“Theo, I see you’re settling in the role well,” Dorian commended.
“Yes, well, someone has to keep order,” he responded vaguely and halfway grinned.
“Caddy,” Dorian called. “Fetch the offering.”
Caddy stepped back, glanced at me, and gathered the painting from another member of the pack who stood behind him.
“My nephew has a gift for art,” Dorian boasted. “We hope that you will accept our offering. We wish you the best in your future.” Caddy stood behind his work, looking wearily at the Enforcer, who showed little emotion on his face.
“You certainly do have a talent for this.” The Enforcer nodded. “I thank you, truly.”
Caddy smiled and turned his head to look at me once again.
“Why do you keep turning your head to look back?” the Enforcer asked. A cold chill settled over my spine despite the mild air outside. My hands shook; I prayed he wouldn’t notice me. I knew he was aware there was a human; wolves could sense those things immediately.
Caddy cleared his throat and lowered his head. “I meant nothing by it,” he offered. The Enforcer wasn’t satisfied with his answer and scanned the crowd accusingly.
“Theo,” Dorian tried to reign in his guest, wanting to be in control of the situation like most Alpha’s do.
“Quiet,” the Enforcer commanded. We were all shocked that he spoke that way to someone with Dorian’s status, but the Enforcer position was high above any Alpha, and he had the right to speak as he wished.
I wrung my hands together, using my hair to shield my face from his view.
“Who are you looking at, boy?” the Enforcer turned back to Caddy.
“Sir,” Caddy said softly. He didn’t like the tone in his voice, I could tell by the way his neck strained despite his softer tone.
“Who?” the Enforcer growled.
“No one,” Caddy denied, shaking his head adamantly. The Enforcer growled again and stepped closer to Caddy.
“Margo,” Dorian shot out. I stopped breathing.
No, you could have said any other wolf’s name.
“Margo?” the Enforcer looked between Dorian and Caddy, whose face was red and angry. Dorian gave one nod of his head, and I closed my eyes and squeezed hard. “Margo, join us, won’t you,” the Enforcer called loudly. I looked up slowly and glanced at the two wolves standing next to me, who gave me the same stern look they always did.
“Margo!” he said again, looking around. “I don’t like waiting.”
Human Condition
I sucked in my breath and took one step forward, breaking past the few wolves in front of me, but stopped once I saw his face. He stared at me, threatening me not to come forward as if it would give him a reason to snap my neck.
His entourage came towards me and grabbed me by my arms to drag my body forward. I stumbled to stand and walk with their large hands pulling me but failed, and they threw me at the feet of the Enforcer. I got onto my hands and knees and looked up to see his face in front of me. He squatted down and grabbed my chin in his hands.
My lip wobbled; I could feel it although I tried to look strong like the wolves I grew up with.
“A human girl,” the Enforcer mused. His light cerulean eyes bore into mine. I didn’t dare glance anywhere else. “I’ve never met one before.”
I stayed quiet. He grabbed me high on my right arm and forced me to stand along with him. He pushed me back towards Caddy, and I rushed to his side. Caddy looked livid, wanting nothing more than to smash the painting over the Enforcer’s head.
“What is she to you?” he asked Caddy.
“She’s an orphan, we allowed her to be a companion for young Cadence,” Dorian explained. The Enforcer turned his head slightly.
“I asked your nephew, Dorian,” he stated. He turned back to Caddy and took a step closer, the painting now out of the way. “What is she to you?”
Caddy lowered his eyes to look at me again.
“Is she your mate? I’ve never heard of a human mating with a strong wolf like yourself,” the Enforcer questioned further.
“No,” Caddy murmured.
“A servant, perhaps?”
“No.”
“Does she provide a service here for you?”
“She does her share like we all do,” Caddy said stronger, fighting for me.
“But she provides no purpose, being human. Why have you not turned her?” he asked, although he already knew the answer.
“Sir, only a mate could do that,” Caddy said, confused.
“So, she is of no further use to this pack,” the Enforcer said, staring at me, although my gaze remained at my feet. He was going to kill me; there was no other way out of it. I knew humans were nothing to wolves if they had no mate. “Girl,” he addressed me. I stiffened at his voice, which urged him to step closer to me, only a foot away now. “Do you not speak?”
I opened my mouth, but I didn’t know the words to say.
“Tell me why you should stay here.”
“I’ve lived here since I was four,” I whispered, not able to make my voice louder.
“And because you’ve lived here, that means you should continue to live here?”
I looked up at Caddy, wanting him to help me, but knowing he couldn’t. The punishment for disrespecting a wolf like him was death, no matter your ranking in your own pack.
“Don’t look at him, little girl, look at me and tell me why I should allow you to keep living here.” His voice was rough, sending shivers down my spine. I looked back at him, noticing for the first time how young he was for someone so entitled.
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. My mind was stricken with fear; there was nothing else to save me but honesty.
“You don’t know?” he scrutinized, eyebrows coming together, leaning down to study my
