Once A Princess, Now A Slave

8- Tea

Kelsie’s POV

I am sitting in the far corner of the room with my hands crossed over my chest. My back was straight and my eyes glaring.

“Come here…” Connor says and tapped the vacant sit beside him.

He is currently sitting across me, wearing his dark pants earlier with no top, while a Sentinel is treating his wounded shoulder. Good thing the bullet did not hit his shoulder. It just scratched him.

“No,” I firmly replied. I still couldn’t forget how my heart raced as I run to the quarters of the Sentinels to ask for help.

“It’s nothing,” he says. His smile is fighting to have a place on his lips. It made me furrow my forehead more.

I lean forward and remove my arms from being crossed over my chest. “If I hit you right on the chest, what do you think I would feel?” I rhetorically asked.

He shrugged. “Nothing? You’re cold as hell.”

I blink uncontrollably at what he answered. Am I that bad in his eyes? Ugh!

I took a deep breath and waited in my seat for him to finish getting his treatment. The bullet of the g*n I used isn’t made to kill werewolves. Hence, it will make Connor recover faster. Plus, the bullet did not pierce through his body.

I lean my back comfortably on my chair. As a 19-year-old boy, he is tall, and his physique is beyond average. I couldn’t blame the Sentinel for stealing glances at him while putting herbal leaves on his shoulder and wrapping it with a clean cloth.

‘How’s our mate?’ Lycandra suddenly pops into my head. The anxiousness in her voice is pretty evident.

‘As you can see, he is doing fine,’ I answered.

Lycandra did not respond. I was thinking that maybe she is indeed worried. But there’s nothing to worry about. I did not exactly hit Connor and he is indeed doing good.

“Connor, you should come here thrice a day so I can change your herbal leaves.”

I shoot a brow up. The girl is all smiles and her eyes are focused on Connor. Out of all the times that I rush here, she did not even bother throwing a glance at me.

“I can change them myself. You can just give me the herbs,” Connor answered casually.

I do not know if he just chooses to ignore all the obvious moves of the girls around him or if he simply doesn’t care. Even my sister couldn’t get a hold of him.

“It’s better if it is done by a professional. I’m here in the quarters the whole day and—”

“What’s so professional about putting leaves on a wounded shoulder? Everyone can do that.” I couldn’t help but intervene.

I am not lying. Every werewolf can do that. The thing is, why do it if there is someone who is responsible for doing it?

I confidently stand in my seat. I immediately got the attention of the two.

“I’ll do it. Give me the herbs,” I say.

The Sentinel looked at me, dumbfounded. Based on her looks and height, she’s definitely younger than us. Probably around 16? Tsk. She’s too young to think of flirting with a Beta!

“Faster,” I coldly added when she did not move in her place.

She blinked twice before my words sink into her.

“R-Right, Kelsie—Princess Kelsie.”

She turns on her back and quickly went somewhere to obey what I ordered.

I watch her fade into my sight. When she’s completely gone, I turn to face Connor.

He is sitting comfortably, even leaning and languidly watching me.

“You know how to treat wounds? Then why bother rushing me here?” he confusingly asked. I cannot even believe that he is confused!

His serious eyes forced me to answer him honestly.

“I panicked. I thought you were dying.” I roll my eyes at him in disguise of avoiding my gaze at him. In my peripheral vision, I can see him grinning at me idiotically.

“Dying? Really?” His deep hoarse laughter echoed in the room. I instinctively hit his chest, forgetting that he is injured. “Aww!” he yelps.

My eyes widen for a second, but the worrisome in my expression quickly vanished when the smirk on his face did not fade at all.

“What took you so long?” I asked with a long face to the Sentinel who just came back.

“I—I need t-to gather the r-right herbs for g-g*n shots, p-princess.”

I laid my hand with an open palm, asking for the herbs. She immediately lends them to me.

“Thank you,” I replied and turn to face Connor. “Let’s go.”

I did not wait for any of their responses and faced my back to start walking away from the quarters of the Sentinels.

I sense Connor following me from behind.

When we exit the room, a number of Sentinels in the corridor darted their eyes at us—at him.

“Hi, Connor!”

“Good morning, Beta!”

“Beta, what happened to your shoulder?”

“Hi, bro!”

“Good day, Connor!”

I maintained a straight face while walking in the long hallway of the quarter. Connor is receiving a lot of greetings, which is something normal given his social status and wolf rank. On the other hand, I receive nothing other than secret glances from some of the male wolves.

Someone look at me longer than usual. When his eyes darted to my behind, he quickly avoided his eyes in my direction.

I turn to face my back. My poker face shifted into an annoyed expression when my eyes saw Connor’s topless figure. So that’s why he’s receiving those greetings, huh

With his broad shoulders, great posture, and dark-gray hooded eyes, who wouldn’t steal a glance at him at the quarters that are composed of mostly girls? Ugh! He’s giving me a headache.

I darted my eyes back in front to continue walking. I might trip on my feet if I continue watching Connor nodding at all the greetings he receives.

