The clack, clack of heels on marble floors. It had always annoyed her, that repetitive sound that was a constant reminder of the hierarchy of the Zones.
Sarise had grown up in squalor. Sometimes she felt her family was one of the worse off within Zone Nine.
Her family had always been poor, living on the edge of the Zone in a rundown house relying on regulatory subsidies that came through at sporadic times.
Food could be scarce and there were days when they relied on the meagre crops that grew in the tiny garden that they had hidden in the forest that bordered their home.
Years ago, her and her younger sister had hunted in the woods behind their house, in the woods that bordered the edges of the Zones.
The extra meat had seen their family eat like kings, yet that had changed when the hunters became more confident and started setting up traps within the woods.
Their parents had pleaded with them to stop. While it had kept them safe it hadn't saved them from the shame of being so destitute.
There was very little Sarise was proud of in her life, she didn't think she was anything to look at, her family was poor, her parents near crippled from a life of hard labour; there was only one thing she did pride herself on; her education and vast knowledge.
She had always been an inquisitive child and her parents had noted at a young age that she was quite brilliant.
They had done everything, selling off family heirlooms and working long hours to ensure she was given the best education the Zones had to offer.
While she had graduated high school at the top of her class her formal education had stopped there, no one from the Zones ever went onto tertiary education.
Not one to sit idle she had expanded her knowledge base by visiting the regulatory library nearly every day, reading anything and everything she could get her hands on.
As with nearly everyone who lived in the Zones, she was a no one.
Descended from the remnants of the rebel Immaculate Pack, always deemed not rich enough, not well connected enough to further herself in any way.
She was always looked down upon by those who believed they were better than her, simply because their families were connected in some way to the Regulatory Guard or the Regulator and despite her education, she had been unable to secure steady full-time employment since she was eighteen.
Yet all that had recently changed.
Sarise was best friends with none other than Amelia Tyler-Samson, the new Royal Luna and she had suddenly become hot property.
Everyone wanted to piece of the woman who was friends with the second most powerful person in the empire.
Job offers had rolled in, most from places she hadn't even applied for, all trying to find a way to get into her good books and in turn the good books of the royal family.
Just yesterday she had received a call from the Regulatory Office, something that had never happened before.
She's applied to the Regulatory Office before of course yet the thirty odd "thank you for applying" letters had shown her that she would never get a job here so she had stopped sending her CV in years ago.
The call she received yesterday had been in relation to a job, a job working with the Regulator Kalkis himself.
So here she was, sitting in the Regulatory Building, outside Regulator Kalkis's office, hearing the clack, clack of high heels echoing around the corridor as people moved through the building.
She lowered her eyes, looking at her simple set of black flats that graced her feet and glanced up at a woman who had just walked past in a pair of stunning white heels.
How she wished she could afford high heels, they looked so professional, so ladylike.
"Sarise Chambers?" A voice called and Sarise looked up, seeing the bloated figure of the Regulator looking down the hallway. She stood quickly.
"I'm Sarise Chambers." She called, walking towards him and holding out her hand.
She saw the hungry look he gave her as he shook her hand and she shuddered.
Great another fat bureaucrat who thought he could use his position to get any young woman he wanted.
She knew plenty of girls who had entertained such men, sugar daddies who provided them with everything they could want until they had grown bored or the girls had fallen pregnant.
"I'm Boris Kalkis." He stated, licking his lips. "You can call me Big Boris though."
"Mister Kalkis." Sarise said lightly, inclining her head. "It's an honour to be here."
"Oh, the honour is all mine." He answered, indicating his office.
As she walked past, he gave her ass a light slap and Sarise stopped, glaring at him.
He chuckled, walking past her into the room.
"Come now dear." He cooed, indicating a seat as he leaned against his desk. "I believe in a bit of give and take in any job."
Sarise shuddered, feeling her uterus run for cover at the thought of having this man anywhere near her.
"Mister Kalkis, I was wondering why I was called here today?" Sarise asked and he indicated the seat again.
