Jessica's POV
Carlos had told me where the other girls were. and he had also filled me in on what we were expected to do today and the schedule. It has helped immensely. Even though he didn't tell it with such an easy heart and he told me that I was wasting his time and acting stupid I still appreciated that I got the information instead of getting into trouble again.
I noticed the girls' behavior changing as I approached them. I know that they didn't like me. and I wanted with all my heart to fit in with them.
" May I please join you.'' I say addressing Cecilia since she seems to be there making all the decisions.
" Why would you want to join us? Isn't being a slave a disgrace?''
All the girls stared at me. and I didn't know how to respond. Why would I want to be a slave? What was wrong and inhumane. but it was obvious that the more I argued about this the more it would get me in trouble. If I wanted to survive here then I needed the girls. I needed to know what was happening and what I was supposed to do.
" I am sorry for what I said.'' I suddenly said in a low tone. "You are right. I am not like you. I wasn't born and raised in a pack. I've lived my life among humans and I don't know much about what it entails to be a werewolf. heck I didn't even know how to shift to begin with and that's why I couldn't go on the run with you yesterday. I'm sorry for what I said and how it may have come across. Please forgive me for disrespecting you. I believe that all of you are happy here and I was only trying to adjust.''
"And your method of adjusting was insulting us?'' Riley chipped in, looking me up and down with disgust
"I wasn't trying to insult you. I'm sure everyone of you had their own different methods of adjusting when you first came here. and I was confused. I didn't know what was happening. when my stepfather told me I didn't even know what a Lycan king was.. I was helpless and I still am. Please believe that I didn't mean to disrespect any of you. I am sorry for making you angry or insulting you. please accept my apology.''
They all remained silent as they stared at me. I knew that an apology was the only way I could fix what I have done. It was obvious that what I said clearly had them and they were proud to be where they were. I had slowly begun to realize that there was a lot I didn't know. There are a lot of werewolf traditions that I am unaware of. What I did was wrong. I passed judgment on them from stop and I wanted them to conform to my beliefs. but the truth is that most of them seemed happy here. Most of them didn't want to leave. They wanted to bear the king a child. While I had pondered my mind on why someone would want such a fate, especially when they were bought, it suddenly became clear to me that he was still the King. and that being the mother of the future king and the wife to the present king would be an honor.
" It's okay.'' Cecilia suddenly said as she walked towards me and embraced me. all the other girls as if waiting in the queue ran towards me as well and we all huddled and hugged. relief washed over me as I embraced them. I couldn't help but cry. I was so scared of doing this alone. There was no way to figure everything out on my own and be lonely. I needed them. I needed them as friends. there was no way I could survive this alone. we needed each other.
" You're going to be fine. We are going to teach you everything you need to know. we will help you out Jessica. all you have to do is be willing to learn.'' Cecilia said with a smile and I smiled back at her.
" I would like to learn please.'' I answered with a smile, and the rest of them erupted into cheers. We hugged, and I cried. I was so happy. I was also overjoyed. it certainly felt as if I wasn't alone. and there was this Bond forming between us that didn't feel like anything I'd ever felt with my human friends back in New York.
All my life, I have been curious about my werewolf side. I have always wanted to know what it entailed. what it would mean to live as a wolf and not as a human. how it would feel to finally stop running. to stop hiding. and it felt to me as if I had gotten that here. I will be taught how to shift. and I will be free. Even in slavery I will be free. and while I would still escape if I ever got the chance, I figured that settling in and learning as much as I can about myself would be best.
The girls welcomed me and allocated work to me. today we were supposed to be cleaning the walls and the floors. The irony to all of this was that this big Castle barely had any servants and left the ones that came in the Dead of the night to carry out duties before disappearing before morning hit. and it was weird. but no one ever knew why the king didn't want anyone working during the day. and so the most relevant duties are given to us to carry out instead of being bored in our Chambers. and the girls brought me up to speed as to how everything happened. and how the king would call one of us. The girls talked about it like something so beautiful. like they were head over heels in love with the man.
