Chapter 8

Shemika was taken aback by the pristine condition of her new living space. It was a far cry from the spacious house she used to share with her mother, but this was all hers. At least for now.

The moment she stepped in, a decently sized bathroom was to her left and a spacious closet to her right. A small kitchen, a cozy living area, and a large bed tucked away in the far-left corner. It was all hers and she couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy.

However, a realization hit her. She didn’t have any of her belongings. No food, no clothes. She’d have to sort that out, but time was ticking. Nikandr was waiting outside her room, casually leaning against the wall. She found herself considering him in a sexual way, but still, she wasn’t entirely thrilled. Except for Caturix.

Oddly enough, he hadn’t even given her a passing glance. He just didn’t seem to care about her. And that intrigued Shemika. She was hooked.

She joined Nikandr outside and followed him around the compound. She wasn’t overly impressed. It was greener than Vale, situated right by a river. She could hear the laughter of children and had spotted two females of breeding age. She wondered if this pack could become her permanent home. Not that they’d let her leave as easily as Vale did, not for a long time. All she could do was hope that Ylenia would miss her.

After a thorough tour of the grounds, a bell rang out, loud and clear. The children’s excited singing and chanting filled the air, signaling dinner time. Nikandr guided her back to the community building and into the mess hall where almost everyone had already gathered.

The smell of meat hit her before she even saw it, stirring her wolf within. Were they really serving this meal to everyone? She followed Nikandr into the buffet line and loaded her plate with food. No one gave her strange looks. Although, several men eyed her with a hungry gaze.

She followed Nikandr to his table with his friends and began eating with gusto, but stopped after a while. She suddenly remembered the man from the hallway and turned to Nikandr who was engrossed in conversation with a friend whose name Shemika couldn’t recall. She tugged on his sleeve until he turned to her.

“Yes, little wolf?” he asked, leaning in so she could whisper in his ear.

“Where’s Caturix? I thought you said everyone comes to dinner except the alpha,” who Nikandr had mentioned was often busy.

Nikandr’s eyebrows shot up in amusement. “He never comes. Caturix is what you’d call a loner. Don’t worry about him, little wolf,” he cooed, stroking the top of her thigh for some inexplicable reason.

~Well, damn.~ Shemika had come for the food, but she had also been looking forward to seeing Caturix. She finished her meal and waited for Nikandr to finish his so she could return to her room.

He was deeply engrossed in his conversation with his now three friends, none of whom Shemika could remember the names of. She wondered if there was a way to contact Ylenia. But even if she could, would Ylenia care enough to try to get her back?

Shemika wasn’t so sure. Besides, she’d give this pack a fair chance before she made any attempts to escape. If she failed, she’d surely face harsh consequences.

“So, what pack are you from, Shemika?” one of Nikandr’s friends asked.

“The Vale Pack,” she replied.

“Ah, the valley pack,” he said. “Why would they let one of their she-wolves leave their compound?” he asked, turning to another friend.

“They must be stupid.” He laughed, throwing an arm around her and pulling her into his side. “Their loss, our gain. A new she-wolf for pack Rurik.”

Shemika grimaced.

She turned her attention away from them, hoping they’d feel less inclined to talk to her. She surveyed the wolves around her. There were only a few she-wolves and they didn’t bother to look her way. They were not as friendly as the she-wolves in her own pack. She-wolves in Vale stuck together.

Suddenly, she thought, “Where’s Lyosha?”

Nikandr stopped mid-sentence. “He eats in his bed chambers, his food is served after being tested for contaminants.”

“Can I visit him?”

He shrugged. “I guess, but he usually eats alone. His bedchambers are down the same hall as yours but on the opposite end. I’m not even sure you’ll get past his guards.”

Why was their alpha so heavily guarded? Perhaps, their alpha was contested for, rather than a lineage in this pack.

Nikandr gave her a few brief directions, just as a reminder.

Contrary to what he’d suggested, it wasn’t difficult to get past Lyosha’s guards. They saw her coming, gave her a quick once-over, and stepped aside to let her in.

Lyosha was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed, his meal on a low table. He looked up as she entered and smiled warmly. “What brings you here, Shemika?”

“I was just with Nikandr and I was wondering where you were and he said you eat alone,” she said, moving to sit in front of him.

“How thoughtful, aren’t you a little ray of sunshine,” he cooed.

~Yeah, yeah, whatever old man.~

He tried to offer her food, but she’d already eaten. “Will you be needing anything to make yourself more comfortable?” he asked.

“Well, actually, since you asked,” she began. “I don’t have any clothes or shoes and I don’t have any food in my room.”

He nodded, understanding dawning in his eyes. “I see. I’ll send Nazar for the things you need.” He pulled out a piece of paper. “Just tell me anything you’ll be needing.”

“Well, clothes like these.” She gestured to her outfit. “I like jeweled shoes and sandals. And makeup. And hair stuff. Toiletries—” She rambled on.

He nodded with each new item. “You’ll be a good girl since I’m getting all this for you, right?” His words carried a sexual undertone, but Shemika wasn’t worried. He seemed past his breeding age.

She nodded. “I’m always a good girl, Alpha,” she said, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously.