Thank you everyone for the kind words you have been giving me. I am glad you like my new story. I hope you also like this chapter. Some reveals ahead ;)
Chapter 9
DPOV
When I walked into my quarters a couple of days later I was met with a surprise. I had asked Kirova to send Rose to me, so when the door was ajar, I got excited. The emotion was foreign. I didn't allow myself to care about anything, knowing it could be taken away in a flash. But somehow Rose had made it past some shields I had built around myself.
But when I rounded the corner of the door it wasn't Rose who was waiting for me.
My face must have shown my disappointment because Abe commented. "Not who you were expecting?"
He wasn't alone. His literal guard dog was by his side, with his wolf out. I had been right. The alpha was strong. His wolf was large coming up to his shoulders. There was also a female with him. Her red curls and pale skin contrasted against his dark complexion, but somehow they...fit. Both their wolves were inside their bodies, the ruthless gleam of their inner wolf shining through. She was alpha too. Her eyes bore into me and I knew she was more dangerous in battle then Abe.
He surrounded himself with power he didn't possess himself. The three of them, brute strength, calculating intelligence and honed skill could accomplish anything.
The fact he was able to keep three alpha's together was impressive. Usually dominance and turf squabbles would tear apart short-lived arrangements between alphas. The King was the only exception only because of the monumental strength he had in keeping alphas bound to him. And even he only had two Alpha's as Generals, excluding me. Yet Abe had two willing Generals with him. Without the need for brute strength.
I suspect the alpha female might be his mate, but that still left his guard dog as a willing accomplice.
"Dimitri. Please sit. We have things to discuss." He motioned towards my own seats where he had made himself comfortable. The female was behind him. The other male standing between me and Abe.
I didn't approach. I leaned against the door, crossing my arms and feet. "Am I the business you talked about?"
Cold, oh so cold eyes looked at me. "One of them, yes."
"The other?" he didn't answer but something ...not cold flashed across his face. And I could see it mirrored in the female. It was rage and hurt and emotion I knew he kept hidden most of the time. But it was too large a scar to not seep through.
"What do you want, Zmey?"
He stood up, walked towards me bypassing his guard. I felt the other apha stiffen when he did. But he kept his mouth shut when Zmey stood in front of me. He was shorter than me, almost all people were, but his presence still affected me. He was alpha, there was no denying it. He couldn't make me bow to him. My power was too raw, but I wondered how much power I would have to unleash to make him bow to me?
Once he was close enough to his liking, his dark somewhat familiar eyes locked onto mine.
"I would have you help me bring the King down. I need your control over the military. I need your strength to take him down."
I tried not to let my shock show, but I doubt I succeeded. I had known Abe was plotting something. But to come to me with the plan and to expect me to fall in line with him was crazy and arrogant beyond belief.
"What makes you think I would help you?"
The sly smile was back. It unsettled something in me. "You noticed my strength in the great hall. Understood why I was here, yet you made no attempt to stop me, or warn anyone."
As if they would have listened. The King would have dismissed any attempt at reason, thinking Abe humiliated, he could have never accepted it was the other way around. But that led me to my next question.
"And what makes you think I can help you?" My power was limited, at least in the political field. I had no control over the military as he so claimed and my brute strength might help in taking the King down, but it would do nothing to hold that position.
He sat back down in the chair. He leaned into the seat and crossed his legs. He straightened his beard before replying. "You have more influence than you think Dimitri. You may be a slave on paper, but your men are loyal and would follow you, not the King. That will include the other Alpha Generals."
I scoffed. I doubted that. But I could take the other Generals if I needed to, and he was right about the soldiers. Some would follow me out of loyalty, others out of fear if the King did fall.
"And so I can be your slave General instead of his?"
His eyes were ablaze with something...other, the color changing to a bright amber. But I don't think it was directed at me."I have no need for slaves, Dimitri. I don't care about how you came to be in this world. I put people into two groups, those who are useful to me and those that are not. Pavel here." He said pointing at the man in front of him. "He used to be a slave. I found him and released him. Now he is a true alpha, stronger than most. I have no slaves in my pack. There is a hierarchy, of course, but no one owns another human being. There is no cruelty based on what you are. With me… you can be free."
I let that sink in. It was impossible to set slaves free in these lands. The King liked it just fine so he let the practice continue. Hierarchy was also ingrained into us by our pack centered society. There were Alphas, betas and everyone else. It only took a little push to go from being stronger than others, to being better than others. To see them as less than human.
I wondered if those he didn't find useful were still treated as slaves even if he didn't call them that.
But if he was right, if he did take over and I knew Abe would be one of the few, if not the only one who could overthrow that bastard, then I could be free. Free from him. The reality was if I didn't join Abe now he might fail and it could be a long time before another strong enough would come around to take him down.