" And then what did he do?'' Simone asked, giggling to herself.
" He picked me up and he brought me over his bed before climbing on top of me. and the way he touched me it was like my skin was on fire.'' Riley explained touching her own body with so much heat that it was as if she was relieving the moment.
Back in college with shared talks like this with my best friends. and I often enjoyed them. but I was barely comfortable describing intimate moments between me and my boyfriend to my besties. and so I barely ever did it.
" He is so dreamy.'' Emily lets out as her stairs are at the ceilings.
" What about you girls,'' Cecilia said as she turned to Rachel and I. " do you have lovers where you come from?''
" Not really. I was always busy with work at the stables so I barely had any time for boys.''
" Well I can assure you darling, the king is no boy.'' she says with a wink and the rest of them begin to laugh and a giggle amongst themselves.
" What about you Jessica.'' Emily turns to me and I can still feel the discomfort in her voice when she says my name.
" I have a boyfriend.'' I answer in a heartbeat.
" What's his name? tell us about him. Tell us about your human boyfriend.'' she emphasizes as she rolls her eyes.
" He is sweet. and he is kind. his gentle with me and he takes care of me. he loves me correctly and he…''
"Booo!'' the rest of the girls say in unison as they begin to laugh. and I can't help but stare at them confused. "That's a boy darling.'' Riley chips in.
"What?'' I let out.
"We are werewolves. That's not how you're meant to be loved. have you not had the kind of rogue ripping love that makes your legs shake and you knees weak?''
" You're talking about sex.'' I answered with a shrug of my shoulders.
" Not really. The master takes care of us. He decides for us. He owns us. We belong to him and we are his property. He is a real man. He owns us correctly and he treats us the way we deserve to be treated. He puts us in our place. and we wouldn't dare question him because he knows better. that kind of gentle love that you talk about will wear you out. and you will get bored.''
I remain silent and decide not to argue. but what she had said didn't make sense. Everyone is deserving of love no matter how they want it. and no one deserves to be humiliated and treated like property in the name of a dominating raw love. it wasn't right and it certainly wasn't beautiful
" And do you like it?'' I ask and the rest of them sigh in a dreamy excited way.
" With every fiber of my being. I love it. wait until you're in bed with him and you can barely comprehend a single word to say and your knees are shaking and you tighten around his dick, then, you'll understand.'' Riley quips. "And when his aura overwhelms you, and it feels like that no power coming from him is burning through your skin, then the intensity of your orgasm is only going to increase and only then will you understand that there is no other place to be than in his bed.''
That was it? That was how he had them hooked? By his dick? Back in college I had heard about relationships where people often stayed because of how good the sex was. and it never made sense to me. Because intimacy is a part of a relationship and when it is the only thing good then it doesn't make sense to stay.
I wanted to say something but I stopped myself. because it didn't feel like there was anything else left to say. and judging by how quiet Rachel was it had become obvious to me that I was the only one weighing in on my own ideas and opinions. I had come here with Rachel. Yet she barely spoke a word or two.
We continued with our work. and it didn't feel more of a duty. It was fun when we were working together. no arguments. no accusations. The girls weren't pushing each other around.
We all just work together. in unison. I wasn't sure what to think anymore. because the more I worked with them the less it became clear to me why they would choose that life For Themselves. While we continued talking, one thing was more shocking than the others. and it became paramountly clear to me why Cecilia was the leader. While everyone else listened to her, I learnt something shocking that the rest of them already knew. Something surprising, Shocking. It was rather unexpected. it changed the way I stared at her. it changed the way I saw her. I didn't judge her. but I wanted to question her. I wanted to know why she would pick such a faithful self. why she would willingly work into this.
She wasn't a slave who had been bought, she had walked herself into these compounds and begged the king to take her.
She picked this fate for herself.
Why would someone in their right mind do that?