There was a knock on the door.
"I believe my friend is the one knocking now." Nick said, standing up from the seat, and walking towards the front door.
But alas, when he opened the door, he met the Beta of the Pack.
"Evening Roland." He greeted with a smile, shaking hands with the tall and lanky blonde.
"Evening Nick." Roland replied in a gruffy tone which signifed that he was not really in a chirpy mood.
"What happened?" Nick asked his friend who shared the same views with him on the slaves decree.
"What did you do?" Roland asked, furrowing his eyebrows at his friend.
"Well, it depends. What happened?" Nick queried, repeating his earlier question; though he had a feeling on what the problem was already.
"You tried to colonize a slave for yourself? You employed her as your apprentice? What the hell were you thinking? I know you never agreed to the slaves decree, hell! I didn't too, and I still don't, but we have to obey the decree at least to some extent." Roland rasped, sadness more than anger, cloating his voice.
"Give me a minute..." Nick said rather, and shut the door at him.
*
"Is he the one?" Olivera asked, as she watched Nick close the door, and heaved in deeply. She had a feeling that the visitor wasn't though. Something was wrong. She could see it in the way he took in and let out deep breaths.
"No. Could you wait inside the kitchen?" Nick requested, his eyes trained on her petite figure.
"Yes, sure." She replied, standing up the sofa immediately and leaving the sitting room, her heart beating faster than the usual in fear and uncertainty. Had the Alpha found her out already? Was the doctor in trouble?
These questions became a mantra in her head as she trudged into the kitchen, crestfallen.
When Nick saw that Olivera had left the room, he turned around, and opened the door.
"Why did you shut the door against me?" Roland asked, watching the doctor close the door behind him. It seemed that they would be talking outside then.
Was his mate back already?
"I didn't want her to hear what you were about to say." Nick replied. "The girl, I mean." He said, when he saw the questioning glance of his friend.
"She is still in there? Oh Nick..." Roland sighed, fixing his thumb and index finger in the near corners of his eyes.
"She is living with you now?" He asked incredulously.
"Of course not. Well, at least not yet." Nick answered, shrugging his shoulders.
"Not yet??? Please, don't tell me that you're planning to adopt her." Roland inquired, his eyes widening the next minute as he took in and understood the nonchalant look on his friend's face.
"You meant to adopt her! Are you being serious now? That you're the pack doctor doesn't exclude you from some punishments. You know that right? Have you forgotten who your Alpha is already?" Roland inquired, his eyes as wide as saucers. He couldn't believe the intent of his friend's heart for the slave girl. It was noble, but stupid.
"I know all that. But I'm sure my mate would agree with me." Nick said, lost in thoughts.
"What about the Alpha then? Don't you understand what I have been saying?" Roland asked angrily, getting annoyed at his friend's nonchalant attitude. He didn't want anything to happen to him.
"I will try to convince him to let her stay with him as my apprentice. I need more hands here man." Nick replied, understanding why his friend was angry.
"That won't be necessary." Roland stated, with a finality that scared Nick.
"Why do you say so?" Nick asked tentatively, his mind going beserk in all corners. Was his friend here to take away the girl? He wouldn't let him. He would fight him if it comes to that.
"Because the Alpha has taken interest in her." Roland answered, pity seeping into his voice as he watched Nick's countenance fall.
"Seth told him already." Nick said flatly, his shoulders drooped in defeat. He shrugged away Roland's hand off his shoulders as the latter had tried to console him.
"It's the curse." He muttered, shaking his head, refusing to let his sorrow escape his eyes through tears.
"Nick, don't say that. We are not sure of that." Roland mentioned, understanding what his friend was talking about.
"Don't defend him!" Nick shouted, feeling all his pent up anger against the Alpha emerge.
"Nick, calm down." Roland intoned, looking around them, to be sure that they weren't spied upon.
"It's the curse. Since he did whatever he had done, none of our women have been able to take in and give birth, and those that do, lose their children to strange sicknesses or the plague. Since he emerged as the Alpha, the mateless haven't found their mates. We are going into extinction, Roland. Don't you see that? We are going into extinction. No pack comes against us in war, but we are still dying. I tell you. It's the curse. And instead of him to find a cure for it, he turns women into sex slaves, incurring more wrath upon himself, or is that another influence of the curse? Is the curse controlling him? You are his Beta. You should ask him some questions! These slaves could be adopted. We could cater for them as our own. Who knows? The goddess might have pity on him for his goodness, and break the curse which he had attracted to himself by his foolish acts!" Nick stated, sinking his hands in his hair.
Roland sighed, not actually knowing what to say to refute his friend. What could there be? He was right after all. His mate still cries daily for her inability to conceive.
But what could they do about it?
The Alpha's word was order, not even him, could go against it.
"What did he say about her?" Nick muttered, after some beats, his heart bleeding already for Olivera.
"He would come for her tomorrow." Roland replied, sighing again as he watched Nick grit his teeth in anger at his helplessness.
Of course, they both know that they couldn't do anything. The Alpha's word was final.