"Sit."
Alarm bells were going off in her head as she walked to the seat, lowering herself in it and resting her hands on her lap.
She could smell the pungent smell of the sweat the poured off his bloated body as he stood in front of her and it took all of her effort not to gag.
Damn her extra heightened sense of smell.
"I saw your resume." He said lightly, leaning forward and putting his hands on the arms of the chair, caging her in.
What resume, anything they had on file had to be at least three years old by now.
"Most impressive." He added and she gulped as he leant closer, one hand reaching down to her knee, his hand pushing up her skirt.
"Sir!" She snapped, pushing him back and jumping up. "I was told to come in here for a job, not to be the whore of the Regulator."
Boris chuckled, licking his lips again.
"It's the same thing here in the Zones sweety. You lot need to take what you are given and be happy with it." He growled, stepping forward to grab her when the door swung open.
"I see some things never change in the Zones." A voice called and Boris swung around, growling.
"Who the hell..." He began then whimpered, bowing as Amelia walked into the room.
"Boris." She snapped, her eyes glowing gold as she snarled at him.
He whimpered, falling to his knees and offering his neck to her in submission.
"Stay down there!" Amelia snapped, turning to Sarise, her eyes a familiar blue again as she smiled.
"Good to see you Sarise." She said lightly, walking forward to kiss her cheek. "Lucky I arrived when I did."
She turned back to Boris, giving him a shove with her blue high heel.
"I'm watching you Boris." She snapped, bending down and lifting his chin with her finger, her eyes blazing gold again. "I hear you're touching any of the woman here, I'll..."
She trailed off, letting out a snarl for effect as her eyes blazed gold again.
"Yes, your Majesty." Boris squeal, his eyes wide with fright.
"Good." Amelia said quickly, standing and smoothing down her skirt, before she took a deep breath and laughed as she turned to Sarise.
"Noah's temper comes in handy at times." She stated, touching her finger to her nose before offering her arm. "Let's go."
"I'm here for a job..." Sarise began and Amelia raised her eyebrows in question.
"You honestly want to work for this piece of crap?" She asked, indicating Boris on the floor who whimpered again. "Besides, I have a much better offer for you."
Sarise turned to look at the whimpering Boris, seeing him still on his knees, forehead touching the floor and his neck out in submission.
She smiled, he did look good on his knees like the coward he was.
She turned to Amelia, smiling and wrapping her arm in hers as they walked out the door.
Outside Royal Guards stood, watching every façade of the hallway and talking into communication devices in their sleeves as Amelia emerged.
In the hallway people were pressed against the wall, watching with wide eyes as their Queen walked from the room, Sarise on her arm.
"What are you doing here?" Sarise asked as they started walking down the hallway, guards moving with them as they did.
"Like I said I have a much better offer." Amelia stated and Sarise raised her eyebrows in question causing Amelia to laugh.
"Not here though."
"I may not accept you offer." Sarise said with a smile and Amelia laughed.
"Of course, you will." She joked, letting go of Sarise's arm as she walked towards the door "You'd be an idiot not to." She added, pushing open the door and walking outside.
Sarise shielded her eyes against the glare of the sun as she walked out behind Amelia, seeing the woman elegantly descending the stairs towards a luxury motor car that sat on the curb.
When she reached it, she turned, looking up at Sarise.
"Come on then." She laughed and Sarise bounded down the stairs, rushing up and grabbing Amelia's hand as the two women squealed in excitement.
Amelia climbed in first, Sarise hot on her heels as the door was closed behind them.
"Oh, my goddess I love these cars!" Sarise laughed, snuggling into the seat. "How comfortable is this thing!" She bounced lightly "I could fuck for days on this seat ya know."
Amelia laughed and from the front the guard coughed lightly.
"It's fine Michael." Amelia called, smiling at him before turning to lean over to Sarise, whispering to her.
"The guards are so rigid." She added and Sarise laughed.
