Chapter 14: Caring For Her
1117 Words
-Wylder-
After bringing Helena back with me and having one of the servants take her bag to my room, I made sure to satisfy my little mate’s hunger. Now that I was her Alpha, it was my utmost responsibility to ensure all her needs were met. And I meant all needs.
I smiled as I escorted her to the dining room and seated her beside me. The servants promptly brought us our food, but I noticed Helena found it peculiar to be served rather than serving.
“How long have you been working for another pack?” I inquired.
“For years. Since I was fifteen, really,” she replied.
“And how old are you now?”
“Twenty-three,” she replied.
I was twenty-five myself. She seemed a bit younger, but appearances could be deceiving.
“And what was that like?” I pressed.
I had never mistreated any servants here or made them feel like they were mere slaves, but I was aware of how some packs treated their lone wolf servants. It wasn’t always pleasant.
Helena shrugged slightly, but I sensed she was downplaying it, making it seem less significant. But I wanted to know the truth, so I waited until she had taken a few bites before prodding.
With an array of food before her, she seemed uncertain about where to start. I nudged a plate of small sandwiches toward her. I wasn’t sure if she had a hearty appetite. She was rather petite, and consuming something substantial might prove challenging for her. She glanced at me as if seeking permission to eat, and I offered her a reassuring smile.
“Go ahead,” I told her.
“You’re the alpha. Shouldn’t you eat first?” she asked.
“You’re the luna now.”
“You haven’t marked me, and there hasn’t been a ceremony.”
“All right, you’re the unofficial luna,” I conceded.
However, she didn’t seem particularly pleased to hear it. Her reaction puzzled me. How many wolves wouldn’t be elated to be bestowed with such a title? But not Helena. She appeared unsettled by it.
Yet, she didn’t wait for me to eat first and eagerly dug into the sandwiches, devouring them all. Okay, she might be small, but the girl could certainly eat.
I smiled, quietly pleased. There was something deeply primal in seeing my mate well-fed, and once she finished the sandwiches, she moved on to some bacon and sausages. It was evident she was quite hungry.
“Do you not eat?” I inquired.
“Not much,” she replied.
“You’re eating a lot now.”
“Well, we rarely have an abundance of food,” she explained.
After seeing her house, it was evident she and her mother had struggled to make ends meet. They clearly didn’t have much financial support. But how did her mother know my uncle? She had been confident in that letter that he would assist Helena. Had my uncle once helped her mother?
“You didn’t answer my question,” I reminded her.
“What?” she asked.
“What was it like being their servant?”
“What do you think?” she replied.
“I don’t know. I’ve never served anyone.”
“The luxury of being born an alpha, huh?” she remarked, taking a sip of water.
I smiled slightly and nodded. “I suppose you’re right about that. I’ve been quite fortunate. Do you hold that against me?”
She shook her head, but I sensed her answer wasn’t entirely truthful.
“Helena?” I pressed.
“No, what I hold against you is how you treat your servants,” she explained.
“We’ve only just met today. How do you know how I treat them?” I challenged.
“It’s not that different from how most alphas treat their servants,” she asserted confidently.
“How can you be so sure? How many have you worked for?”
She glanced away, appearing somewhat embarrassed. It was clear she had been generalizing or assuming. “Two…”
“Oh, I see. Two must represent all,” I remarked, and she turned to me, looking irritated. “Both were bad?”
“No... just one.”
“And this one had to be the one who rejected you, right?”
She didn’t respond, but her expression spoke volumes.
“So, are we all the same?” I queried.
“I’m not answering that,” she said.
“But you believe it.”
She sighed and shook her head, prompting a chuckle from me.
We’ll change her perspective. Our little mate will see. Soon enough, she’ll realize just how compassionate an alpha can be.
I smiled at my wolf’s mischievous plans. He definitely had some ideas in mind for her once she allowed us to get close enough.
“I still have to go to work tomorrow,” she stated.
I shook my head. “No need.”
“What do you mean?”
“Now that you’re my mate, what’s mine is yours,” I explained.
She looked at me, shocked. “Huh?”
I chuckled at her surprised expression. It was amusing how easily I could catch her off guard. Did she really expect to continue working now that she was going to be my Luna?
“You’re not working anymore,” I declared.
“Of course I am!” she exclaimed.
“No... you’re not,” I asserted firmly.
“I am!”
“Why would you want to?” I questioned. “You’re my mate now.”
She looked away from me, and it took a moment for me to realize why she insisted on continuing her work.
“You don’t think we’ll stay mates, do you?” I challenged.
“Of course we won’t…” she whispered.
“Why do you think that?”
“Because!” She turned to me but then halted her response, and I narrowed my eyes slightly.
“You still think I’ll reject you,” I remarked.
She sighed and then nodded. “Why wouldn’t you? I don’t even understand why you’re prolonging this!”
“Maybe because I’m not prolonging it,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “Maybe I’m telling the truth when I say I want you.”
“Maybe…”
“No, I am telling the truth. I mean it when I say you’re mine, and that won’t change.”
“Wylder…” she sighed, shaking her head.
She refused to believe it. How deeply had that last rejection affected her? It was truly saddening. I had a lot of work ahead of me with my little mate.
- Writer