A girl passed through me. I am certain that he blocked Connor’s way since I heard the sound of his footsteps stop.

I had no plans of looking back and eavesdropping on whatever they were about to talk about, not until I heard what the girl said.

“I have herbal leaves here that can cure your wound in just three days. Do you want me to replace your leaves with these—”

I aggressively face their direction. The girl is looking up at Connor with her hands on her back, and slightly swaying her body sideways like an excited kid receiving her candies.

“No thanks,” I answered.

The girl sentinel looked at me, confused. I arch a brow and raise the herbs in my hand.

“I got him,” I added.

The girl hesitated for a second, but when I advanced toward them, she instantly made a step backward. She slightly bowed her head at me and faces Connor.

“If you need help, you can call me,” she shamelessly said and walked away.

My lips parted at the scene. Connor started closing our gap but my eyes are still glued on the girl even though she already vanished from my sight.

“Let’s go,” Connor said. He even reaches for my elbow and gently pulls me away.

My eyes narrowed in the direction of where the girl went. Connor started pulling me away. It took me seconds before getting onto my feet and free myself from his hold.

Tss. If he wants to be treated by the Sentinels, then go! No one’s stopping him.

“Princess, why are you walking too fast?” he asked after we manage to exit the Sentinel’s quarter.

I ignored him and walk faster than my usual pace. I heard him jogging towards me. He started walking side by side with me.

“Princess—”

“Stop calling me princess, tsk,” I hissed.

Princess is a title that someone can brag about, but whenever Connor is the one calling me that, it sounds like an insult!

He chuckled. “Fine. Slow down, please.” He once again gently reached for my elbow to stop me from walking. I was caught off guard by the softness of his voice and the gentleness of his touch and it made me stop.

I glued my eyes on my feet, refusing to meet his stares.

“What’s making you upset?” he asked in a concerned tone.

“Nothing—”

“Don’t give me that answer.”

I pouted. When I lift my head, my eyes land on his n***d stomach. His protruding muscles are proudly showing.

“Where’s your shirt?” I asked, slightly annoyed.

“It ripped.”

I know it ripped! I just want to tell him to get dressed. Ugh! Why are men too slow to realize what’s upsetting us?

Before I can voice out my thoughts, a group of omegas walks past us. They greeted us and walk towards the direction of the Alpha house—our house!

“What are they doing?” I asked since they are all rushing.

“Maybe your mother called them for a general cleaning?” Connor said.

I ignored that he addressed Denette as my mother. “Nope. General cleaning is every Saturday. It’s Monday,” I answered.

“Hey!” I raised my finger to ask one of the omegas what is going on, however, they continue walking away. It’s either they did not hear me or they chose to ignore me.

“Excuse me…” Connor called one of the omegas' attention, but all of them looked in his direction.

I frowned. How is Connor’s calm and soft voice caught the attention of these low-ranks while I almost yell at them, yet they still ‘didn’t hear’ me? Tss.

They all walk towards us with big smiles on their faces.

“Yes, Connor?”

“Good morning, Connor!”

“What is it, Beta?”

They all asked and greet him at the same time.

“May I ask where you are all going?” Connor replied.

The girl in braids raised her finger. When Connor darted his eyes at her, her pale face and freckled cheeks turns red.

“U-Uhmm, the Alpha and the Beta asked for us to serve them.”

My brows furrow.

“They are in a meeting?” I voice out the question in my head.

However, no one gave me an answer. Their eyes are all on Connor as if they were hypnotized to look and smile at him.

“Are they having a meeting?” Connor asked.

“No, Beta. Just a morning tea.”

My back straightens after hearing what she answered. Morning tea? Oh, gosh. Tell me it is not what I am thinking!

I lift my head and look at Connor. He knows I am watching him so he tried his best not to smile.

“Alright. Thank you and have a nice day. You all may go,” he said, dismissing the omegas.

“Are they f*cking kidding me…” I murmured.

It’s not ordinary tea! For the past 18 years of my life, I know what ‘tea’ is for my father! Seriously? He’s sick yet he has the energy to… ugh! I can’t even say it!

“Let your father enjoy—where are you going?”

I started marching towards our house. Connor followed me from behind. I even walk past the group of omegas due to my pace.

Connor is trying to stop me, but I did not let him.

He’s a guy! Of course, he likes the idea of having ‘tea’, even though his father is involved!

I run upstairs until I reach the room where my father is usually having his ‘tea’. Even with the closed door, I can still hear the giggles inside.

I did not think twice and twisted the doorknob and pushed the door. I barge in. And as expected, I was welcomed by the scene I hated so much to see.

In front of me are my father and Mr. Boris sitting comfortably on the couch with the Slaves half dancing around them, half-n***d!

“Father!” I called.

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Unedited. English is not my first language. My apologies for the grammar, sentence construction, and wrong spelling.

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Once A Princess, Now A Slave

By: Joanne Cristel

©2023