"Oh, I bet they are." She joked and Amelia slapped her arm as the car began to pull away from the curb.
"Not like that either!" She added, noting the hidden meaning in Sarise's words.
"So?" Sarise asked and Amelia raised an eyebrow.
"So?"
"Oh, come on Mel." Sarise laughed, folding her arms across her breasts. "You telling me you came all this way to save me from that fat shit Kalkis." She heard a cough again and looked at the guards' head. "Yes, yes Michael, calm your delicate ears."
Amelia snorted back her laughter as Sarise turned to her again.
"So?"
"Oh, my Goddess you haven't changed." Amelia laughed, shoving Sarise lightly. "Still as lippy as ever."
"Well that would be because my best friend has randomly descended from her golden throne, coming from on high and rolled into town without any reason." Sarise pointed out, smiling as she glanced out the window. "Blabbing on about an offer." She turned back to Amelia.
"An offer she claims I won't refuse. By the way would it have killed you to call once in a while?" She rolled her eyes for effect. "I swear to the goddess Amelia if you think I'm going to be a maid at the palace of your I'm gonna shove a royal watermelon up your royal ass."
The guard in the front turned around, growling lightly and Sarise looked at him.
"Calm down Michael." Sarise added as he looked back into the rear of the car and she saw Amelia raise her hand to stay him. "Like a watermelon would fit up her ass anyway. Do you understand the dynamics of dimensions at all?" Amelia laughed again.
"I'm honestly dreading to see you regularly interact with Noah." Amelia giggled and Sarise looked at her.
"Why on the Goddesses green earth would that bother you" She questioned. "I've met him before remember."
"You know Sar for someone so smart, you can be pretty dumb sometimes." Amelia quipped, looking out the window. "Ah we're here."
Sarise looked out the window to see her home, a modest two-bedroom house that stood on the edge of the Zone.
The paint had been flaking off the walls for so many years that Sarise was unsure what colour the house had originally been.
She saw her sister Hayley looking at the sleek black car with wide eyes, unable to see in through the heavily tinted windows.
When Amelia climbed out, she heard her sister shriek, alerting those in the house that something was amiss as she rushed across the scraggly front lawn towards her.
"Amelia!"
Hayley ran towards Amelia and Amelia quickly held up a hand, staying off Michael who scrambled out of the car as the young girl threw herself at her.
"Hayley." Amelia laughed, hugging the girl tightly before pushing her back as Sarise stepped out of the car behind the two. "Goddess I swear you've gotten bigger since I last saw you."
Hayley snorted, looking at Sarise.
"Tell her than then." She grumped, poking a tongue out at her sister. "She still treats me like a baby."
Amelia laughed, pulling Hayley in for another hug.
"That's because you are a baby." Sarise added and Amelia giggled at her before turning to Hayley.
"She's an asshole because that's the job of a big sister." Amelia pointed out, kissing her forehead. "Are your parents' home?"
"Amelia." A light voice called as an elderly couple walked from the house. "It's always good to see you."
Amelia smiled, walking forward to embrace Roger, Sarise's father and then her mother Rachel.
"I'm sorry to cause such a ruckus." Amelia said lightly, looking beyond the car that had parked up outside their modest house.
A huge crowd had gathered to see who had pulled up outside the Chambers residence as more cars pulled up and guards spilled from them.
"It's never a problem." Roger said with a wink. "You're always welcome here you know that." He looked at the crowd before turning to Amelia. "Though perhaps we take this inside?"
Amelia nodded, turning to the guards and her eyes went a light gold as he conversed with them through the Pack Link.
The guards nodded, moving to positions around the house as Amelia turned, linking her arms with Roger and Rachel's and leading them into the house. Hayley turned to Sarise, raising her eyebrows.
"What did you do now?" She asked and Sarise gave her a playful shove causing Hayley to laugh as Sarise wrapped her arms around her neck, pulling her down to ruffle her hair.
