[SAKURA]
Sakura was never going to change, that much she had been sure of, and yet somehow, as her enforcer asked her questions so simple, she was suddenly not sure of what to respond with completely.
How the fuck was she supposed to tell Otaru that she had felt the tiny little object in her chest pump blood in her system for the first time in forever, and that it was making her want to stay here a little longer than she planned to?
How was she to make Otaru understand that there was a chance that the woman she had brought in was her Erasthai and mate, even though she had been taught she would never have one and that she was never going to be loved?
Sakur had believed a lot over the years and she had gotten to live with the horrors of what people saw her as. She wasn't going to defend that, but goddamn, she was curious about the doctor she had dragged in.
"Are you getting attracted to the new prisoner, Otaru? If you want to fuck her you can go ahead," Sakura said, even though there was some warning in her voice; something that the people closest to her knew so well.
Sakura was daring Otaru to touch that which she had claimed and her enforcer was smart enough to never fall into that trap. He had seen some of the best warriors lose their lives because they didn't know how to translate the queen's tone whenever she spoke.
The soulless queen could say anything, but then the secret was in her tone. Once anyone understood that tone, they would be able to make it through life with the queen, otherwise, life would be an endless hollow tunnel.
"Naah, she's not my type. She fits you so well," Otaru said and Sakura scowled at him, but that didn't bother him. He was used to her in so many ways. If there was anyone who could pass for the mad queen's best friend, then it would be her enforcer.
However, titles were never a thing for the Lycan queen, especially when it came to those she considered close. Sakura had trust issues and she had long learned that people were replaceable so she never got attached.
Perhaps that was also why it was easier for her to get contracts with people who could give her the pleasure she needed and then dump their bodies if they didn't do it well or if she simply got bored along the way.
"You should go see her while she is still asleep, Saki. You have been looking for her for so many years even if you won't admit to it. You don't have to agree with me. So go find out if she's her, or if we are to go hunt for someone else.
"You know I would walk on fire for you, right?" Otaru said and Sakura rolled her eyes at her enforcer. She intentionally chose to ignore the fact that Otaru was the only one who could call her Saki and not lose his neck in the process.
"You're getting annoying. Go to that hospital and get me all the information on what she did and why they want her dead. I need to know if I can screw her before handing her over like the cheapskate she is," Sakura said dismissively.
Otaru just shook his head at his queen's words. He could tell that Sakura didn't want to talk more about the woman in their dungeons, and he wasn't going to push. After all, she was his queen and commander, right?
"Well then, if you'll excuse me, Your Majesty," Otaru said as he bowed and before leaving.
Sakura watched Otaru's back fade into the distance and for a moment she wondered if he was right about the woman in her dungeons. She had taken a liking to Kiyomi Kimura because the woman had so many problems.
The disgraced doctor was her perfect target, someone nobody would miss, someone no one would fight for, and more than anything, someone she could do whatever she wanted to do with and wouldn't be bothered.
The good doctor was feisty, that much Sakura had to keep in mind, but it was the challenging fact that Kiyomi had given her in the few hours they had interacted that got Sakura excited. She may have been a queen, but she loved games.
"Your majesty… you have a call from the Ivanovs," one of the high guards said to Queen Sakura as she sat on the balcony.
She had been trying to make it all make sense and while she was never going to admit it, she loved the thump on her chest each time her heart beat. It was something she wanted to enjoy listening to and it made her excited deep down.
"Who are they?" the Lycan queen asked passively as she stared at the beauty that was Odanera city. Her balcony gave her access to the best of views and frankly, she wanted to stand here for the day, enjoying the sound of her heart beating.
"The Russian mob that accused Doctor Kiyomi of murdering their leader," the high guard responded, careful not to piss off his queen. He was standing a few feet away from the mad queen because he knew he could easily be reduced to ketchup by the woman.
"Answer it," the queen said and the high guard stared at her in shock.
"Me?"
"Do you want me to teach you how to answer a damn phone, warrior?"
"My apologies… Your majesty."
"Put it on speaker."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Watanabe holdings," the high guard spoke as he looked at his queen who was waiting to hear who was on either side of the phone, not to mention the fact that this was a test of whether the high guard could handle himself.
Sakura could see the high guard shaking but his voice was steady, something that got her amused. She had never thought people could do that, but then she didn't care at the moment anyway.
"I'm looking to reach Miss Watanabe," the voice on the other side said. He had a Russian accent and the high guard knew it had to be the Russian mob. No one was ever brave enough to dial the Watanabe holdings line unless they were desperate.
"Do you have an appointment?" the high guard asked.
"No… but if she hears about who's calling she will want to call us back," the voice said and Sakura snickered. Men always had some nerves assuming what she would do. She had a feeling that this was about to be because of Kiyomi, but then she would wait it out.
"Who is calling?" the high guard asked, feigning curiosity even though he was trying to stay alive when the call ended.
"The Ivanov mob. Tell her we have a proposal for her and we would love to have her on board," the voice said, like that was supposed to make Sakura change her mind about whatever the person needed.
"Tell him I'm not available and I don't deal with petty little mobs. If he needs my attention, he should come with five hundred thousand human dollars' worth of gold, otherwise, he can look for another Sakura," the Lycan queen said.
The high guard stared at her unsure of what he was supposed to say to the man. The Russian clearly heard her, but then the high guard was following orders. So meekly, the high guard repeated those words to the caller on the other end.
"How about a million in gold to meet with her?" the Russian asked and the high guard stared at the queen.
"Tell them we'll send them a location once the gold is received. Should be before the end of day or they can look for another Sakura," the Lycan queen said, even though she knew she was never going to like the humans.
Sakura knew humans were pesky annoying little creatures and the fact that she had heard of the Ivanov Russian mob, made her wonder who the humans thought they were.
If she wanted to take out the Russian mob, the queen would simply need just ten of her high guards and she would have control of the damned city and even the humans. However, she wasn't here to acquire power over humans, or was she?
"Great. There are five gold bags in front of the Watanabe building at the moment. We will come for the meeting in three hours, at a location of your choosing, I suppose that should be enough for you to verify the gold and their worth, right?" the Russian stated determinedly.
Sakura let out a laugh at how certain the man was. She wasn't even bothered by the possibility that this could be a fraud. After all, she was Sakura Watanabe, the best of the worst creation, right?
"Looks like I have three hours to play with my new pet, huh?" Queen Sakura chuckled darkly as she patted her high guard on the shoulder before she headed to where Kiyomi was at, leaving the high guard letting out a breath he had been holding for so long.