” 

My father sighed. 

“Amber, you’re my daughter. The next heir of Blood Moon. Why wouldn’t my right-hand man be up for the job? And he isn’t babysitting—he’s protecting you. And Hunter is the only man I trust to protect you.”

Oh good Deity.

“Besides, what father can stand having his daughter—college student or not—stalked by some imbecile.”

“But I'm not stalked by anyone!”

I shot a murderous glare across the table, and Hunter was helping himself to the food, as though he had nothing to do with this. 

“Enough, Amber!” Slammed the iron fist. And the table clanked with his rule. “Hunter will be your bodyguard until he’s certain that you won’t be in any danger!” 

“Until he’s certain?!” I slammed my own female-power fist, and the table jingled with my fighting spirit as I stood, shoving my chair back in anger. 

Then, I shot an angry finger across. “So when he tells you that I’m in danger, you believe him with no questions asked. But when I tell you that I’m alright, you wouldn’t hear a word of it.” 

Hunter frowned. “That’s not what your father was saying.” 

“Shut up!” I pushed my glare at him. “You started this when I clearly told you that it’s none of your business!” 

“AMBER!” My father stood up. 

And the entire hall instantly silenced. 

But then, he shut his eyes to suppress his rage. When he opened them again, they were as cold as an executioner. 

“Hunter’s my brother—your uncle. And you’re my daughter—his niece. We are what’s left of the unit so he has every right to look out for you. So apologise to him right now—.” 

“I’m your flesh and blood. He’s not. But you seem to trust him more!” I glared at that smug grin on that sickeningly handsome face. “So make him your daughter, why don’t you?!”

The Alpha was baffled.  

“That’s preposterous—Amber! Get back here! We’re not finished!” 

But I was already out of the dining area. 

*****

I had just stepped out of the mansion when a strong grip came over my wrist and I was tugged back to face him. 

“Hey,” came the silky voice, “you really shouldn’t talk to your father that way. Especially in front of the pack—.” 

“Let go of me, you jackass,” I growled in Hunter’s face. 

But he was smiling like I had just told him a good joke. 

“Like it or not, Am, I’m your personal chauffeur and bodyguard.” He shrugged and added, “the Alpha’s orders.” 

“Go to hell, Hunter.” I tried pulling my hand out. But he was much, much stronger.

Like an Alpha. 

“I would love to,” he chuckled, “but I’ve got a job to take care of.” And he half-dragged, half-carried me down the steps to his car. 

And I got even angrier. At his Alpharian strength and wits.  

Car door, seatbelts, door lock. History repeated itself once more, and then we were on the road to school. 

It had been my greatest wish to be trapped in a tiny space with Hunter. But after what happened, I no longer feel any joy in me. 

On the contrary, I secretly prayed for us to crash into one of these detestful pine trees so both of us—including his dumb car—would die, and my pain would finally rest in peace—. 

“What’s so funny?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. 

“How long has it been?” His chuckles felt unusually relaxed. 

And I frowned to hide a skip of heartbeat. 

“You mean how long has it been since you talked to me?” Then, I scoffed a sarcastic chuckle. “You’re the one who stopped talking to me all of a sudden. And you’re asking me? Are you quite alright in the head?” 

Tension seeped right back in. His brows knitted in full concentration once more, even though he was smiling like everything’s fine. 

“I must be.” 

And then, guilt thrust me forward. 

I touched his arm, worry and concern on my face. 

“Did…something happen?” 

And his jaw clenched with an unspoken fury. The way it always does when I did something wrong. 

Then, it was gone. 

And the angelic burst of sunshine was back. 

“Yes.” He turned to me, those golden eyes finally taking a good look at me. 

And my skin prickled with heightened awareness. 

Suddenly, I was acutely aware of my nipples hardening against the fabric of my bra and the weight of my breasts, as well as my own desires between my thighs. 

I needed something thick and rough to rub the itch—. 

He looked away. “You got older.” 

What? I blinked. “So you stopped talking to me because I got older?” 

“Yes.” He repeated, his tone annoyingly earnest. “You’re no longer a kid so I can’t treat you like one anymore.” 

“So you ignored me entirely.” 

“I have to.” He glared at the road ahead like it was his mortal enemy. 

He has to? What does that even mean? 

“But I’m still me! I’m still Am—and you still call me that!” I grabbed his lower arm. “Why can’t things be the same, huh, Hunter? Our cycling adventures, fun in the pool, races up the slopes—we can still do all that!” 

“We can’t.” He wiped my hands off him like I was dirt. 

And I dropped back into my seat. 

“Because I disgust you? Now that I’m older? Are you a pedo, Hunter?” 

“What in Deity’s arse!” The car veered off in pure shock before it swiftly returned to its path. “Fuck, Am—I’m not into that! Are you blind? I fuck women, not girls! And I told you: things are different now!” 