"What the hell makes you think I did anything?" Sarise asked and Hayley raised her eyebrows in question. "Come on." Sarise joked, letting Hayley go and putting a hand to her back to lead her inside.
"Let's not keep our esteemed Queen waiting."
Inside the house Hayley began chattering away to Amelia as she sat at the table, telling her every snippet of gossip from inside the Zones.
Sarise leaned against the doorway, watching the exchange, seeing Amelia react to certain information that she was being told.
After a while Amelia glanced up at her, smiling and indicating she sit down beside her as Rachel brought teacups over and began pouring tea.
"Ready to tell me why you're here then?" Sarise asked as her mother passed her a cup.
"Sarise, manners." Rachel said lightly, frowning at her daughter. "Remember who you're talking to."
"I'm fully aware of who it is Ma." Sarise answered, rolling her eyes. "It's Mel."
Her mother frowned again causing Amelia to laugh.
"And this is exactly why I'm here." Amelia stated, turning to look at Sarise. "I want you to come back to the Royal Pack with me."
"Mel, I've already said I'm not going to be..."
"I want you to be my Beta." Amelia interjected and Sarise choked on her mouthful, banging her chest with her fist to get the liquid to go down properly.
"You're fucken kidding?" Sarise asked, putting her cup down with a loud clunk.
Michael stood behind Amelia in the kitchen coughed lightly at her language.
"Will he be there?" Sarise asked, jerking her thumb at Michael and frowning at him. "Coughing every time, I say a naughty swear word?" Amelia laughed lightly.
"Yes, he will and to answer your question no, I'm quite serious about the position." Amelia added, turning back to Sarise as she took a sip of her tea.
"Surely." Rachel said lightly, looking at Sarise briefly before turning to Amelia. "There are people better...equip to..."
"She means better educated." Sarise stated, rolling her eyes at her mother before she looked at Amelia. "Surely someone from Intelligence Pack would be better suited to..."
"Maybe." Amelia answered, putting her cup down slowly. "But none of them would be as honest with me as you would." She sighed.
"I'm sick of the 'yes your majesty', 'of course your majesty.' I could tell the people that the sun was going to come up in the west tomorrow and they'd all agree simply because of who I am." She smiled at Sarise.
"And you're far from stupid." She added. "I'd put money on the fact your intelligence could match that of Jacob's." Sarise lifted her eyebrows in question.
"The Intelligence Alpha?" She laughed. "You're fucken kidding right. I've heard the guys a walking encyclopaedia." Amelia laughed.
"And you're not?" She questioned, taking another sip of her tea. "I need you Sarise." She said lightly. "I need someone who's got my back, who isn't afraid to put me in my place, someone with a bit of common sense."
"And a bad attitude." Rachel laughed and Sarise turned to her.
"Hey!" She laughed, giving her mother a playful shove. Amelia's eyes darkened slightly and Sarise turned to her, touching her hand lightly.
"Have you spoken to your parents at all?" She asked and Amelia shook her head.
"No." She answered, looking at her hands before looking up at Sarise. "They're still convinced that Noah is controlling my mind and that I should be mated to Braaka."
"That rogue." Roger snorted into his tea. "Brutish thug got what he deserved."
"Dad." Sarise growled, rolling her eyes at Amelia who still looked at her hands. Roger reached over, patting her hand tenderly and Amelia looked up.
"You've always been a daughter to us." He said lightly, smiling at her. "You know this." Amelia smiled and nodded.
"Thank you."
"Ya know you could help your sister out and get her some new threads." Hayley joked and Sarise hissed at her Amelia merely laughed, sipping her tea again.
"I'll keep that in mind." She added with a wink before turning to Sarise. "So, you gonna pack?"
"I haven't said yes." Sarise pointed out with a smile and Amelia grinned.
"Haven't said no either." Amelia added.
The looked at each other in silence for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Does your mate have any idea what he's getting himself into?" Sarise asked and Amelia laughed.
"Noah, meh he's a pussy cat." She added.