But if he failed and I helped him, I would lose everything I had. There was a reason I hadn't killed the bastard myself yet. Partly because as a slave I couldn't ascend the throne and would create chaos if I took him down, but the other part was because I still had people who I cared about, who would be hurt in the process. My mother would no doubt be killed or taken hostage in an attempt to control me if even the smallest whisper of a rebellion was heard.
The offer was so tempting. But in the end. "I am sorry. You're looking in the wrong place."
He shook his head. Not out of anger but out of pity. All three of them moved to the door and I made room to let them pass. He placed a hand on my shoulder. "They have told you you are nothing for so long, you have started to believe it. Don't you have something, or someone to fight for. To be free for?"
There was a flash of Rose in my head. If Abe could truly set me free, he could do the same to Rose. no doubt that Rose would fall into Abe's useful category.
He let go of my arm and started to open the door. The female and Pavel were already out of the door before I grabbed Abe's hand.
"That is it? You aren't worried I will turn you in, no threats? Nothing?" I had expected the 'but if you tell anyone I will kill you and your loved ones in your sleep' kind of speech. But he just had a neutral expression on his face. Not giving anything away.
"I asked you. Meaning you had a choice. That is what it means to be free. I know now how deep rooted your trauma is. But I do expect you to keep from talking about this conversation. Not because I have to threaten you. But because you want him gone as much as I do, maybe even more. You may not be loyal to me, but you aren't loyal to him either and that is all I need to know."
With that he left. I fell down on the bed. He was right. I might not actively join in in a rebellion. But if Abe did attempt to overthrow him, would I stop him, would I protect the King? The latter seemed preposterous even if I had always done it. Indeed not out of loyalty for him but because the world would bleed if it wasn't done properly. I wondered if Abe could do it without my help. He had a large pack, but if I could hold the military, he would have won the coupe before it even began.
But he was right. There was this voice in my head that kept reminding me of my place. It has always been there. He comes first. No matter how much of a vile person he was, all of us were just tools at his disposal.
I didn't know how long I had been wallowing in my self-pity, when I sat up on the edge of the bed and let my wolf out. I hadn't with Mazur. I knew my wolf made an impact. The sheer size of him made some men, even alphas, wet themselves. But if Mazur came to me, he knew how strong I was, letting out my wolf in a show of dominance would only make me look weak and insecure.
I ran my hands through my hair a couple of times. It did nothing to alleviate the stress. That was until it weren't my hands that were stroking my hair and massaging my scalp anymore. I stiffened for a small moment before I relaxed into her touch.
I hadn't heard her come in. I had been engrossed in my own head enough not to notice the door opening. But she was also quiet like a jungle cat, her movements as graceful and powerful as the animal I compared her with.
"I have been having lessons." She said, some amusement in her words. "Apparently a concubine is about more than sex. We are taught to please in a lot of ways."
Her breath was next to my ear, her hands making small circles on my temples. I cupped them with my larger hands, but made no attempt to stop her. I closed my eyes, reveling in the feel of her soft hands on my skin. I could feel the skin of her breasts just touch my head. She was apparently on her knees behind me as I was sitting down at the edge of my bed.
"I will inform Kirova of your success and guarantee top marks." She laughed behind me, the sound rich and full of life. Just like her.
There was no self-hate, no years of humiliation in her voice even if she had endured it. If she stayed here much longer would she develop those things? I gripped her hands tightly, stopping her movements. I would not allow her to lose her light. I would fight for her.
She let me go and I turned around. As I took her in my heart strained against my chest. Her beauty was breathtaking. Her big brown eyes took me in. Assessing me with calculating eyes with a strange familiarity.
"I am glad you are here." I confessed.
RPOV
My heart pounded in my chest. The way he looked at me, it sent shivers down my spine. His warm chocolate eyes bore into my very soul. Everyone else seemed to just see the General as cold. But I could read every single emotion off of his face. You just had to know where to look.
He hadn't noticed me entering. Even his wolf had his back turned to me and paid me no mind. So he must have been preoccupied. I could still see the worry lines on his forehead.
I brushed a bit of his hair out of his face. The stubborn strand had escaped the confounds of his shoulders and was hanging beside his face. His hair felt soft and silky against my fingers. His skin had also been surprisingly soft. I wonder if the General indulged in lengthy bath rituals and had oils and milks like we had.
"What's got you so worried?"
I could see him debating telling me. But in me he had found something I didn't think he expected. Someone who he could be honest with. I doubt he had had that for a long time, if ever.
He took a deep breath and settled himself on the edge of the bed. He seemed to need the physical distance between us to gather his thoughts.
"If you could be free, If you could free others, like Lissa, but it might put her in danger if it failed, would you?"
I sat back down on my legs, making the height difference between us apparent again. I thought about his question. I wouldn't care for my own freedom if it meant putting Lissa in danger. But he knew this, so he deliberately included her as well as others, like himself.