“How different?!” I argued, refusing to stay in the grey. “Explain it clearly so I understand!” 

“You’re a woman now.” 

The car came to a smooth stop at the traffic lights.

He turned to me, his gaze reminding me of our fling as well as the meaning of that when his silky voice explained in a low, serious tone.  

“A naked woman bouncing on my cock—that’s riding. Fun in the pool is me shoving my dick into a wet pussy.” 

Hot images of me, stark naked, riding Hunter’s cock, and him thrusting into me underwater, filled my head. My heart was thumping so hard, I could barely hear or feel anything else. 

But I refused to let him see what was happening inside me. 

So I raised my chin like it was nothing. 

“A–and hiking?” 

His gaze lowered down my neck as he breathed a low, raspy voice. 

“Licking every inch of skin of a woman’s body,” he paused at my collarbone—the only thing showing from the round neck of my white T-shirt. “That’s hiking.” 

Shit, I could almost feel the hot tip of his tongue skimming up my back…to my nape—. 

“So don’t tell me that things are the same, Am,” he straightened again, his eyes back to the front, his voice normal once more, “because I can do every single one of them with you.” 

As my lust was raging inside me, his words registered, and I froze. 

The lights went green, and the car was off again. 

I stared at my thighs fully covered by my brown culottes and found myself asking, “Then, why don’t you?” 

A slight pause of silence. 

And then, he laughed as though I had told another good joke. 

“If you’re not Amber Kratos, I’d take you back to my room right now. Not to school.” 

And I watched my fists crushing the brown fabric. 

“I’ll never see you as my uncle,” I murmured. “Never.” 

“And I’ll always see you as my niece, Am.” He chuckled as though everything that had happened meant nothing. 

Just as we had agreed: nothing happened. 

“And your chauffeur. And your bodyguard,” he sang as the car finally came to a stop.

We were at the college entrance, and students were streaming past, moving into the campus, not caring about the supercar parked by the curbside. 

Inside, I tried to open the door but it was still locked. 

“Open the door, Hunter.” 

In a slick move, the seatbelt was back, strapping my body to the seat, and Hunter grabbed the buckle so I couldn’t free myself at all. 

“Not until you promise me that you’ll come right back here once you’re done.” 

I crossed my arms. “Well, make me,” I taunted, half-hoping that he would kiss the shit out of me. 

He scoffed a mocking chuckle. “You think I care if you miss a class or two?” 

“I’ll tell the Alpha then. That I failed this semester because your sharpest blade wouldn’t let out of his dumb car to get to class.” 

“And I’ll explain to him why I did it.” He propped an elbow on the steering and rested one side of his face in his fist. “I’m pretty sure he’ll agree with me.” 

“You jackass!” I started prying his hand off the buckle. “Open the car door!” 

“Not until you promise.” He whistled nonchalantly. 

“I won’t promise so you’ll have to make me!” I screamed. 

And I was hating every second of it because it was so childish, and I wanted to be more mature in front of this incorrigible man of godlike beauty. 

“Come on, Am,” he faked a yawn, “give me your word. I know you’re a perfectionist so you hate the slightest taint in your record—.” 

ARGH! HE KNOWS ME TOO WELL, GODDAMN IT!

“Fine!” I relented. “You have my word!” 

And the door unlocked itself. 

“I’ll be right here when you’re done.” The hunter grinned smugly. 

*****

I got out of the cab and treaded carefully up the steps. 

“Everyone’s asleep?” Eva whispered from the phone strapped to my ear. 

“Don’t think so.” I scanned the empty house, brightly lit in the hours of the post-dinnertime. “I think they’re having drinks with dad in the basement lounge.” 

“The uber rich never hang out normal,” Eva sighed. 

“What are you talking about? Your pack’s as rich and powerful as ours.” 

“Not here, it isn’t.” 

I couldn’t stifle a yawn. As soon as I realised that I wouldn't be caught, I stopped creeping like a tombstone robber and walked normally.  

“Anyway, thanks for helping me get away.” 

I was moving up the stairs to the third floor where my room is when Eva chuckled hilariously. 

“Anytime, my love. Whatever you need, just say the word, and your knight in shining armour will be there—oh, by the way, Ethan wasn’t in school today, did you know?” 

No, I didn’t. I had been so caught with Hunter the jackass cutting off my freedom that I had forgotten all about Ethan. 

I opened the door to my room and reached for the lights. 

“I didn’t hear anything. But I’ll try to text him, see how he’s doing—.” 

“WHO’S HE?” My father’s voice boomed. 

And I found myself staring at a very livid Alpha, whose hulkish stature almost filled up the entire room, his brown eyes round with rage, almost bulging from their sockets. 

Hunter the jackass was leaning against my vanity counter in his usual stance. 

Except his arms were crossed, and his face more furious than the Alpha.