Chapter 5

Taylor's heart pounded against her chest in an eccentric rhythm, all thanks to the Alpha.

The aura coming off of him in waves was enough to tell one the kind of person he was: A fearless leader. An even more ruthless killer.

A ferocious lover, Taylor thought then blushed furiously at the waywardness of her thoughts. There were no two ways about it: Taylor instantly recognized what the butterflies in her belly meant. The Alpha awoke feelings in her which she didn't even know existed.

With blue eyes that missed nothing, he scanned the room, acknowledging Alice and Renee with barely noticeable nods. Then, those beautiful eyes settled on Taylor and she had to stifle a gasp.

He assessed her quietly.

"Alice, Renee. How is she?" Shivers wracked Taylor's body at the sound of his deep baritone. She had thought Beta Adrian's voice was sensual but that was before the Alpha had spoken. He inspired images of rumpled sheets and nights spent making love in Taylor's mind.

"She's battling a fever now but she can speak well so that's a good thing."

"I expect her to be in good shape in about two weeks." She finished her report with an encouraging smile at Taylor. Alice noticed Taylor's wide eyed stare and had mistook her wonder for fear.

" You've got nothing to worry about, Alpha Duncan." Renee rushed to assure him. "This one's a fighter. She'll pull through."

Duncan. Taylor was fixated on his name. It complimented the old fashioned air that he had and also reinforced the power coursing through his veins.

"Excellent. We haven't time to waste." Arms behind his back, he strode forward, moving fast for a man his size.

He stood before Taylor and his elegantly long index finger shot out to grip her chin and tilt her face forward, forcing her to make eye contact with him once again.

They stared at each other for what seemed like eons. Time and space seemed to exist. Everything faded into the background as Taylor continued to hold his magnetic stare, her breath stuck in her lungs. 

Trying everything in her power to look away didn't work; she just couldn't. Duncan was like a work of art and she was enraptured by his beauty.

She inhaled deeply and the scent of musk and earth invaded her nostril. The scent made warm heat pool in her belly. It drove her to distraction and made her wonder what it would be like if she gave herself to him.

His scent also took her back to her childhood days. It was like she was seven years old again, running around in the backyard of her home which had smelled just like the Alpha did. Her mother would chase her and when she caught her, her father would let out a loud laugh and join in. Those were the happiest moments of her life.

With a jolt, she realized all that was in the past. Her mother had died and her father had become a monster who had sold her to the highest bidder for money.

Her future was the most important thing now but it was clouded with uncertainty. Would she be free one day and get to back to her land or would she continue being a maid in this foreign land? All these questions and more ran through her head even as she cleared her throat and spoke to the Alpha.

"Hi!" She sounded a tad too bright. Wincing at her cheery tone, she tried again.

"Hello, I'm Taylor." The Alpha's finger was still on her chin.

The ghost of an amused smirk flitted across his face as he answered, "So I've heard."

"How are you feeling?" He asked while he searched her face for any sign of discomfort.

"Umm... I feel well enough, thank you for asking."

Alice and Renee suddenly came into view. They were watching her and the Alpha with undisguised interest.

"Good. You need all your strength." He told her.

Taylor surmised that he meant she needed her strength to work for him as a maid. That gave her the perfect opening to ask the question she had wanted to ask.

Can I ask what my job here will be? And how long will I have to work here to gain my freedom?" She asked. She was desperate for the Alpha's answer because to put it quite simply, her fate was in his hands.

His brow scrunched in confusion before realization dawned on him. Slowly, he let his hand fall off of Taylor's face and for some strange reason, she instantly missed his touch.

"Your father didn't tell you, did he?" A statement, framed as a question.

"Tell me what?" It was Taylor's turn to be confused.

"The reason why you're here," He began, "is to be my breeder."

Breeder. She had heard Stella mention that word when she had been eavesdropping but for the life of her, she didn't know what it meant.

She tried not to let her ignorance shine through as she nodded bravely.

"That doesn't sound like much work." She said with false bravado.

"Oh, sweetie." Alice crooned in a sympathetic tone.

"You really don't know what a breeder is?" Renee asked.

Taylor felt a sudden burst of anger. They had all figured out that she didn't know what a breeder was so could they just put her out of her misery and tell her already?

"Your job here is to bear my child." The Alpha dropped the bomb on Taylor in an even tone.

Uncomfortable silence descended in the tiny room as Taylor tried to grasp the concept of what she was being told.

Eventually, the Alpha continued. 

"I will impregnate you with my seed and when the time comes, you will bear my cub. Your job is to maintain my lineage."

Taylor was stunned. She had come here thinking her only job would be cleaning and washing. She had even dreamt of a future where she could one day be free.

The wall of hope she had relentlessly built came crumbling down brick by brick and in it's place spawned a pool of fear.

As if to make matters worse, her mind latched onto a single thought: She would have to share the Alpha's bed–and soon!