"I would never endanger Lissa in any way. But she would never forgive me if I didn't help where I could. It is a fine line, but I would make sure the plan worked. Failure would not be an option."
He chuckled. I knew he probably viewed the world more pessimistically or maybe more realistically than I did. But he had a strategic mind, he could find the weakness in a plan and act accordingly. If it really was this important, he wouldn't permit any mistakes either. But I realized, even if I knew that about him, he didn't believe the same about himself.
He got up from the bed with a gentle smile on his face. He held out his hand.
"Come on, I think it is time we trained some. After all, that is why you are here."
I took his hand and let him help me up from the bed. I put on the sweetest smile I had seen the other concubines use. His eyes widened a little bit at the maneuver so I knew I had nailed it.
"And here I thought you a willing subject for my lessons." I patted his chest as I moved past him and his wolf to stand in the middle of the room, roughing his wolf's fur with my hands.
"The woods again?" I asked. It took him a few moments to respond. His eyes had darkened considerably. I had to look anywhere but in his eyes as they betrayed his state. He was apparently interested in my lessons afterall. He cleared his throat and snapped out of whatever fantasy my words had created.
"Yes. I think that would be best for now."
He recalled his wolf. He never seemed to let him out in public. I wonder if it was a conscious decision or a remnant of him having to hide himself like me. People had known him to be powerful from a young age I knew, but to know and to see the sheer magnitude of his power are two different things.
We walked out of his quarters together. There was a comfortable distance between us. I doubt anyone would expect the General to hold a concubine close to him even in the hallways. So it betrayed none of our actual intent. Although I began to realize that I might want the original task bestowed to me as his concubine.
I was walking a step closer to him when we rounded the corner. His gait changed and I could feel the air grow heavy. His muscles stiffened. When I looked to see what had brought on the change I saw a man on the opposite end of the hallway. He was tall, but not Dimitri-tall. His dark blond hair and green eyes were striking, but there was no appeal. Because the eyes were cold and hollow. He had two guards next to him as he walked the hallway as if he owned them. There was something ...off about his posture and gait as I took him in. He swayed and strengthened himself again. The guards didn't interfere, they hardly seemed to notice, so it made me believe this wasn't oncommen. The guards on either side of him were beta's. Guarding someone was quite a low position for a beta, so he must be important. And strong. Maybe that was why he had beta's. He seemed to lack the basic control necessary to rein in his power. So maybe lesser guards would just spend their entire days kneeling in front of this man.
I bowed my head slightly so as not to rouse suspicion. I didn't feel the pull. If the beta's could resist, so could I. But I had long ago perfected the art of pretending to be affected by Alpha's. I usually took whatever reaction Lissa had and mimicked it. Now I just had to imagine it, because all the men in this room wouldn't have the same reaction as a lowly slave.
"Boy." The word seemed slurred. It took me a moment to realize he had meant Dimitri. Nobody in their right mind would call him 'boy'.
He moved closer and took us both in. The look in his eyes as he looked me up and down gave me the chills. There was balant lust. There was also no consideration for Dimitri. And suddenly I knew who this was and it made my stomach churn. The only person to which an exclusive contract would mean nothing. The King.
I looked at the man in a new light, but my assessment of him didn't improve. This was the King? I couldn't argue with his strength. It was a raw and distinctive power that felt like a thousand little shards of glass over my skin. But the man seemed otherwise… weak. Weak in mind at least and part in body. Although now that he was close enough, I could smell why he had staggered. He reeked of alcohol. The man, this King, the most powerful Alpha, was drunk.
"I heard you had taken on an exclusive concubine. And I must admit, son, I approve. I was glad you finally realized their skill. People were beginning to talk." He eyed my chest in an open display of drooling even if Dimitri was right there. His gaze lingered on me. "Yes, you will serve him right. Maybe I will have a go as well. You are a bit young, but for you I might make an exception."
He practically licked his lips and Dimtiri stiffened beside me. The muscles in his back strained under the conscious thought not to hurt the King. I could feel the rage and power just underneath his skin. I think if I touched him my hand would burn.
The King then moved on as if he hadn't just threatened to do all kinds of debauchery things to me with his eyes. It took Dimitri a couple more seconds before he started walking again. It seemed to take him great strength to unlock his muscles and move.
I knew it was more than just the King's balant eye fucking that had him near catatonic. The King treated him like he was nothing. Calling him son and boy. Derogatory names to keep Dimitri in check.
I waited until we were out of the palace before I approached the topic.
"He doesn't even have to call you a General? I know he is the King, but you earned that title. Calling you boy and son, it seems cruel."
He shook his head. "Everyone else does call me General. 'Belikov' if they want to be informal, only he calls me son… Because I am...although it isn't really a term of endearment."
I stopped walking. "What?" I whispered. Dimitri stopped too and turned around. Pain was evident on his face. He practically spit up the last words with venom in his voice. "The King...He is my father."
